# US 10,121,923 B2 · Laminate and thin-film solar cell comprising same

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- Number: US 10,121,923 B2
- Document ID: US10121923B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/441,703
- Filed: 2014-06-19
- Published: 2016-03-10
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-06-19
- Assignees: LG Chem, Ltd.
- Applicants: LG Chem, Ltd.
- Inventors: Hee Han; Kyungjun Kim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121923B2

## CPC

- H10F 77/1698: {the metallic or insulating substrates being flexible}
- H10F 77/1699: {the films including Group I-III-VI materials, e.g. CIS or CIGS on metal foils or polymer foils}
- 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

The present invention relates to a laminate including an alkali metal-doped layer. The laminate is processable at high temperatures of at least 550° C. and has excellent durability and barrier properties. Due to these advantages, the laminate can be used to fabricate a thin film solar cell with high flexibility and improved energy conversion efficiency. The present invention also relates to a thin film solar cell including the laminate.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for producing a laminate, comprising sequentially:
forming a polyimide layer on one surface of a metal base layer by polymerizing a tetracarboxylic dianhydride with a diamine to prepare a polyamic acid, casting a polyimide varnish comprising the polyamic acid on one surface of the metal base layer, and imidizing the polyamic acid; or subjecting the polyimide varnish to imidization to form a polyimide film and laminating the polyimide film on the metal base layer; and then
forming a coating layer comprising an alkali metal source on one surface of the imidized polyimide layer, followed by forming an alkali metal-doped layer by a soft-baking process at 80 to 150° C. and a hard-baking process at 150 to 500° C. so that only the alkali metal is doped on one surface of the polyimide layer,
wherein the coating layer is formed by coating with an alkali metal doping solution consisting essentially of an alkali metal source and a glycol-based organic solvent,
wherein the glycol-based organic solvent is selected from at least one of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propyleneglycol, dipropylene glycol, butylene glycol, 2,3-dibutyleneglycol and glycerol.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the alkali metal source is an alkali metal selected from lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, and cesium, or a compound comprising the alkali metal.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, further comprising forming a metal electrode layer on the alkali metal-doped layer.

### Claim 4

A method for producing a laminate, comprising sequentially:
forming a polyimide layer on one surface of a metal base layer by polymerizing a tetracarboxylic dianhydride with a diamine to prepare a polyamic acid, casting a polyimide varnish comprising the polyamic acid on one surface of the metal base layer, and imidizing the polyamic acid; or subjecting the polyimide varnish to innidization to forma polyimide film and laminating the polyimide film on the metal base layer; and then
forming a coating layer comprising an alkali metal source on one surface of the imidized polyimide layer, followed by forming an alkali metal-doped layer by a soft-baking process at 80 to 150° C. and a hard-baking process at 150 to 500° C. so that only the alkali metal is doped on one surface of the polyimide layer,
wherein the coating layer is formed by coating with an alkali metal doping solution consisting essentially of an alkali metal source, a glycol-based organic solvent, and another solvent,
wherein the glycol-based organic solvent is selected from at least one of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, propyleneglycol, dipropylene glycol, butylene glycol, 2,3-dibutyleneglycol and glycerol,
wherein the another solvent is selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol monomethyl ether acetate (PGMEA), butyl acetate, ethyl lactate, and butyl lactate.