SOLAR CELL, AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

• US 20130228219A1
• Filed: 02/14/2013
• Published: 09/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Panasonic Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: SAITOH, Mitsuo, SHISHIDA, Yoshinori
• Application Number:
  US13/767,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20130228219A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/256
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03921 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/056 the light-reflecting means being of the back surface reflector [BSR] type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/075 the potential barriers being only of the PIN type, e.g. amorphous silicon PIN solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1864 Annealing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A first electrode layer (202) that is a multilayer electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer (206), and an ITO layer (210) are sequentially disposed on a glass substrate (201). The ITO layer (210) is a transparent electrode layer serving as a second electrode layer. The first electrode layer (202) includes a Cr layer (203), a mixed layer (204) of Cr and ZnO, and a ZnO layer (205) that are stacked in this order when viewed from the glass substrate (201). The content of Cr in the mixed layer (204) gradually increases toward the Cr layer (203), thereby preventing exfoliation on the Cr layer (203) and the ZnO layer (205) for a long time.

Claims

1. A solar cell comprising a first electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode layer that are sequentially stacked,

wherein the first electrode layer is a multilayer film including a transparent conductive film material layer, a mixed layer, and a metallic material layer that are stacked in this order when viewed from the photoelectric conversion layer, the mixed layer contains a metal of the metallic material layer and a transparent conductive material of the transparent conductive film material layer, and a content of the metallic material in the mixed layer gradually increases toward the metallic material layer.

4. The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the content of the metallic material in the mixed layer is zero on an interface of the transparent conductive film material layer, the content of the metallic material gradually increases toward the metallic material layer, and only the metallic material remains on an interface of the metallic material layer.

2. A solar cell comprising a first electrode layer as a lower electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode layer that are sequentially stacked on a surface of a substrate having electrical insulation,

wherein the first electrode layer is a multilayer film including a transparent conductive film material layer, a mixed layer, and a metallic material layer that are stacked in this order when viewed from the photoelectric conversion layer, the mixed layer contains a metal of the metallic material layer and a transparent conductive material of the transparent conductive film material layer, and a content of the metallic material in the mixed layer gradually increases toward the metallic material layer.

3. A solar cell comprising a second electrode layer as a lower electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a first electrode layer that are sequentially stacked on a surface of a substrate having electrical insulation,

wherein the first electrode layer is a multilayer film including a transparent conductive film material layer, a mixed layer, and a metallic material layer that are stacked in this order when viewed from the photoelectric conversion layer, the mixed layer contains a metal of the metallic material layer and a transparent conductive material of the transparent conductive film material layer, and a content of the metallic material in the mixed layer gradually increases toward the metallic material layer.

5. A method of manufacturing a solar cell comprising a first electrode layer as a lower electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode layer that are sequentially stacked, the method comprising the steps of:

forming the first electrode layer by sequentially stacking a metallic material layer and a transparent conductive film material layer on a surface of a substrate toward the photoelectric conversion layer;

stacking the photoelectric conversion layer having an amorphous phase on the transparent conductive film material layer; and

supplying a quantity of heat to the transparent conductive film material layer through the photoelectric conversion layer to crystallize the photoelectric conversion layer while forming a mixed layer on an interface between the transparent conductive film material layer and the metallic material layer by thermal diffusion, the mixed layer containing a metallic material of the metallic material layer and a transparent conductive material of the transparent conductive film material layer while a content of the metallic material gradually increases toward the metallic material layer.

8. The method of manufacturing a solar cell according to claim 5, wherein the thermal diffusion heat-treats the interface between the metallic material layer and the transparent conductive film material layer to at least 300°

C.

6. A method of manufacturing a solar cell comprising a first electrode layer as a lower electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode layer that are sequentially stacked,

the method comprising the steps of:

sequentially stacking a metallic material layer and a transparent conductive film material layer on a surface of a substrate toward the photoelectric conversion layer;

forming a mixed layer on an interface between the transparent conductive film material layer and the metallic material layer by thermal diffusion, the mixed layer containing a metallic material of the metallic material layer and a transparent conductive material of the transparent conductive film material layer while a content of the metallic material gradually increases toward the metallic material layer;

stacking the photoelectric conversion layer on the transparent conductive film material layer; and

forming the second electrode layer on the photoelectric conversion layer.

7. A method of manufacturing a solar cell comprising a first electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second electrode layer that are sequentially stacked, the method comprising the steps of:

forming the second electrode layer on a surface of a substrate;

stacking the photoelectric conversion layer on the second electrode layer;

stacking a transparent conductive film material layer on the photoelectric conversion layer;

stacking a metallic material layer on the transparent conductive film material layer; and

supplying a quantity of heat to the metallic material layer to form a mixed layer on an interface between the transparent conductive film material layer and the metallic material layer by thermal diffusion, the mixed layer containing a metallic material of the metallic material layer and a transparent conductive material of the transparent conductive film material layer while a content of the metallic material gradually increases toward the metallic material layer, the first electrode layer including the transparent conductive film material layer, the mixed layer, and the metallic material layer.

9. The method of manufacturing a solar cell according to claim 7, wherein at least one of atmospheric pressure plasma, flash lamp annealing, and laser ablation is performed in the thermal diffusion.