Polycrystalline CDTE thin film semiconductor photovoltaic cell structures for use in solar electricity generation

• US 8,580,602 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2012
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Uriel Solar, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Uriel Solar, Inc.
• Inventors: Garnett, James David
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Kyoung
• Application Number:
  US13/628,016
• Publication Number:
  US 20130081682A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 438/84
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0296 including, apart from doping material or other impurities, only AIIBVI compounds, e.g. CdS, ZnS, HgCdTe
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/02966 including ternary compounds, e.g. HgCdTe
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0392 including thin films deposited on metallic or insulating substrates ; characterised by specific substrate materials or substrate features or by the presence of intermediate layers, e.g. barrier layers, on the substrate textured substrates H01L31/02366
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03925 including AIIBVI compound materials, e.g. CdTe, CdS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0725 Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/073 comprising only AIIBVI compound semiconductors, e.g. CdS/CdTe solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/078 including different types of potential barriers provided for in two or more of groups H01L31/062 - H01L31/075
• 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: H01L 31/1836 comprising a growth substrate not being an AIIBVI compound
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/543 Solar cells from Group II-VI materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A reverse p-n junction solar cell device and methods for forming the reverse p-n junction solar cell device are described. A variety of n-p junction and reverse p-n junction solar cell devices and related methods of manufacturing are provided. N-intrinsic-p junction and reverse p-intrinsic-n junction solar cell devices are also described.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

(a) a non-crystalline substrate or superstrate;

(b) a first layer adjacent to said superstrate or substrate, the first layer comprising

(i) tellurium (Te) and cadmium (Cd) or zinc (Zn), or

(ii) Te, Cd and Zn;

(c) a second layer adjacent to the first layer, the second layer comprising Cd and Te; and

(d) a third layer adjacent to the second layer, the third layer comprising Cd and Te, wherein;

(i) the first layer is chemically doped n-type, the second layer is chemically doped p-type, and the third layer is chemically doped p-type;

or

(ii) the first layer is chemically doped p-type, the second layer is chemically doped p-type, and the third layer is chemically doped n-type.

2. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, further comprising a layer comprising Zn and Te between said substrate or superstrate and said first layer.

3. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, further comprising a fourth layer adjacent to the third layer, the fourth layer comprising Cd and Te.

4. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein one or more of said first layer, second layer and third layer comprise Te, Cd and Zn.

5. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein

(a) said first layer and second layer comprise Te, Cd and Zn;

(b) said first layer and third layer comprise Te, Cd and Zn;

(c) said second layer and third layer comprise Te, Cd and Zn;

or

(d) said first layer, second layer and third layer comprise Te, Cd and Zn.

6. The photovoltaic device of claim 5, wherein said first layer, second layer and third layer comprise Te, Cd and Zn.

7. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein said first layer, second layer and/or said third layers are compositionally graded in Cd and Zn.

8. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein said first layer is chemically doped n-type, the second layer is chemically doped p-type, and the third layer is chemically doped p-type.

9. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein said first layer is chemically doped p-type, the second layer is chemically doped p-type, and the third layer is chemically doped n-type.

10. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

(a) a substrate or superstrate;

(b) a first layer adjacent to said substrate or superstrate, said first layer comprising;

(i) tellurium (Te) and cadmium (Cd) or zinc (Zn), or

(ii) Te, Cd and Zn, wherein said first layer comprises a p-type chemical dopant;

(c) a second layer adjacent to the first layer, the second layer comprising Cd and Te, wherein said second layer comprises a p-type chemical dopant; and

(d) a third layer adjacent to the second layer, the third layer comprising Cd and Te, wherein said third layer comprises an n-type chemical dopant.

11. The photovoltaic device of claim 10, further comprising a layer comprising Zn and Te between said substrate or superstrate and said first layer.

12. The photovoltaic device of claim 10, further comprising a fourth layer adjacent to the third layer, the fourth layer comprising Cd and Te.

13. The photovoltaic device of claim 10, wherein one or more of said first layer, second layer and third layer comprise Te, Cd and Zn.

14. The photovoltaic device of claim 10, wherein

(a) said first layer and second layer comprise Te, Cd and Zn;

(b) said first layer and third layer comprise Te, Cd and Zn;

(c) said second layer and third layer comprise Te, Cd and Zn;

or

(d) said first layer, second layer and third layer comprise Te, Cd and Zn.

15. The photovoltaic device of claim 14, wherein said first layer, second layer and third layer comprise Te, Cd and Zn.

16. The photovoltaic device of claim 10, wherein said first layer, second layer and/or said third layers are compositionally graded in Cd and Zn.

17. The photovoltaic device of claim 10, wherein said first layer comprises tellurium (Te) and cadmium (Cd) or zinc (Zn).

18. The photovoltaic device of claim 10, wherein said first layer comprises Te, Cd and Zn, and wherein said first layer comprises a p-type chemical dopant.

19. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

(a) a low ohmic ZnTe contact layer adjacent to a superstrate or substrate, wherein the low ohmic ZnTe contact layer comprises a p-type dopant;

(b) a p-n heterojunction or homojunction adjacent to said low ohmic ZnTe contact layer, said p-n heterojunction or homojunction comprising;

(i) a p-type layer comprising cadmium (Cd) and tellurium (Te);

(ii) an n-type layer comprising Cd and Te adjacent to the p-type layer; and

(c) a low ohmic contact layer comprising Cd and Te adjacent to said p-n heterojunction or homojunction.

20. The photovoltaic device of claim 19, wherein the superstrate or substrate is non-crystalline.

21. The photovoltaic device of claim 19, wherein said p-type layer further comprises Zn.

22. The photovoltaic device of claim 19, wherein said n-type layer further comprises Zn.

23. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

(a) a substrate or superstrate;

(b) a low ohmic contact layer comprising cadmium (Cd) and tellurium (Te) adjacent to said superstrate or substrate, wherein the low ohmic contact layer comprises an n-type dopant;

(c) an n-type layer comprising Cd and Te adjacent to the low ohmic CdTe layer;

(d) a p-type CdZnTe layer adjacent to the n-type layer; and

(e) a low ohmic p-type CdZnTe contact layer adjacent to the p-type CdZnTe layer.

24. The photovoltaic device of claim 23, wherein the superstrate or substrate is non-crystalline.

25. The photovoltaic device of claim 23, wherein said p-type CdZnTe layer and/or said low ohmic p-type CdZnTe layer are compositionally graded in Cd and Zn.

26. The photovoltaic device of claim 23, wherein said n-type layer further comprises Zn.