Nanostructured quantum dots or dashes in photovoltaic devices and methods thereof

• US 8,952,242 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2009
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rochester Institute of Technology, The United States Of America As Represented By The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Original Assignee: Rochester Institute of Technology, The United States Of America As Represented By The National Aeronautics And Space Administration
• Inventors: Raffaele, Ryne P., Wilt, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): MERSHON, JAYNE L
• Application Number:
  US12/630,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20100081228A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,895 Days
• Field of Search: 136252-265, 136/249, 438/57
• US Class Current: 136/255
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 20/00 Nanooptics, e.g. quantum optics or photonic crystals
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0352 characterised by their shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035236 Superlattices; Multiple quantum well structures
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/035263 Doping superlattices, e.g. nipi superlattices
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells

Abstract

A photovoltaic device includes one or more structures, an array of at least one of quantum dots and quantum dashes, at least one groove, and at least one conductor. Each of the structures comprises an intrinsic layer on one of an n type layer and a p type layer and the other one of the n type layer and the p type layer on the intrinsic layer. The array of at least one of quantum dots and quantum dashes is located in the intrinsic layer in at least one of the structures. The groove extends into at least one of the structures and the conductor is located along at least a portion of the groove.

Claims

1. A method for making a photovoltaic device, the method comprising:

forming an n type layer on a substrate, a first structure on the n type layer, and a second structure stacked on the first structure, wherein the first structure comprises forming in sequence an intrinsic layer on the n type layer and a p type layer on the intrinsic layer and an intrinsic layer on the p type layer and an n type layer on the intrinsic layer, wherein the second structure comprises forming in sequence an intrinsic layer on the n type layer and a p type layer on the intrinsic layer and an intrinsic layer on the p type layer and an n type layer on the intrinsic layer;

incorporating an array of quantum dots and quantum dashes in the intrinsic layers of the structures;

forming a first groove which extends from a surface of the second structure into the substrate;

forming parallel to the first groove a second groove which extends from a surface of the second structure into the substrate;

forming an n type region in the layers of the first structure, second structure, n type layer adjacent the substrate, and the substrate adjacent the first groove and a p type region in the layers of the first structure, second structure, n type layer adjacent the substrate, and the substrate adjacent the second groove; and

forming a conductive contact on a portion of the surface of the second structure adjacent the first groove and along the n type region in the first groove and a conductive contact on a portion of the surface of the second structure adjacent the second groove and along the p type region in the second groove, such that the conductive contact in the first groove is ohmic to the n type layers and rectifying to the p type layers adjacent the first groove and the conductive contact in the second groove is ohmic to the p type layers and rectifying to the n type layers adjacent the second groove.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 further comprising forming two or more of the structures which are stacked on each other.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the the array of the quantum dots and the quantum dashes in the intrinsic layer in each of the structures are substantially the same size.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the array of the quantum dots and the quantum dashes in the intrinsic layers in the structures have a different size than the array of the at least one of the quantum dots and the quantum dashes in the intrinsic layer in another one of the structures.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the size of the array of the quantum dots and the quantum dashes in each of the intrinsic layers in the structures decreases with depth into the structure.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the forming further comprises forming one of an n type region and a p type region in at least one of the structures which is adjacent and extends an entire length of the groove.