Photovoltaic structure with a conductive nanowire array electrode

• US 7,635,600 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Issued: 12/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Laboratories of America Incorporated (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Barrowcliff, Robert A., Zhang, Fengyan, Hsu, Sheng Teng
• Primary Examiner(s): Purvis; Sue
• Assistant Examiner(s): Singal; Ankush k
• Application Number:
  US11/280,423
• Publication Number:
  US 20070111368A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,497 Days
• Field of Search: 438/427, 438/7, 438/56, 438/64, 257/E25.009, 136/243
• US Class Current: 438/7
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 10/00 Nanotechnology for information processing, storage or transmission, e.g. quantum computing or single electron logic
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/10 comprising heterojunctions between organic semiconductors and inorganic semiconductors
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/151 the wide bandgap semiconductor comprising titanium oxide, e.g. TiO2
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/152 the wide bandgap semiconductor comprising zinc oxide, e.g. ZnO
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/352 the inorganic nanostructures being nanotubes or nanowires, e.g. CdTe nanotubes in P3HT polymer
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/50 Photovoltaic [PV] devices
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 30/81 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/211 Fullerenes, e.g. C60
• CPC Class Codes: H10K 85/221 Carbon nanotubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells

Abstract

A photovoltaic (PV) structure is provided, along with a method for forming a PV structure with a conductive nanowire array electrode. The method comprises: forming a bottom electrode with conductive nanowires; forming a first semiconductor layer of a first dopant type (i.e., n-type) overlying the nanowires; forming a second semiconductor layer of a second dopant type, opposite of the first dopant type (i.e., p-type), overlying the first semiconductor layer; and, forming a top electrode overlying the second semiconductor layer. The first and second semiconductor layers can be a material such as a conductive polymer, a conjugated polymer with a fullerene derivative, and inorganic materials such as CdSe, CdS, Titania, or ZnO. The conductive nanowires can be a material such as IrO₂, In₂O₃, SnO₂, or indium tin oxide (ITO).

Claims

1. A method for forming a photovoltaic (PV) structure with a conductive nanowire array electrode, the method comprising:

forming a bottom electrode with conductive nanowires;

forming a first semiconductor layer of a first dopant type overlying the nanowires;

forming a second semiconductor layer of a second dopant type, opposite of the first dopant type, overlying the first semiconductor layer; and

,

forming a top electrode overlying the second semiconductor layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the first semiconductor layer overlying the nanowires includes depositing a material selected from the group consisting of a conductive polymer, a conjugated polymer with a fullerene derivative, and inorganic materials selected from the group consisting of CdSe, CdS, Titania, and ZnO;

and,

wherein forming the second semiconductor layer overlying the first semiconductor layer includes depositing a material selected from the group consisting of a conductive polymer, a conjugated polymer with a fullerene derivative, and inorganic materials selected from the group consisting of CdSe, CdS, Titania, and ZnO.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the bottom electrode with conductive nanowires includes forming the nanowires from a material selected from the group consisting of IrO₂, In₂O₃, SnO₂, carbon nanotube (CNT), and indium tin oxide (ITO).

4. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the bottom electrode with conductive nanowires includes forming a bottom electrode from a material selected from the group including Pt, Al, and Ir;

and,

wherein forming the top electrode includes forming a transparent top electrode from a material selected from the group consisting of ITO, IrO₂, In₂O₃, and SnO₂.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the bottom electrode with conductive nanowires includes forming a transparent bottom electrode from a material selected from the group including ITO, IrO₂, In₂O₃, and SnO₂;

and,

wherein forming the top electrode includes forming a top electrode from a material selected from the group consisting of Pt, Al, and Ir.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the first semiconductor layer overlying the nanowires includes forming the first semiconductor layer using a deposition process selected from the group consisting of chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), atomic layer deposition (ALD), spin-on deposition, screen printing, and electrochemical deposition;

and,

wherein forming the second semiconductor layer overlying the first semiconductor layer includes forming the second semiconductor layer using a deposition process selected from the group consisting of CVD, PVD, ALD, spin-on deposition, screen printing, and electrochemical deposition.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the first semiconductor layer overlying the nanowires includes coating the nanowires with the first semiconductor material using a deposition process selected from the group consisting of CVD, ALD, and electrochemical deposition;

and,

wherein forming the second semiconductor layer overlying the first semiconductor layer includes;

depositing the second semiconductor layer using a deposition process selected from the group consisting of spin-on deposition and screen printing; and

,

forming a second semiconductor flat top surface to interface with a top electrode bottom surface.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein forming the first semiconductor layer overlying the nanowires includes coating the nanowires with the first semiconductor material using a deposition process selected from the group consisting of CVD, ALD, and electrochemical deposition;

wherein forming the second semiconductor layer overlying the first semiconductor layer includes coating the first semiconductor-coated nanowires with the second semiconductor material using a deposition process selected from the group consisting of CVD, ALD, and electrochemical deposition; and

,

wherein forming the top electrode includes;

depositing the top electrode using process selected from the group consisting of spin-on deposition and screen printing; and

,

forming a top electrode flat top surface.

9. A photovoltaic (PV) structure with a conductive nanowire array electrode, the PV structure comprising:

a bottom electrode with conductive nanowires;

a first semiconductor layer of a first dopant type overlying the nanowires;

a second semiconductor layer of a second dopant type, opposite of the first dopant type, overlying the first semiconductor layer; and

,

a top electrode overlying the second semiconductor layer.

10. The PV structure of claim 9 wherein the first semiconductor layer is a material selected from the group consisting of a conductive polymer, a conjugated polymer with a fullerene derivative, and inorganic materials selected from the group consisting of CdSe, CdS, Titania, and ZnO;

and,

wherein the second semiconductor layer is a material selected from the group consisting of a conductive polymer, a conjugated polymer with a fullerene derivative, and inorganic materials selected from the group consisting of CdSe, CdS, Titania, and ZnO.

11. The PV structure of claim 9 wherein the nanowires are a material selected from the group consisting of IrO₂, In₂O₃, SnO₂, carbon nanotube (CNT), and indium tin oxide (ITO).

12. The PV structure of claim 9 wherein the bottom electrode is a material selected from the group including Pt, Al, and Ir;

and,

wherein the top electrode is a material selected from the group consisting of ITO, IrO₂, In₂O₃, and SnO₂.

13. The PV structure of claim 9 wherein the bottom electrode is a material selected from the group including ITO, IrO₂, In₂O₃, and SnO₂;

and,

wherein the top electrode is a material selected from the group consisting of Pt, Al, and Ir.

14. The PV structure of claim 9 wherein the first semiconductor layer is doped with an n-type dopant;

and,

wherein the second semiconductor layer is doped with a p-type dopant.

15. The PV structure of claim 9 wherein the first semiconductor layer is doped with an p-type dopant;

and,

wherein the second semiconductor layer is doped with a n-type dopant.

16. The PV structure of claim 9 wherein the first semiconductor layer conformally coats the nanowires.

17. The PV structure of claim 16 wherein the second semiconductor layer conformally coats the first semiconductor layer.

18. The PV structure of claim 17 wherein the second semiconductor layer has an irregular top surface;

and,

wherein the top electrode has an irregular bottom surface to interface with the second semiconductor layer top surface, and a flat top surface.