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US 10,026,861 B2Granted
Photovoltaic device and method of formation
AssigneeFirst Solar, Inc.
InventorsIgor Sankin, Markus Gloeckler, Benyamin Buller, Kieran Tracy
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Abstract
An improved photovoltaic device and methods of manufacturing the same that includes an interface layer adjacent to a semiconductor absorber layer, where the interface layer includes a material in the semiconductor layer which decreases in concentration from the side of the interface layer contacting the absorber layer to an opposite side of the interface layer.
Claims48
A photovoltaic device comprising:
- a semiconductor window layer;
- a semiconductor absorber layer comprising CdTe adjacent the window layer, the semiconductor window layer and semiconductor absorber layer forming a p-n junction providing an electric field;
- an interface layer adjacent to the semiconductor absorber layer comprising a mixture containing Cd, Zn and Te, wherein the interface layer has a first side directly on and facing the absorber layer and a second side;
- and
- a contact layer directly on the second side of the interface layer.
2 more elements
A photovoltaic device comprising:
- a substrate;
- a semiconductor window layer;
- a semiconductor absorbing layer comprising CdTe over the window layer, the absorber layer and window layer forming a p-n junction producing an electric field;
- an intermediate semiconductor interface layer comprising a mixture of Cd and Zn over the semiconductor absorbing layer, wherein the intermediate semiconductor interface has a first side directly on and facing the semiconductor absorbing layer and a second side;
- and
- a contact layer directly on the second side of the intermediate semiconductor interface layer, wherein the concentration of Cd relative to Zn is higher on the first side of the intermediate semiconductor interface layer facing the semiconductor absorbing layer and lower on the second side of the intermediate semiconductor interface layer.
3 more elements
A photovoltaic device comprising:
- an absorber layer comprising CdTe, wherein the absorber layer and another layer form a p-n junction which produces an electric field;
- a cadmium zinc telluride layer over the absorber layer, wherein the cadmium zinc telluride layer has a first side in contact with and facing the absorber layer and an opposite second side;
- and
- a contact layer over and in contact with the opposite second side of the cadmium zinc telluride layer.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.