Thin film solar cell with ZnO window layer

• US 4,612,411 A
• Filed: 06/04/1985
• Issued: 09/16/1986
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Solar Industries L.P. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Wieting, Robert D., Potter, Richard R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisstuch, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US06/740,946
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 136/265, 357/16, 357/30, 427/74, 427/86, 29/572
• US Class Current: 136/265
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0749 including a AIBIIICVI compound, e.g. CdS/CulnSe2 [CIS] heterojunction solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/18 Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1828 the active layers comprising only AIIBVI compounds, e.g. CdS, ZnS, CdTe
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/541 CuInSe2 material PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/543 Solar cells from Group II-VI materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells

Abstract

A thin film photovoltaic device comprising a first layer of copper indium diselenide p-type semiconductor and a second layer of n-type zinc oxide semiconductor. In a preferred form, the first portion of the zinc oxide film at the junction with the CIS is undoped to have relatively high resistivity, while the remaining portion thereof is doped to achieve low resistivity. The zinc oxide is preferably deposited by a low temperature chemical vapor deposition process.

Claims

1. A thin film photovoltaic device comprising, in order, a first layer of copper indium diselenide semiconductor, a second layer of high resistivity zinc oxide semiconductor in contact with said first layer, and a third layer of low resistivity zinc oxide semiconductor in contact with said second layer.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the third layer is deposited by a chemical vapor deposition process and low resistivity is achieved by inclusion of B₂ H₆ in the reactive gas mixture used to deposit the zinc oxide semiconductor.

3. A device according to claim 1 wherein said second layer is produced by a low temperature chemical vapor deposition process.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein said process includes the steps of maintaining a substrate supporting said first layer at a temperature of from 60°

C. to 350°

C. while flowing reactant gases including water vapor and an organozinc compound at a pressure of from 0.1 to 2 torr across said first layer.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein during said deposition process said substrate temperature is maintained at about 150°

C. and said reactant gas pressure is maintained at about 0.86 torr.

6. A device according to claim 4 wherein said organozinc compound is diethyl zinc.

7. A thin film photovoltaic device having a first layer of copper indium diselenide forming a junction with a second layer comprising primarily zinc oxide wherein said zinc oxide layer is deposited on said first layer by a low temperature chemical vapor deposition process.

8. A device according to claim 7 wherein said process includes the steps of maintaining a substrate supporting said first layer at a temperature of from 60°

C. to 350°

C. while flowing reactant gases including water vapor and an organozinc compound at a pressure of from 0.1 torr to 2 torr across said first layer.

9. A device according to claim 8 wherein during said deposition process said substrate temperature is maintained at about 150°

C. and said reactant gas pressure is maintained at about 0.86 torr.

10. A device according to claim 8 wherein said organozinc compound is diethyl zinc.

11. A device according to claim 8 wherein the portion of said zinc oxide layer remote from said junction has low resistivity achieved by inclusion of B₂ H₆ in the reactive gas mixture used to deposit the zinc oxide layer.