Electronic device including graphene-based layer(s), and/or method or making the same

• US 20110030772A1
• Filed: 08/07/2009
• Published: 02/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Veerasamy, Vijayen S.
• Granted Patent: US 10,164,135 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/256
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022466 made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. TCO, ITO layers
• 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 31/03923 including AIBIIICVI compound materials, e.g. CIS, CIGS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03925 including AIIBVI compound materials, e.g. CdTe, CdS
• 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: H10K 30/82 Transparent electrodes, e.g. indium tin oxide [ITO] electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/541 CuInSe2 material PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/549 Organic PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to the use of graphene as a transparent conductive coating (TCC). In certain example embodiments, graphene thin films grown on large areas hetero-epitaxially, e.g., on a catalyst thin film, from a hydrocarbon gas (such as, for example, C₂H₂, CH₄, or the like). The graphene thin films of certain example embodiments may be doped or undoped. In certain example embodiments, graphene thin films, once formed, may be lifted off of their carrier substrates and transferred to receiving substrates, e.g., for inclusion in an intermediate or final product. Graphene grown, lifted, and transferred in this way may exhibit low sheet resistances (e.g., less than 150 ohms/square and lower when doped) and high transmission values (e.g., at least in the visible and infrared spectra).

Claims

1. A solar cell, comprising:

a glass substrate;

a first graphene-based conductive layer located, directly or indirectly, on the glass substrate;

a first semiconductor layer in contact with the first graphene-based conductive layer;

at least one absorbing layer located, directly or indirectly, on the first semiconductor layer;

a second semiconductor layer located, directly or indirectly, on the at least one absorbing layer;

a second graphene-based conductive layer in contact with the second semiconductor layer; and

a back contact located, directly or indirectly, on the second-graphene-based conductive layer.

2. The solar cell of claim 1, further comprising an antireflective coating provided on a surface of the substrate opposite the first graphene-based conductive layer.

3. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein the first semiconductor layer is an n-type semiconductor layer and the first graphene-based layer is doped with n-type dopants.

4. The solar cell of claim 3, wherein the second semiconductor layer is a p-type semiconductor layer and the second graphene-based layer is doped with p-type dopants.

5. The solar cell of claim 4, further comprising a layer of zinc-doped tin oxide interposed between the glass substrate and the first graphene-based layer.

6. The solar cell of claim 1, wherein the first and/or second semiconductor layers comprise polymeric material(s).

7. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a substrate;

at least one photovoltaic thin-film layer;

first and second electrodes; and

first and second transparent, conductive graphene-based layers;

wherein the first and second graphene-based layers are respectively doped with n- and p-type dopants.

8. A touch panel subassembly, comprising:

a glass substrate;

a first transparent, conductive graphene-based layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the glass substrate;

a deformable foil, the deformable foil being substantially parallel and in spaced apart relation to the glass substrate; and

a second transparent, conductive graphene-based layer provided, directly or indirectly, on the deformable foil.

9. The touch panel subassembly of claim 8, wherein the first and/or second graphene-based layer(s) is patterned.

10. The touch panel subassembly of claim 9, further comprising:

a plurality of pillars located between the deformable foil and the glass substrate, and

at least one edge seal at the periphery of the subassembly.

11. The touch panel subassembly of claim 10, wherein the deformable foil is a PET foil.

12. The touch panel subassembly of claim 8, wherein the first and/or second graphene-based layer(s) has/have a sheet resistance of less than 500 ohms/square.

13. The touch panel subassembly of claim 8, wherein the first and/or second graphene-based layer(s) has/have a sheet resistance of less than 300 ohms/square.

14. A touch panel apparatus, comprising:

the touch panel subassembly of claim 8; and

a display connected to a surface of the substrate of the touch panel subassembly opposite the deformable foil.

15. The touch panel apparatus of claim 14, wherein the display is an LCD display.

16. The touch panel apparatus of claim 15, wherein the touch panel apparatus is a capacitive touch panel apparatus.

17. The touch panel apparatus of claim 15, wherein the touch panel apparatus is a resistive touch panel apparatus.

18. A data/bus line, comprising a graphene-based layer supported by a substrate, wherein:

a portion of the graphene-based layer has been exposed to an ion beam/plasma treatment and/or etched with H*, thereby reducing conductivity of the portion.

19. The data/bus line of claim 18, wherein the portion is not electrically conductive.

20. The data/bus line of claim 18, wherein the substrate is a glass substrate.

21. The data/bus line of claim 18, wherein the substrate is a silicon wafer.

22. The data/bus line of claim 18, wherein the portion is at least partially removed by exposure to the ion beam/plasma treatment and/or the etching with H*.

23. An antenna, comprising:

a graphene-based layer supported by a substrate, wherein;

a portion of the graphene-based layer has been exposed to an ion beam/plasma treatment and/or etched with H* to thin the portion of graphene-based layer in comparison to other portions of the graphene-based layer,

wherein the graphene-based layer, as a whole, has a visible transmission of at least 80%.

24. The antenna of claim 23, wherein the graphene-based layer, as a whole, has a visible transmission of at least 90%.

25. A method of making an electronic device, the method comprising:

providing a substrate;

forming a graphene-based layer on the substrate; and

selectively patterning the graphene-based layer by one of;

ion beam/plasma exposure and etching with H*.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising transferring the graphene-based layer to a second substrate prior to the patterning.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the patterning is performed to reduce conductivity and/or remove portions of the graphene-based layer.

28. The method of claim 26, further comprising providing a protective mask over portions of the graphene-based layer prior to the patterning.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the protective mask comprises a photoresist material.

30. The method of claim 28, further comprising removing the protective mask.