ZINC OXIDE BASED FRONT ELECTRODE DOPED WITH YTTRIUM FOR USE IN PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICE OR THE LIKE

• US 20130074922A1
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Published: 03/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: KRASNOV, Alexey
• Granted Patent: US 8,936,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/256
• CPC Class Codes: C01G 9/00 Compounds of zinc
• CPC Class Codes: C01G 9/02 Oxides; Hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/52 containing elements as dopants
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/40 Electric properties
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/36 at least one coating being a metal
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0816 Multilayer mirrors, i.e. having two or more reflecting layers G02B5/0883, G02B5/0891 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022466 made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. TCO, ITO layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022483 composed of zinc oxide [ZnO]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1884 Manufacture of transparent electrodes, e.g. TCO, ITO
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy

Abstract

Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to an electrode (e.g., front electrode) for use in a photovoltaic device or the like. In certain example embodiments, a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) based front electrode for use in a photovoltaic device is of or includes zinc oxide, or zinc aluminum oxide, doped with yttrium (Y). In certain example embodiments, the addition of the yttrium (Y) to the conductive zinc oxide or zinc aluminum oxide is advantageous in that potential conductivity loss of the electrode can be reduced or prevented. In other example embodiments, a low-E coating may include a layer of or including zinc oxide, or zinc aluminum oxide, doped with yttrium (Y).

Claims

1-23. -23. (canceled)

24. An electrode structure for use in an electronic device, the electrode structure comprising:

a substrate;

an electrically conductive and substantially transparent electrode supported by at least the substrate; and

wherein the electrode comprises zinc aluminum oxide, doped with from about 0.001 to 5.0% yttrium, wherein the zinc aluminum oxide comprises from about 0.5 to 7% aluminum, where the electrode comprises at least twice as much aluminum as yttrium by weight, and wherein the electrode has a sheet resistance (R_S) of no more than about 50 ohms/square.

25. The electrode structure of claim 24, wherein the electrode consists essentially of zinc aluminum oxide doped with from about 0.001 to 5.0% yttrium.

26. The electrode structure of claim 24, wherein the electrode contains from about 0.005 to 1.0% yttrium, and wherein the substrate is of glass.

27. The electrode structure of claim 24, wherein the electrode contains from about 0.01 to 0.50% yttrium.

28. The electrode structure of claim 24, wherein a semiconductor film is provided over the electrode.

29. The electrode structure of claim 24, wherein the electrode contains from about 1 to 4% aluminum, and has a sheet resistance (R_S) of no more than about 15 ohms/square.

37. The electrode structure of claim 24, wherein the electrode has a thickness of less than about 200 nm.

30. A coated article comprising:

a low-E coating supported by a glass substrate;

the low-E coating comprises at least one IR reflecting layer, the IR reflecting layer being provided over a layer comprising zinc aluminum oxide, the layer comprising zinc aluminum oxide being doped with yttrium, wherein the layer comprising zinc aluminum oxide comprises from about 0.05 to 0.20% yttrium (by wt. %), and wherein the layer comprising zinc aluminum oxide doped with yttrium comprises at least twice as much aluminum as yttrium by weight.

31. The coated article of claim 30, wherein the layer comprising zinc aluminum oxide contains from 0.5 to 7% Al.

32. The coated article of claim 30, wherein the IR reflecting layer is located over and directly contacting the layer comprising zinc aluminum oxide doped with yttrium.

33. The coated article of claim 30, wherein the layer comprising zinc aluminum oxide contains from about 1 to 4% Al.

34. The coated article of claim 30, wherein the IR reflecting layer comprises Ag and the coated article has a visible transmission of at least about 50%.

35. The coated article of claim 30, wherein the coated article is used in a window in a building or vehicle.

36. The coated article of claim 30, wherein the IR reflecting layer is provided over a layer comprising zinc aluminum oxide doped with yttrium, wherein the layer comprising zinc aluminum oxide comprises from about 0.5 to 7% aluminum.

38. The coated article of claim 30, wherein the layer comprising zinc aluminum oxide doped with yttrium has a thickness of less than about 200 nm.

39. The coated article of claim 30, wherein the layer comprising zinc aluminum oxide doped with yttrium has a sheet resistance (R_S) of no more than about 50 ohms/square.

40. The coated article of claim 39, wherein the layer comprising zinc aluminum oxide doped with yttrium has a thickness of less than about 200 nm.