# US 10,121,924 B2 · Solar cell having rear buffer layer and method of manufacturing the same

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- Number: US 10,121,924 B2
- Document ID: US10121924B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/770,455
- Filed: 2013-08-06
- Published: 2016-01-07
- Granted: 2018-11-06
- Earliest claimed: 2013-03-12
- Assignees: Korea Institute of Energy Research
- Applicants: Korea Institute of Energy Research
- Inventors: Young Joo Eo; Ara Cho; Jun Sik Cho; Joo Hyung Park; Kyung Hoon Yoon; Se Jin Ahn; Ji Hye Gwak; Jae Ho Yun; Kee Shik Shin; Seoung Kyu Ahn; Jin Su You; Sang Hyun Park
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10121924B2

## CPC

- H10F 19/35: Structures for the connecting of adjacent photovoltaic cells, e.g. interconnections or insulating spacers
- H10F 10/167: comprising Group I-III-VI materials, e.g. CdS/CuInSe2 [CIS] heterojunction photovoltaic cells
- H10F 71/134: {Irradiation with electromagnetic or particle radiation}
- H10F 71/138: {Manufacture of transparent electrodes, e.g. transparent conductive oxides [TCO] or indium tin oxide [ITO] electrodes}
- H10F 77/215: {Geometries of grid contacts}
- H10F 77/244: {made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. transparent conductive oxide [TCO] layers}
- H10F 77/251: {comprising zinc oxide [ZnO]}
- H10F 77/311: {for photovoltaic cells}
- H10F 77/315: {the coatings being antireflective or having enhancing optical properties}
- H10F 77/707: {of the substrates or of layers on substrates, e.g. textured ITO layer on a glass substrate}
- Y02E 10/541: CuInSe2 material PV cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- 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
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

The invention relates a thin-film solar cell. In the related art, a buffer layer, a transparent electrode, and a grid electrode are formed on a light absorption layer, but in the invention, the buffer layer and the transparent electrode are not formed on a light absorption layer, and the buffer layer, the transparent electrode, and the grid electrode are formed under a CIGS face such that solar light is directly input to the light absorption layer without obstacles, and the first electrode and the buffer layer are patterned in a saw-toothed structure to engage with each other to reduce a distance by which electrons or holes generated by absorbing light energy move to the electrode or the buffer layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A solar cell comprising:
a substrate;
a first electrode that is formed in a specific area on the substrate;
a buffer layer that is disposed separately at a predetermined gap from the first electrode on the substrate;
a second electrode disposed on the substrate, and in between the substrate and the buffer layer, wherein the second electrode and the first electrode are in the same plane; and
a light absorption layer that is directly formed on the first electrode, the buffer layer, and the substrate, wherein the light absorption layer is directly formed on the portion of the substrate between the first electrode and the buffer layer,
wherein the first electrode, the buffer layer, and the second electrode are disposed on the same side of the light absorption layer, wherein the first electrode is electrically separated from the buffer layer and the second electrode by a material of the light absorption layer,
wherein the buffer layer is positioned under the light absorption layer to increase the amount of incident light of the light absorption layer,
wherein one face of the first electrode opposed to the buffer layer has a saw-toothed pattern including a first electrode protrusion portion, a first electrode depression portion, and a connection portion electrically connecting the first electrode protrusion portion and the first electrode depression portion,
wherein the first electrode protrusion portion is inserted into a depression portion of the buffer layer and is disposed separately at a predetermined space, and
wherein a protrusion portion of the buffer layer is inserted into the first electrode depression portion and is disposed separately at a predetermined space to shorten movement distance to the electrode or the buffer layer even when the electron-hole pairs are formed at any position of the light absorption layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the first electrode includes any one of nickel, copper, and molybdenum.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the buffer layer includes CdS, CdZnS, ZnS, Zn(S, O), Zn(OH, S), ZnS(O, OH), ZnSe, ZnInS, ZnInSe, ZnMgO, Zn(Se, OH), ZnSnO, ZnO, InSe, InOH, In (OH, S), In (OOH, S), and In (S, 0).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, further comprising a grid electrode coming in contact with the buffer layer,
wherein the grid electrode includes at least any one of aluminum and nickel.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, further comprising a reflection preventing layer on the light absorption layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The solar cell according to claim 5, wherein the reflection preventing layer includes:
a first reflection preventing layer that is formed on the light absorption layer and includes Al2O3; and
a second reflection preventing layer that is formed on the first reflection preventing layer and includes MgF2.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the second electrode includes at least any one of zinc oxide, gallium oxide, aluminum oxide, indium oxide, lead oxide, copper oxide, titanium oxide, tin oxide, iron oxide, tin dioxide, and indium tin oxide.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the light absorption layer includes any one selected from a CIS/CIGS based compound group including Cu—In—Se, Cu—In—S, Cu—Ga—S, Cu—Ga—Se, Cu—In—Ga—Se, Cu—In—Ga—Se—(S, Se), Cu—In—Al—Ga—(S, Se), and Cu—In—Al—Ga—Se—S.

