Amorphous film solar cell

• US 4,365,107 A
• Filed: 02/19/1981
• Issued: 12/21/1982
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/1980
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yamauchi, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisstuch, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US06/235,921
• Time in Patent Office: 670 Days
• Field of Search: 136/258 AM, 136/262, 357/2, 357/30, 204/192 S, 204/192 N, 427/39
• US Class Current: 136/258
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03921 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/074 comprising a heterojunction with an element of Group IV of the Periodic Table, e.g. ITO/Si, GaAs/Si or CdTe/Si solar cells
• 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 31/20 such devices or parts thereof comprising amorphous semiconductor materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells

Abstract

An amorphous film solar cell of p-i-n heterojunction type, which is produced through the combination of group III-V compound amorphous semiconductor films with a layer of fluorinated or hydrogenated amorphous silicon semiconductor material. Selection of the p-i-n layer construction is easier compared to film solar cells of conventional fluorinated or hydrogenated amorphous silicon semiconductor material, efficiency is improved, and there is an increased degree of freedom in choice of the apparatus.

Claims

1. An amorphous film solar cell of heterojunction type having a p-i-n construction, comprising a p type or n type amorphous semiconductor layer made of a group III-V material and at least an i (intrinsic) type semiconductor layer made of fluorinated or hydrogenated amorphous silicon semiconductor material.

2. An amorphous film solar cell of p-i-n heterojunction type in accordance with claim 1, wherein the group III-V amorphous semiconductor is made of a--BN, a--BP, a--AlN, a--AlP, a--GaN, a--GaP, a--GaAs, a--InN, a--InP, a--InAs, a--InSb, or alloys thereof produced by glow discharge, sputtering or ion plating.