Thin film photovoltaic solar cell and method of making the same
First Claim
1. In a method for fabricating a thin film photovoltaic device on a substrate chosen from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys, and metallurgical grade semiconductors and having semiconductor layers thereon functioning as collector and absorber, the improvement comprising the steps of applying directly over the substrate an optically transparent metallurgical barrier layer selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide and both tin oxide and silicon carbide and applying said semiconductor layers thereon.
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Abstract
A thin film photovoltaic solar cell having an opaque electrical contact which consists of a low-cost substrate, such as a metal alloy or a metallurgical grade crystalline silicon and a barrier layer which is optically reflective, a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer, a transparent electrical contact and an encapsulant.
136 Citations
48 Claims
- 1. In a method for fabricating a thin film photovoltaic device on a substrate chosen from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys, and metallurgical grade semiconductors and having semiconductor layers thereon functioning as collector and absorber, the improvement comprising the steps of applying directly over the substrate an optically transparent metallurgical barrier layer selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide and both tin oxide and silicon carbide and applying said semiconductor layers thereon.
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5. In a method for fabricating a thin film photovoltaic device on a substrate selected from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys, and metallurgical grade semiconductors and having semiconductor layers thereon functioning as collector and absorber, the improvement comprising the steps of
(a) texturing the substrate to provide back surface reflection to increase performance of the device by increased photon absorption within the device, (b) applying directly over the textured substrate an optically transparent metallurgical barrier layer selected from the group consisting of silicon carbide, and both tin oxide and silicon carbide, and (c) applying said semiconductor layers thereon.
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9. In a thin film photovoltaic device on a substrate selected from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys, and metallurgical grade semiconductors and having semiconductor layers thereon functioning as a collector and as an absorber, the improvement comprising
(a) textured substrate surface to provide back surface reflection to increase performance of the device by increased photon absorption, and (b) an optical reflection metallurgical barrier layer between said textured substrate surface and said semiconductor layers.
- 29. In a method for fabricating a thin film photovoltaic device on a substrate chosen from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys, and metallurgical grade semiconductors and having semiconductor layers functioning as collector and absorber, the improvement comprising the step of applying directly over the substrate an optical reflection metallurgical barrier layer and directly depositing said absorber layer on said barrier layer.
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41. In a method for fabricating a thin film photovoltaic device on a substrate selected from the group consisting of metals, metal alloys, and metallurgical grade semiconductors and having semiconductor layers thereon functioning as collector and absorber, the improvement comprising the steps of
(a) texturing the substrate to provide back surface reflection to increase the performance of the device by providing increased internal reflection of light for increasing photon absorption with the device, (b) applying directly over the textured substrate a conducting optical reflection metallurgical barrier layer having a predetermined depth to provide for reflection of light, and (c) applying said semiconductor layers thereon.
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48. A photovoltaic solar cell device including a back surface reflector comprising:
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a substrate including a reflective upper surface; at least one layer of photoactive semiconductor material over said reflective surface; a layer of transparent conductive material between said reflective surface and said at least one layer of semiconductor material, said layer of transparent conductive material acting as a barrier to diffusion of material from said reflective surface into said at least one semiconductor layer; the improvement wherein said layer of transparent conductive material has a predetermined thickness selected to provide enhanced reflection of light which has passed through said at least one layer of semiconductor material.
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Specification