Pulse anneal method for solar cell

• US 4,539,431 A
• Filed: 06/06/1983
• Issued: 09/03/1985
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: SERA Solar Corporation
• Original Assignee: SERA Solar Corporation
• Inventors: Gibbons, James F., Moddel, Garret R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisstuch, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US06/501,601
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 136/258 PC, 136/258 AM, 136/261, 136/290, 357/2, 357/30, 148/1.5, 29/572, 29/576 T, 429/111, 427/74, 427/39
• US Class Current: 136/258
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 9/20 Light-sensitive devices
• 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 31/202 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/208 Particular post-treatment of the devices, e.g. annealing, short-circuit elimination
• 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 solar cell including a pulse annealed layer of crystalline, amorphous or polycrystalline semiconductor material of one conductivity type and either a layer of opposite conductivity type or a liquid electrolyte forming a collector junction therewith. A method of improving the characteristics of a solar cell including at least one layer of crystalline, amorphous or polycrystalline semiconductor material which includes the step of pulse annealing said semiconductor material.

Claims

1. The method of making a solar cell which comprises the steps of depositing on a substrate

a first layer of n-type amorphous silicon, followed by a second layer of amorphous silicon containing carbon atoms, followed by a third layer p-type amorphous silicon, and

annealing the entire structure by rapidly heating with radiant thermal energy for a short period of time, said carbon atoms minimizing crystallization of said second layer and maintaining high light absorption.

2. The method of claim 1 in which the first layer is formed by plasma decomposition of SiH₄ with 0.3% PH₃, the second layer by plasma decomposition of SiH₄ with 10% CH₄ and the third layer by plasma decomposition of SiH₄ and 0.3% B₂ H₆.

3. A solar cell formed by the method of claim 2.