Hybrid window layer for photovoltaic cells

• US 7,879,644 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2007
• Issued: 02/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Toledo
• Original Assignee: University of Toledo
• Inventors: Liao, Xianbo, Deng, Xunming, Du, Wenhui
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, MICHAEL MANH
• Application Number:
  US11/899,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20080166833A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,243 Days
• Field of Search: 438/96, 438/97, 438/98, 257/E31.126
• US Class Current: 438/96
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03762 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03765 including AIVBIV compounds or alloys, e.g. SiGe, SiC
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03921 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/056 the light-reflecting means being of the back surface reflector [BSR] type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0745 comprising a AIVBIV heterojunction, e.g. Si/Ge, SiGe/Si or Si/SiC solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/202 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/204 including AIVBIV alloys, e.g. SiGe, SiC
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/52 PV systems with concentrators
• 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

A novel photovoltaic solar cell and method of making the same are disclosed. The solar cell includes: at least one absorber layer which could either be a lightly doped layer or an undoped layer, and at least a doped window-layers which comprise at least two sub-window-layers. The first sub-window-layer, which is next to the absorber-layer, is deposited to form desirable junction with the absorber-layer. The second sub-window-layer, which is next to the first sub-window-layer, but not in direct contact with the absorber-layer, is deposited in order to have transmission higher than the first-sub-window-layer.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a solar cell comprising the steps of:

(i) providing a transparent substrate;

(ii) depositing a transparent conducting oxide layer on the transparent substrate;

(iii) depositing a second sub-p-layer on the transparent conducting oxide layer at a second temperature;

(iv) depositing a first sub-p-layer on the second sub-p-layer at a first temperature that is different from the second temperature;

(v) depositing an i-layer on the first sub-p-layer; and

(vi) depositing a n-type layer on the i-layer

wherein the second sub-p-layer is deposited onto the transparent conducting oxide layer at about 70°

C. and at a thickness in the range of about 0.005 microns to about 0.02 microns, and wherein the first sub-p-layer is deposited onto the second sub-p-layer at about 140°

C. and at a thickness in the range of about 0.001 microns to about 0.004 microns.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein during the i-layer deposition, a GeH₄ to Si₂H₆ ratio provides a Ge content sufficient for forming a single-junction solar cell.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a ratio of hydrogen dilution to a deposition gas of about 5-100 is used to form the i-layer.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the transparent substrate comprises glass or plastic.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the first and second sub-p-layers are deposited by a chemical vapor deposition process.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the chemical vapor deposition process comprises plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

7. The method of claim 6, in which the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition comprises radio frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first sub-p layer and the second sub-p-layer are selected from hydrogenated amorphous silicon, hydrogenated amorphous carbon, and hydrogenated amorphous silicon germanium.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the i-layer comprises hydrogenated amorphous silicon germanium having a bandgap ranging from about 1.4 e-V to 1.6 e-V, and wherein the first and second sub p-layers comprise amorphous silicon with a bandgap of around 1.6 e-V.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is by at least one of the following:

cathodic direct current glow discharge, anodic direct current glow discharge, radio frequency glow discharge, very high frequency (VHF) glow discharge, alternate current glow discharge, or microwave glow discharge at a pressure ranging from about 0.5 to about 5 TORR with a dilution ratio of dilutant to feedstock (deposition gas) ranging from about 5;

1 to about 200;

1.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second temperature at which the second sub-p-layer is deposited is lower than the first temperature at which the first sub-p-layer is deposited.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a junction formed between the first sub-p-layer and the i-layer has a current-voltage relationship where the rate of change of the current-voltage relationship is one of at least a constant or an increasing rate of change.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the i-layer comprises amorphous silicon germanium (a-Si_(1-x)Ge_x:

H), and the first and second sub-p-layers are each comprised of nanocrystalline silicon.

14. A method for manufacturing a solar cell comprising the steps of:

(i) providing a transparent substrate;

(ii) depositing a transparent conducting oxide layer on the transparent substrate;

(iii) depositing a second sub-p-layer on the transparent conducting oxide layer at a second temperature;

(iv) depositing a first sub-p-layer on the second sub-p-layer at a first temperature that is different from the second temperature, wherein the second sub-p-layer is formed from the same material as the first sub-p-layer;

(v) depositing an i-layer on the first sub-p-layer; and

(vi) depositing a n-type layer on the i-layer

wherein the second temperature is about 70°

C. and the first temperature is about 140°

C.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the first and second sub-p-layers are comprised of nano-crystalline silicon.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the second sub-p-layer has a transparency greater than the first sub-p-layer.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein there is a minimal mismatch between the bandgap of the first sub-p-layer and the bandgap of the i-layer.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the first sub-p-layer has a first thickness and the second sub-p-layer has a second thickness that is different from the first thickness.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the first thickness is in the range of about 0.001 microns to about 0.004 microns, and the second thickness is in the range of about 0.005 microns to about 0.02 microns.

20. A method for manufacturing a solar cell comprising:

(i) providing a transparent substrate;

(ii) depositing a transparent conducting oxide layer on the transparent substrate;

(iii) depositing a second sub-p-layer comprised of nano-crystalline silicon on the transparent conducting oxide layer at a second temperature;

(iv) depositing a first sub-p-layer comprised of nano-crystalline silicon on the second sub-p-layer at a first temperature that is different from the second temperature;

(v) depositing an i-layer on the first sub-p-layer; and

(vi) depositing an n-type layer on the i-layer

wherein the second temperature is about 70°

C. and the first temperature is about 140°

C.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the second temperature at which the second sub-p-layer is deposited is lower than the first temperature at which the first sub-p-layer is deposited.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein the second sub-p-layer has a transparency greater than the first sub-p-layer.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein there is a minimal mismatch between the bandgap of the first sub-p-layer and the bandgap of the i-layer.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein the first sub-p-layer has a first thickness and the second sub-p-layer has a second thickness that is different from the first thickness.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the first thickness is in the range of about 0.001 microns to about 0.004 microns, and the second thickness is in the range of about 0.005 microns to about 0.02 microns.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein a junction formed between the first sub-p-layer and the i-layer has a current-voltage relationship where the rate of change of the current-voltage relationship is one of at least a constant or an increasing rate of change.

27. A method for manufacturing a solar cell comprising:

(i) providing a transparent substrate;

(ii) depositing a transparent conducting oxide layer on the transparent substrate;

(iii) depositing a second sub-p-layer comprised of nano-crystalline silicon on the transparent conducting oxide layer at a second temperature;

(iv) depositing a first sub-p-layer comprised of nano-crystalline silicon on the second sub-p-layer at a first temperature that is different from the second temperature;

(v) depositing an i-layer on the first sub-p-layer; and

(vi) depositing an n-type layer on the i-layer;

wherein the second sub-p-layer is deposited onto the transparent conducting oxide layer at about 70°

C. and at a thickness in the range of about 0.005 microns to about 0.02 microns, and

wherein the first sub-p-layer is deposited onto the second sub-p-layer at about 140°

C. and at a thickness in the range of about 0.001 microns to about 0.004 microns.