Photovoltaic element with a semiconductor layer comprising non-single crystal material containing at least ZN, SE and H in an amount of 1 to 4 atomic %

• US 4,959,106 A
• Filed: 08/28/1989
• Issued: 09/25/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/1987
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Sakai, Akira, Murakami, Tsutomu, Kanai, Masahiro, Nakagawa, Katsumi, Ishihara, Shunichi, Fujioka, Yasushi, Arao, Kozo
• Primary Examiner(s): Weisstuch, Aaron
• Application Number:
  US07/399,396
• Time in Patent Office: 393 Days
• Field of Search: 136/258 PC, 136/260, 136/264, 136/265, 357/30 B, 357/30 E, 357/30 J, 357/30 K, 357/16, 357/61, 357/63, 357/59 D
• US Class Current: 136/258
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0237 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02554 Oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0256 Selenides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02562 Tellurides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02576 N-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02579 P-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02631 Physical deposition at reduced pressure, e.g. MBE, sputtering, evaporation
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02963 characterised by the doping material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02966 including ternary compounds, e.g. HgCdTe
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/068 the potential barriers being only of the PN homojunction type, e.g. bulk silicon PN homojunction solar cells or thin film polycrystalline silicon PN homojunction solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/073 comprising only AIIBVI compound semiconductors, e.g. CdS/CdTe solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1828 the active layers comprising only AIIBVI compounds, e.g. CdS, ZnS, CdTe
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1832 comprising ternary compounds, e.g. Hg Cd Te
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/543 Solar cells from Group II-VI materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 Monocrystalline silicon PV cells

Abstract

A photovoltaic element which generates photoelectromotive force by the contact of a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer, characterized in that at least one of said semiconductor layers is made up from a deposited film composed of zinc atoms, selenium atoms, optional tellurium atoms, and at least hydrogen atoms, said deposited film containing a p-type or n-type doping agent, containing 1 to 4 atomic % of hydrogen atoms, containing selenium atoms and tellurium atoms in a ratio of 1:9 to 3:7 (in terms of number of atoms), and also containing crystal grains in a ratio of 65 to 85 vol % per unit volume.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic element which generates photoelectromotive force by the contact of a p-type semiconductor layer with an n-type semiconductor layer, characterized in that one of said semiconductor layers is a film composed of zinc atoms, selenium atoms, and at least hydrogen atoms, said film containing a p-type or n-type doping agent, containing 1 to 4 atomic% of hydrogen atoms, and also containing crystal grains in a ratio of 65 to 85 vol% per unit volume, and the other of said semiconductor layers is film represented by the general formula ZnA, where A denotes an oxygen atom, sulfur atom, or selenium atom, or any one of the general formulas ZnTe, ZnSe_1-y Te_y (where 0<

y<

1), and CdTe.

2. A photovoltaic element set forth in claim 1, wherein said p-type doping agent is an element belonging to Group I or Group VA of the periodic table.

3. A photovoltaic element set forth in claim 2, wherein said p-type doping agent is lithium.

4. A photovoltaic element which generates photoelectromotive force by the contact of a p-type semiconductor layer with an n-type semiconductor layer, characterized in that one of said semiconductor layers is a film composed of zinc atoms, selenium atoms, tellurium atoms, and at least hydrogen atoms, said film containing a p-type or n-type doping agent, containing selenium atoms and tellurium atoms in a ratio of 1:

9 to 3;

7 in terms of number of atoms, containing 1 to 4 atomic% of hydrogen atoms, and also containing crystal grains in a ratio of 65 to 85 vol% per unit volume, and the other of said semiconductor layers is a film represented by the general formula ZnA, where A denotes an oxygen atom, sulfur atom, or selenium atom, or any one of the general formulas ZnTe, ZnSe_1-y Te_y (where 0<

y<

1), and CdTe.

5. A photovoltaic element set forth in claim 4, wherein said p-type doping agent is an element belonging to Group I or Group VA of the periodic table.

6. A photovoltaic element set forth in claim 5, wherein said p-type doping agent is lithium.

7. A photovoltaic element which generates photoelectromotive force by the contact of a p-type semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer, characterized in that one of said semiconductor layers is a film composed of zinc atoms, selenium atoms, and at least hydrogen atoms, said film containing a p-type or n-type doping agent, containing 1 to 4 atomic% of hydrogen atoms, and also containing crystal grains in a ratio of 65 to 85 vol% per unit volume, and the other of said semiconductor layers is a film composed of zinc atoms, selenium atoms, tellurium atoms, and at least hydrogen atoms, said film containing selenium atoms and tellurium atoms in a ratio of 1:

9 to 3;

7 in terms of number of atoms, and also containing crystal grains in a ratio of 65 to 85 vol% per unit volume.

8. A photovoltaic element set forth in claim 7, wherein said p-type doping agent is an element belonging to Group I or Group VA of the periodic table.

9. A photovoltaic element set forth in claim 8, wherein said p-type doping agent is lithium.