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US 11,695,085 B2Granted
Photovoltaic devices including nitrogen-containing metal contact
AssigneeFirst Solar, Inc.
InventorsUpali Jayamaha, Michael T. Steele, Syed Zafar
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A photovoltaic cell can include a nitrogen-containing metal layer in contact with a semiconductor layer.
Claims8
A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic cell comprising:
- forming a first semiconductor layer over a substrate, wherein the first semiconductor layer comprises CdTe, CdSe, or mixtures thereof;
- forming a second semiconductor layer over the first semiconductor layer, wherein the second semiconductor layer comprises ZnTe;
- depositing a metal layer over the second semiconductor layer in the presence of nitrogen to form a nitrogen-containing metal layer in contact with the second semiconductor layer, wherein the nitrogen-containing metal layer includes an aluminum nitride, a molybdenum nitride, a nickel nitride, a titanium nitride, a tungsten nitride, a selenium nitride, a tantalum nitride, or a vanadium nitride;
- depositing an aluminum layer over the nitrogen-containing metal layer;
- and
- depositing a chromium layer over the aluminum layer.
3 more elements
A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic cell comprising:
- transporting a substrate into a series of one or more deposition stations on a conveyor, wherein at least one deposition station comprises a deposition chamber heated to a processing temperature in a range from about 450° C. to about 700° C.;
- depositing a transparent conductive oxide layer over the substrate;
- depositing a first semiconductor layer over the transparent conductive oxide layer by transport of vapor from a source to the substrate;
- depositing a nitrogen-containing metal layer over the first semiconductor layer by sputtering a first metal in the presence of nitrogen to form the nitrogen-containing metal layer,
- wherein the first metal is selected from the group consisting of:
- aluminum, molybdenum, nickel, titanium, tungsten, selenium, tantalum, vanadium, and combinations thereof;
- whereby the nitrogen-containing metal layer comprises one or more of:
- aluminum nitride, molybdenum nitride, nickel nitride, titanium nitride, tungsten nitride, selenium nitride, tantalum nitride, or vanadium nitride;
- depositing a second metal layer over and in contact with the nitrogen-containing metal layer,
- wherein the second metal is selected from the group consisting of:
- aluminum, copper, nickel, tungsten, lead, molybdenum, and combinations thereof;
- and
- wherein depositing the second metal layer comprises sputtering using argon as a sputtering gas;
- and
- depositing a chromium layer over and in contact with the second metal layer.
12 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.