Photovoltaic devices including heterojunctions

• US 9,520,513 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2013
• Issued: 12/13/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: First Solar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: First Solar Incorporated
• Inventors: Eaglesham, David
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Bach
• Application Number:
  US13/969,007
• Publication Number:
  US 20140008662A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,215 Days
• Field of Search: 136243-265
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0336 in different semiconductor regions, e.g. Cu2X/CdX hetero- junctions, X being an element of Group VI of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/072 the potential barriers being only of the PN heterojunction type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1828 the active layers comprising only AIIBVI compounds, e.g. CdS, ZnS, CdTe
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/184 the active layers comprising only AIIIBV compounds, e.g. GaAs, InP
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/543 Solar cells from Group II-VI materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/544 Solar cells from Group III-V materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A photovoltaic cell including a first semiconductor layer that includes a III-V compound semiconductor, the first semiconductor layer positioned over a transparent conductive layer, and a second semiconductor layer that includes a II-VI compound semiconductor, the second semiconductor layer positioned between the first semiconductor layer and a back metal contact. The photovoltaic cell further includes an interfacial layer between the first and second semiconductor layers that enhances a rectifying junction formed between the III-V and II-VI compound semiconductor materials.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic device comprising:

a transparent conductive layer on a substrate;

a first semiconductor layer including an n-type III-V compound semiconductor, the first semiconductor layer positioned over the transparent conductive layer;

a second semiconductor layer including a p-type II-VI compound semiconductor, the second semiconductor layer positioned between the first semiconductor layer and a back metal contact, wherein a rectifying heterojunction is formed between the III-V and II-VI compound semiconductors; and

an interfacial layer between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer that enhances the rectifying heterojunction between the III-V and II-VI compound semiconductors,

wherein the interfacial layer comprises an oxide or doped composition thereof, wherein the oxide or doped composition thereof is selected from the group consisting of mercury oxide, nickel oxide, palladium oxide, silver oxide, strontium oxide, titanium oxide, and vanadium oxide.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the II-VI compound is a cadmium telluride.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the III-V compound is a gallium nitride.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein the gallium nitride is a gallium aluminum nitride.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the interfacial layer includes an oxide.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor layer is a window layer of the device and the second semiconductor layer is an absorber layer of the device.

7. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein the n-type III-V compound semiconductor comprises a compound with a chemical formula XY, wherein X is selected from a group including boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, and thallium, and Y is selected from a group including nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth.

8. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein the p-type II-VI compound semiconductor comprises a compound with a chemical formula X′

Y′

, wherein X′

is selected from a group including zinc, cadmium, and mercury, and Y′

is selected from a group including oxygen, sulfur, selenium, tellurium, and polonium.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the interfacial layer further comprises amphiphilic molecules for altering electrical performance through creation of a dipole.

10. A system for generating electrical energy comprising:

a multilayered photovoltaic cell including

a transparent conductive layer on a substrate,

a first semiconductor layer including an n-type III-V compound semiconductor, the first semiconductor layer positioned over the transparent conductive layer,

a second semiconductor layer including a p-type II-VI compound semiconductor, the second semiconductor layer positioned between the first semiconductor layer and a back metal electrode, wherein a rectifying heterojunction is formed between the III-V and II-VI compound semiconductors, and

an interfacial layer that enhances the rectifying heterojunction between the III-V and II-VI compound semiconductors;

a first electrical connection connected to the transparent conductive layer; and

a second electrical connection connected to the back metal electrode, the back metal electrode being adjacent to the second semiconductor layer,

wherein the interfacial layer comprises an oxide or doped composition thereof, wherein the oxide or doped composition thereof is selected from the group consisting of mercury oxide, copper oxide, iron oxide, nickel oxide, palladium oxide, silver oxide, strontium oxide, titanium oxide, and vanadium oxide.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the II-VI compound is a cadmium telluride and the III-V compound is a gallium nitride.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the first semiconductor layer is a window layer of the device and the second semiconductor layer is an absorber layer of the device.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the n-type III-V compound semiconductor comprises a compound with a chemical formula XY, wherein X is selected from a group including boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, and thallium, and Y is selected from a group including nitrogen, phosphorus, arsenic, antimony, and bismuth.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the p-type II-VI compound semiconductor comprises a compound with a chemical formula X′

Y′

, wherein X′

is selected from a group including zinc, cadmium, and mercury, and Y′

is selected from a group including oxygen, sulfur, selenium, tellurium, and polonium.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the interfacial layer further comprises amphiphilic molecules for altering electrical performance through creation of a dipole.