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US 11,769,844 B2Granted
Photovoltaic device including a p-n junction and method of manufacturing
AssigneeFirst Solar, Inc.
InventorsDan Damjanovic, Feng Liao, Rick Powell, Rui Shao, Jigish Trivedi, Zhibo Zhao
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Abstract
A photovoltaic device includes a substrate structure and a p-type semiconductor absorber layer. A photovoltaic device may include a CdSeTe layer. A process for manufacturing a photovoltaic device includes forming a CdSeTe layer over a substrate. The process includes forming a p-type cadmium selenide telluride absorber layer.
Claims32
A method for forming a photovoltaic structure, comprising:
- providing a substrate structure comprising a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer;
- forming a CdSeTe layer over the substrate structure;
- alloying the CdSeTe layer whereby an absorber layer is formed over the substrate structure, wherein:
- the absorber layer comprises a p-type cadmium selenide telluride layer,
- the p-type cadmium selenide telluride layer is composed of a CdSexTe1−x compound, wherein a value of x is between 0 and 1;
- and
- forming a back contact over the absorber layer;
- wherein:
- the absorber layer has a compositional profile having a gradient of selenium, wherein a concentration of Se is greater adjacent the TCO layer than adjacent the back contact;
- and
- the step of forming the CdSeTe layer includes sequentially depositing a CdSe layer followed by depositing a CdTe layer.
8 more elements
A method for forming a photovoltaic structure, comprising:
- providing a substrate structure comprising a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer;
- forming a CdSeTe layer over the substrate structure;
- alloying the CdSeTe layer whereby an absorber layer is formed over the substrate structure, wherein:
- the absorber layer comprises a p-type cadmium selenide telluride layer,
- the p-type cadmium selenide telluride layer is composed of a CdSexTe1−x compound, wherein a value of x is between 0 and 1;
- and
- forming a back contact over the absorber layer;
- wherein:
- the absorber layer has a compositional profile having a gradient of selenium, wherein a concentration of Se is greater adjacent the TCO layer than adjacent the back contact;
- and
- wherein the step of depositing the CdSeTe layer includes sequentially depositing a CdSe layer over the substrate structure, followed by depositing a CdTe layer, and wherein the alloying step occurs after the step of depositing the CdTe layer over the CdSe layer.
8 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.