Thin film photovoltaic device
First Claim
1. In a photovoltaic device having an ohmic back contact and a transparent electrical contact with at least one semiconductor layer therebetween of a material of the type formed by high temperature growth, the improvement being said device is a homojunction with said semiconductor layer having one region of p-type conductivity and an adjacent region of n-type conductivity with the electrical junction therebetween, said semiconductor layer being made of a material from the class of isostructural compounds comprised of elements selected from Groups IIB and VA of the Periodic Table, and said n-type conductivity region of said semiconductor layer being extrinsically doped with an element selected from groups IA and IIA of the Periodic Table.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A thin film photovoltaic solar cell which utilizes a zinc phosphide semiconductor is of the homojunction type comprising an n-type conductivity region forming an electrical junction with a p-type region, both regions consisting essentially of the same semiconductor material. The n-type region is formed by treating zinc phosphide with an extrinsic dopant such as magnesium. The semiconductor is formed on a multilayer substrate which acts as an opaque contact. Various transparent contacts may be used, including a thin metal film of the same chemical composition as the n-type dopant or conductive oxides or metal grids.
-
Citations
8 Claims
- 1. In a photovoltaic device having an ohmic back contact and a transparent electrical contact with at least one semiconductor layer therebetween of a material of the type formed by high temperature growth, the improvement being said device is a homojunction with said semiconductor layer having one region of p-type conductivity and an adjacent region of n-type conductivity with the electrical junction therebetween, said semiconductor layer being made of a material from the class of isostructural compounds comprised of elements selected from Groups IIB and VA of the Periodic Table, and said n-type conductivity region of said semiconductor layer being extrinsically doped with an element selected from groups IA and IIA of the Periodic Table.
Specification