Reduced light degradation due to low power deposition of buffer layer

• US 9,214,577 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2012
• Issued: 12/15/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Fogel, Keith E., Hong, Augustin J., Kim, Jeehwan, Sadana, Devendra K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Diallo, Mamadou
• Application Number:
  US13/407,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20130221464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022466 made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. TCO, ITO layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03767 presenting light-induced characteristic variations, e.g. Staebler-Wronski effect
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/075 the potential barriers being only of the PIN type, e.g. amorphous silicon PIN solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1804 comprising only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/547 Monocrystalline silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Methods for forming a photovoltaic device include forming a buffer layer between a transparent electrode and a p-type layer. The buffer layer includes a work function that falls substantially in a middle of a barrier formed between the transparent electrode and the p-type layer to provide a greater resistance to light induced degradation. An intrinsic layer and an n-type layer are formed over the p-type layer.

Claims

1. A method for forming a photovoltaic device, comprising:

forming a buffer layer of an amorphous form of germanium between a transparent electrode and a p-type layer, wherein the deposition power for forming the buffer layer is adjusted so that the buffer layer has a work function that falls substantially in a middle of a barrier formed between the transparent electrode and the p-type layer to provide a greater resistance to light induced degradation, wherein the deposition power is a sole deposition parameter being adjusted to adjust said work function; and

forming an intrinsic layer and an n-type layer over the p-type layer.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, the amorphous form of germanium is amorphous hydrogenated germanium.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein forming the buffer layer includes depositing a germanium containing material at a deposition power of less than about 0.50 Watts per square centimeter.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, wherein the deposition power includes a power of less than about 0.05 Watts per square centimeter.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein forming the buffer layer includes reducing initial photovoltaic device efficiency to provide improved long-term efficiency of the photovoltaic device.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the buffer layer includes a Fermi level aligned with the transparent electrode.

7. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein forming a buffer layer includes forming the buffer layer with a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process.

8. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the p-type layer includes a form of silicon.

9. The method as recited in claim 8, wherein the p-type layer includes at least one of amorphous silicon, amorphous silicon carbide, hydrogenated amorphous silicon, or hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide.

10. A method for forming a photovoltaic device, comprising:

forming a transparent electrode on a transparent substrate;

depositing a buffer layer on the transparent electrode, the buffer layer being deposited at a deposition power that is adjusted to provide an amorphous germanium layer with a work function that falls substantially in a middle of a barrier formed between adjacent layers to the buffer layer to provide a greater resistance to light induced degradation, wherein the deposition power is a sole deposition parameter being adjusted to adjust said work function;

depositing a p-type layer on the buffer layer;

forming an intrinsic layer on the p-type layer; and

forming an n-type layer on the intrinsic layer.

11. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein depositing the buffer layer includes depositing at least one of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon germanium alloy, or a hydrogenated amorphous germanium.

12. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the deposition power includes a power of less than about 0.50 Watts per square centimeter.

13. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the deposition power includes a power of less than about 0.050 Watts per square centimeter.

14. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein depositing the buffer layer includes reducing initial efficiency to provide improved long-term efficiency of the photovoltaic device.

15. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the buffer layer includes a Fermi level aligned with the transparent electrode.

16. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein depositing a buffer layer includes depositing the buffer layer with a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition process.

17. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein the p-type layer includes at least one of amorphous silicon, amorphous silicon carbide, hydrogenated amorphous silicon, or hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide.

20. The method as recited in claim 10, wherein depositing the buffer layer includes reducing initial efficiency to provide improved long term efficiency of the photovoltaic device.

18. A method for forming a photovoltaic device, comprising:

forming a transparent conductive oxide on a transparent substrate;

depositing a buffer layer including germanium on the transparent conductive oxide, the buffer layer being deposited at a deposition power of less than about 0.05 Watts per square centimeter to adjust a work function of the buffer layer, wherein the deposition power is the only deposition parameter that is adjusted to said adjust the work function of the buffer layer;

depositing a p-type amorphous silicon carbide layer on the buffer layer such that the work function of the buffer layer falls substantially in a middle of a barrier between the transparent electrode and the p-type layer to provide a greater resistance to light induced degradation;

forming an amorphous silicon intrinsic layer on the p-type layer;

forming an amorphous silicon n-type layer on the intrinsic layer; and

forming a back reflector on the n-type layer.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, wherein depositing the buffer layer includes depositing at least one of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon germanium alloy, or a hydrogenated amorphous germanium.

21. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a transparent conductive oxide comprising zinc formed on a transparent substrate;

a buffer layer including an amorphous form of germanium formed on the transparent conductive oxide;

a p-type layer of an amorphous, microcrystalline or single crystalline material including at least two of silicon, germanium and carbon formed on the buffer layer such that the work function of buffer layer falls substantially within about ±

10% of a middle of the barrier formed between the transparent electrode and the p-type layer to provide a greater resistance to light induced degradation;

an intrinsic layer formed on the p-type layer;

an n-type layer formed on the intrinsic layer; and

a back reflector formed on the n-type layer.

22. The device as recited in claim 21, wherein the buffer layer includes at least one of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon germanium alloy, or a hydrogenated amorphous germanium.

23. The device as recited in claim 21, wherein the buffer layer includes a Fermi level aligned with the transparent electrode.

24. The method as recited in claim 21, wherein the p-type layer includes at least one of amorphous silicon germanium, amorphous silicon carbide, hydrogenated amorphous silicon germanium, or hydrogenated amorphous silicon carbide.