# US 10,121,920 B2 · Aluminum-doped zinc oxysulfide emitters for enhancing efficiency of chalcogenide solar cell

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 10,121,920 B2
- Document ID: US10121920B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/755,803
- Filed: 2015-06-30
- Published: 2017-01-05
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2015-06-30
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: International Business Machines Corporation
- Inventors: Talia S. Gershon; Oki Gunawan; Jeehwan Kim; Yun Seog Lee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121920B2

## CPC

- H10F 77/1237: {having at least three elements, e.g. HgCdTe}
- H10F 10/16: Photovoltaic cells having only PN heterojunction potential barriers
- H10F 10/167: comprising Group I-III-VI materials, e.g. CdS/CuInSe2 [CIS] heterojunction photovoltaic cells
- H10F 71/1253: {comprising at least three elements, e.g. HgCdTe}
- H10F 77/1233: {characterised by the dopants}
- H10F 77/128: {comprising only Group I-II-IV-VI kesterite materials, e.g. Cu2ZnSnSe4 or Cu2ZnSnS4}
- Y02E 10/541: CuInSe2 material PV cells
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

A photovoltaic device includes a substrate, a first electrode formed on the substrate and a p-type absorber layer including a chalcogenide compound. An n-type layer includes a zinc oxysulfide material having a sulfur content adjusted to match a feature of the absorber layer. A transparent contact is formed on the n-type layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A photovoltaic device, comprising:
a substrate;
a first electrode formed on the substrate;
a p-type absorber layer including a chalcogenide compound;
an n-type layer including a zinc oxysulfide base material, the zinc oxysulfide base material further including sulfur dopants to match a feature of the absorber layer; and
a transparent contact formed on the n-type layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the n-type layer includes aluminum doped zinc oxysulfide.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the n-type layer includes a carrier concentration of greater than 5×1020 cm−3.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the absorber layer includes one of CZTSSe or CIGSSe.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the feature of the absorber layer includes one or more of band alignment and electron affinity.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the n-type layer includes an amorphous structure.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the substrate includes glass, the first electrode includes molybdenum (Mo) and the transparent contact includes indium tin oxide (ITO).

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The photovoltaic device as recited in claim 1, wherein the n-type layer includes Zn(O1−x,Sx), where x is between about 0.1 to about 0.6.

### Claim 9

A photovoltaic device, comprising:
a substrate;
a first electrode formed on the substrate;
a p-type absorber layer including a chalcogenide compound comprising one of CZTSSe or CIGSSe;
an n-type layer including Zn(O1−x,Sx) base material, the Zn(O1−x,Sx) base material further including sulfur dopants to match one or more of band alignment with adjacent layers and electron affinity of the absorber layer, wherein x is between about 0.1 to about 0.6; and
a transparent contact formed on the n-type layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The photovoltaic device as recited in claim 9, wherein the n-type layer includes aluminum doped zinc oxysulfide.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The photovoltaic device as recited in claim 9, wherein the n-type layer includes a carrier concentration of greater than 5×1020 cm−3.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The photovoltaic device as recited in claim 9, wherein the n-type layer includes an amorphous structure.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The photovoltaic device as recited in claim 9, wherein the substrate includes glass, the first electrode includes molybdenum (Mo) and the transparent contact includes indium tin oxide (ITO).