Thin film photovoltaic cells

• US 4,267,398 A
• Filed: 05/29/1979
• Issued: 05/12/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: University of Delaware
• Original Assignee: University of Delaware
• Inventors: Rothwarf, Allen
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisstuch, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US06/043,339
• Time in Patent Office: 714 Days
• Field of Search: 136/89 CD, 136/89 CC, 136/89 TF, 136/89 CU, 136/256, 136/260, 136/265, 357/30, 357/62, 357/65, 427/74, 427/248 R, 29/572, 204/192 SP
• US Class Current: 136/256
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03365 comprising only Cu2X / CdX heterojunctions, X being an element of Group VI of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

A solar cell has as its transparent electrical contact a grid made from a non-noble metal by providing a layer of copper oxide between the transparent electrical contact and the absorber-generator.

Claims

1. In a front wall photovoltaic cell of the type comprising an opaque electrical contact, a collector on and in ohmic electrical contact with said opaque electrical contact, an absorber on and in rectifying electrical contact with said collector and forming a junction therewith, a transparent electrical contact in ohmic electrical contact with said absorber, and an antireflection coating, the improvement being said absorber being a copper bearing material, said transparent electrical contact being in the form of a grid made from a material selected from the group consisting of copper, silver, chromium, nickel and their alloys, a diffusion barrier layer deposited on said absorber and providing a continuous layer between said absorber and said grid, and said diffusion barrier layer being of the same material as the material as of said antireflection coating.