Abstract:
A method of forming a thin multifunction solar cell in which an electroplating process is used to form a thick metal layer to give strength and support to the solar cell. The strain of the plated thick metal layer is adjusted during the process by parameter control to compensate for the strain in the other device layers, so that the curvature of the thin device can be eliminated or otherwise controlled.
Abstract:
A method of manufacturing a solar cell on a flexible film by providing a substrate; depositing on the substrate a sequence of layers of semiconductor material forming a solar cell; mounting the semiconductor substrate on a flexible film; and thinning the semiconductor substrate to a predetermined thickness. The sequence of layers forms an inverted metamorphic solar cell structure.
Abstract:
A method of forming a solar cell including: providing a semiconductor body including at least one photoactive junction; forming a semiconductor contact layer composed of GaAs deposited over the semiconductor body; and depositing a metal contact layer including a germanium layer and a palladium layer over the semiconductor contact layer so that the specific contact resistance is less than 5×10−4 ohms-cm2.
Abstract:
A process for selectively freeing an epitaxial layer from a single crystal substrate upon which it was grown, by providing a first substrate; depositing a separation layer on the first substrate; depositing on the separation layer a sequence of layers of semiconductor material forming a solar cell; mounting and bonding a thin flexible support having a coefficient of thermal expansion substantially greater than that of the adjacent semiconductor material on top of the sequence of layers at an elevated temperature; and etching the separation layer while the temperature of the support and layers of semiconductor material decrease, so that the support and the attached layer curls away from the first substrate in view of their differences in coefficient of thermal expansion, so as to remove the epitaxial layer from the substrate.
Abstract:
A method of forming a multifunction solar cell including an upper subcell, a middle subcell, and a lower subcell by providing a substrate for the epitaxial growth of semiconductor material; forming a first solar subcell on the substrate having a first band gap; forming a second solar subcell over the first solar subcell having a second band gap smaller than the first band gap; forming a graded interlayer over the second subcell, the graded interlayer having a third band gap greater than the second band gap; forming a third solar subcell over the graded interlayer having a fourth band gap smaller than the second band gap such that the third subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the second subcell; and forming a contact composed of a sequence of layers over the first subcell at a temperature of 280° C. or less and having a contact resistance of less than 5×10−4 ohms-cm2.
Abstract:
A multijunction solar cell including an upper first solar subcell having a first band gap; a middle second solar subcell adjacent to the first solar subcell and having a second band gap smaller than the first band gap and having a base layer and an adjacent emitter layer, wherein the other layer adjacent to the emitter layer has an index of refraction substantially equal to that of the emitter layer; a graded interlayer adjacent to the second solar having a third band gap greater than said second band gap; and a lower solar subcell adjacent to the interlayer, and having a fourth band gap smaller than the second band gap, the third subcell being lattice mismatched with respect to the second subcell.
Abstract:
A method of forming a solar cell including: providing a semiconductor body including at least one photoactive junction; forming a semiconductor contact layer composed of GaAs deposited over the semiconductor body; and depositing a metal contact layer including a germanium layer and a palladium layer over the semiconductor contact layer so that the specific contact resistance is less than 5×10−4 ohms-cm2.
Abstract:
The present disclosure provides a process for manufacturing a solar cell by selectively freeing an epitaxial layer from a single crystal substrate upon which it was grown. In some embodiments the process includes, among other things, providing a first substrate; depositing a separation layer on said first substrate; depositing on said separation layer a sequence of layers of semiconductor material forming a solar cell; mounting and bonding a flexible support on top of the sequence of layers; etching said separation layer while applying an agitating action to the etchant solution so as to remove said flexible support with said epitaxial layer from said first substrate.
Abstract:
A method of forming a multijunction solar cell including an upper subcell, a middle subcell, and a lower subcell by providing a first substrate for the epitaxial growth of semiconductor material; forming a first solar subcell on the substrate having a first band gap; forming a second solar subcell over the first solar subcell having a second band gap smaller than the first band gap; forming a graded interlayer over the second subcell; forming a third solar subcell over the graded interlayer having a fourth band gap smaller than the second band gap such that the third subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the second subcell; attaching a surrogate second substrate over the third solar subcell and removing the first substrate; and etching a first trough around the periphery of the solar cell to the surrogate second substrate so as to form a mesa structure on the surrogate second substrate and facilitate the removal of the solar cell from the surrogate second substrate.
Abstract:
A method of forming a multifunction solar cell including an upper subcell, a middle subcell, and a lower subcell by providing a first substrate for the epitaxial growth of semiconductor material; forming a first solar subcell on the substrate having a first band gap; forming a second solar subcell over the first solar subcell having a second band gap smaller than the first band gap; forming a graded interlayer over the second subcell, the graded interlayer having a third band gap greater than the second band gap; forming a third solar subcell over the graded interlayer having a fourth band gap smaller than the second band gap such that the third subcell is lattice mismatched with respect to the second subcell; attaching a surrogate second substrate over the third solar subcell and removing the first substrate; and etching a first trough around the periphery of the solar cell to the surrogate second substrate so as to form a mesa structure on the surrogate second substrate and facilitate the removal of said solar cell from the surrogate second substrate.