### Claim 9

A solar cell module including solar unit cells connected in series, comprising:
a substrate; and
a plurality of unit cells,
wherein each unit cell includes:
a first electrode that is formed in a specific area on the substrate;
a second electrode that is disposed separately at a predetermined gap from the first electrode, wherein the second electrode and the first electrode are in the same plane;
a transparent electrode that is formed on the second electrode and on a side face of the second electrode opposed to the first electrode, and is disposed separately from the first electrode;
a buffer layer that is formed on the transparent electrode and on a side face of the transparent electrode opposed to the first electrode, and is disposed separately from the first electrode;
a light absorption layer that is directly formed on the first electrode, the substrate, and the buffer layer; and
a reflection preventing layer that is formed on the light absorption layer,
wherein the first electrode, the buffer layer, and the second electrode are disposed on the same side of the light absorption layer, wherein the first electrode is electrically separated from the buffer layer and the second electrode by a material of the light absorption layer
wherein the solar cell module further comprises a serial connection portion that electrically connects the first electrode and the second electrode of each unit cell to have a serial connection structure,
wherein the buffer layer is disposed under the light absorption layer to increase the amount of incident light,
wherein one face of the first electrode opposed to the buffer layer has a saw-toothed pattern including a first electrode protrusion portion, a first electrode depression portion, and a connection portion electrically connecting the first electrode protrusion portion and the first electrode depression portion,
wherein the first electrode protrusion portion is inserted into a depression portion of the buffer layer and is disposed separately at a predetermined space, and
wherein a protrusion portion of the buffer layer is inserted into the first electrode depression portion and is disposed separately at a predetermined space to shorten movement distance to the electrode or the buffer layer even when the electron-hole pairs are formed at any position of the light absorption layer.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The solar cell module according to claim 9, wherein the first electrode includes any one of nickel, molybdenum, and copper.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

The solar cell module according to claim 9, wherein the second electrode includes one of nickel, molybdenum, and copper.

### Claim 12 (depends on 9)

The solar cell module according to claim 9, wherein the transparent electrode includes at least any one of zinc oxide, gallium oxide, aluminum oxide, indium oxide, lead oxide, copper oxide, titanium oxide, tin oxide, iron oxide, tin dioxide, and indium tin oxide.

### Claim 13 (depends on 9)

The solar cell module according to claim 9, wherein the buffer layer includes at least any one of CdS, CdZnS, ZnS, Zn (S, 0), Zn (OH, S), ZnS (0, OH), ZnSe, ZnInS, ZnInSe, ZnMgO, Zn(Se, OH), ZnSnO, ZnO, InSe, InOH, In(OH, S), In (OOH, S), and In (S, 0).

### Claim 14 (depends on 9)

The solar cell module according to claim 9, wherein the reflection preventing layer includes:
a first reflection preventing layer that is formed on the light absorption layer and includes Al2O3; and
a second reflection preventing layer that is formed on the first reflection preventing layer and includes MgF2.

### Claim 15 (depends on 9)

The solar cell module according to claim 9, wherein the transparent electrode includes:
a lower transparent electrode that includes n-ZnO; and
an upper transparent electrode that is formed on the lower transparent electrode and includes i-ZnO.