Abstract:
One aspect of the present invention includes method of making a photovoltaic device. The method includes disposing an absorber layer on a window layer, wherein the absorber layer includes a first region and a second region. The method includes disposing the first region adjacent to the window layer in a first environment including oxygen at a first partial pressure; and disposing the second region on the first region in a second environment including oxygen at a second partial pressure, wherein the first partial pressure is greater than the second partial pressure. One aspect of the present invention includes a photovoltaic device.
Abstract:
Embodiments of the present invention include a method. The method includes heating a layer stack. The layer stack includes a first layer comprising cadmium and tin, a metal layer disposed over the first layer, and a window layer disposed over the metal layer. Heating the stack includes transforming at least a portion of the first layer from an amorphous phase to a crystalline phase. Heating may be performed using any of various configurations, such as, for example, heating an individual stack, or using a face-to-face configuration of multiple stacks. The stack may be used for fabricating a photovoltaic device.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing semiconductor assemblies is provided. The manufacturing method includes thermally processing a first semiconductor assembly comprising a first semiconductor layer disposed on a first support and thermally processing a second semiconductor assembly comprising a second semiconductor layer disposed on a second support. The first and second semiconductor assemblies are thermally processed simultaneously, and the first and second semiconductor assemblies are arranged such that the first semiconductor layer faces the second semiconductor layer during the thermal processing.
Abstract:
An apparatus for sequential deposition of an intermixed thin film layer and a sublimated source material on a photovoltaic (PV) module substrate is provided, along with associated processes. The process can include introducing a substrate into a deposition chamber, wherein a window layer (e.g., a cadmium sulfide layer) is on a surface of the substrate. A sulfur-containing gas can be supplied to the deposition chamber. In addition, a source vapor can be supplied to the deposition chamber, wherein the source material comprises cadmium telluride. The sulfur-containing gas and the source vapor can be present within the deposition chamber to form an intermixed layer on the window layer. In one particular embodiment, for example, the intermixed layer generally can have an increasing tellurium concentration and decreasing sulfur concentration extending away from the window layer.
Abstract:
A photovoltaic device is provided. The photovoltaic device comprises an absorber layer comprising a chalcogenide material. The photovoltaic device further comprises a back contact and a reflection enhancing layer disposed between the absorber layer and the back contact.
Abstract:
In one aspect of the present invention, a transparent electrode, is presented. The transparent electrode includes a substrate and a transparent layer disposed on the substrate. The transparent layer includes (a) a first region including cadmium tin oxide; (b) a second region including tin and oxygen; and (c) a transition region including cadmium, tin, and oxygen interposed between the first region and the second region, wherein an atomic ratio of cadmium to tin in the transition region varies across a thickness of the transition region. The second region further has an electrical resistivity greater than an electrical resistivity of the first region. A photovoltaic device, a photovoltaic module, a method of making is also presented.
Abstract:
An apparatus for sequential deposition of an intermixed thin film layer and a sublimated source material on a photovoltaic (PV) module substrate is provided, along with associated processes. The process can include introducing a substrate into a deposition chamber, wherein a window layer (e.g., a cadmium sulfide layer) is on a surface of the substrate. A sulfur-containing gas can be supplied to the deposition chamber. In addition, a source vapor can be supplied to the deposition chamber, wherein the source material comprises cadmium telluride. The sulfur-containing gas and the source vapor can be present within the deposition chamber to form an intermixed layer on the window layer. In one particular embodiment, for example, the intermixed layer generally can have an increasing tellurium concentration and decreasing sulfur concentration extending away from the window layer.
Abstract:
A photovoltaic device including a composite down-converting layer disposed on the device, is presented. The composite down-converting layer includes down-converting material particles dispersed in a matrix. The size of the down-converting material particles is a function of a difference in respective refractive indices (Δn) of the down-converting material and the matrix such that: (i) for Δn less than about 0.05, the size of down-converting material particles is in a range from about 0.5 micron to about 10 microns, and (ii) for Δn at least about 0.05, the size of down-converting material particles is in a range from about 1 nanometer to about 500. A photovoltaic module having a plurality of such photovoltaic devices is also presented.
Abstract:
A monolithically integrated photovoltaic (PV) module is provided and includes a first electrically conductive layer and an insulating layer. The first electrically conductive layer is disposed below the insulating layer. The PV module further includes a back contact metal layer, a p-type semiconductor layer, a substantially intrinsic semiconductor layer with a median grain size of at least about five μm and comprising cadmium and tellurium, and an n-type semiconductor layer. The substantially intrinsic layer is disposed between the p-type and the n-type semiconductor layers forming an active semiconductor stack. The back contact metal layer is disposed between the insulating layer and the active semiconductor stack. The PV module further includes a second electrically conductive layer disposed above the active semiconductor stack, at least one first trench extending through the back contact metal layer, at least one second trench extending through the active semiconductor stack, and at least one third trench extending through the second electrically conductive layer.
Abstract:
A photovoltaic device that includes a substrate and a nanowall structure disposed on the substrate surface. The device also includes at least one layer conformally deposited over the nanowall structure. The conformal layer(s) is at least a portion of a photoactive junction. A method for making a photovoltaic device includes generating a nanowall structure on a substrate surface and conformally depositing at least one layer over the nanowall structure thereby forming at least one photoactive junction. A solar panel includes at least one photovoltaic device based on a nanowall structure. The solar panel isolates such devices from its surrounding atmospheric environment and permits the generation of electrical power. Optoelectronic device may also incorporate a photovoltaic device based on a nanowall structure.