Hybrid Multi-Junction Photovoltaic Cells And Associated Methods

A hybrid multi-junction photovoltaic cell, comprising:

• a polymer substrate for providing mechanical support for the photovoltaic cell;
• a back contact layer formed on the substrate;
• a bottom solar absorber layer formed on the back contact layer, the bottom solar absorber layer including a material selected from the group consisting of a low bandgap Group IB-IIIB-VIB2 material having bulk p-type character, and an alloy of a low bandgap Group IB-IIIB-VIB2 material having bulk p-type character;
• a heterojunction partner layer formed on the bottom solar absorber layer;
• a layer of p-type semiconductor formed above the heterojunction partner layer;
• a layer of intrinsic semiconductor formed on the layer of p-type semiconductor;
• and
• a layer of n-type semiconductor formed on the layer of intrinsic semiconductor.

A module of a plurality of hybrid multi-junction photovoltaic cells, comprising:

• a substrate for providing mechanical support for the photovoltaic cells;
• a back contact layer formed on the substrate;
• a bottom solar absorber layer formed on the back contact layer, the bottom solar absorber layer including a material selected from the group consisting of a low bandgap Group IB-IIIB-VIB2 material having bulk p-type character, and an alloy of a low bandgap Group IB-IIIB-VIB2 material having bulk p-type character;
• an n-type heterojunction partner layer formed on the bottom solar absorber layer;
• a contact layer of p-type semiconductor formed above the heterojunction partner layer;
• a primary solar absorber layer formed on the contact layer of p-type semiconductor, the primary solar absorber layer formed of a material selected from the group consisting of an intrinsic semiconductor and a p-type semiconductor;
• a layer of n-type semiconductor formed on the primary solar absorber layer;
• a top contact layer formed on the layer of n-type semiconductor;
• at least one first isolating scribe extending at least from a top surface of the layer of n-type semiconductor to a top surface of the substrate, the first isolating scribe being filled with an insulating material;
• at least one connecting scribe extending at least from the top surface of the layer of n-type semiconductor to a top surface of the back contact layer, the connecting scribe being filed with a conductive material;
• and
• at least one second isolating scribe extending at least from a top surface of the top contact layer to a top surface of the bottom solar absorber layer.

A multi-junction photovoltaic cell, comprising:

• a substrate for providing mechanical support for the photovoltaic cell;
• a back contact layer formed on the substrate;
• a solar absorber layer formed on the back contact layer, the solar absorber layer being formed of a low bandgap Group IB-IIIB-VIB2 material having bulk p-type character;
• a heterojunction partner layer formed on the solar absorber layer, the heterojunction partner layer comprising at least one layer of a high resistivity material having a resistivity of at least 100 ohms-centimeter, the high resistivity material being a material having the formula (Zn and/or Mg)(S, Se, O, and/or OH);
• a conductive interconnect layer formed above the heterojunction partner layer;
• and
• at least one additional single-junction photovoltaic cell formed on the conductive interconnect layer.

A method of making a p-type Cadmium Selenide semiconductor material, comprising:

• depositing a layer of Cadmium Selenide;
• coating the layer of Cadmium Selenide with a solution comprising a solvent and at least one of chloride selected from the group consisting of chlorides of Group IA elements, chlorides of group IB elements, and chlorides of Group IIIB elements;
• and
• heating the layer of Cadmium Selenide in an environment having an ambient temperature of between 300 and 500 degrees Celsius for a time between three and thirty minutes while at least partially preventing the evaporation of Selenium from the layer of Cadmium Selenide.

A method of making a photovoltaic device, comprising:

• depositing a contact layer;
• depositing a layer of Cadmium Selenide;
• coating the layer of Cadmium Selenide with a solution comprising a solvent and at least one of chloride selected from the group consisting of chlorides of Group IA elements, chlorides of group IB elements, and chlorides of Group IIIB elements;
• heating the layer of Cadmium Selenide in an environment having an ambient temperature of between 300 and 500 degrees Celsius for a time between three and thirty minutes while at least partially preventing the evaporation of Selenium from the layer of Cadmium Selenide;
• depositing a heterojunction partner layer;
• and
• depositing a transparent conductor layer.

A method of making a photovoltaic device, comprising:

• depositing a transparent conductor layer;
• depositing a heterojunction partner layer;
• depositing a layer of Cadmium Selenide;
• coating the layer of Cadmium Selenide with a solution comprising a solvent and at least one of chloride selected from the group consisting of chlorides of Group IA elements, chlorides of group IB elements, and chlorides of Group IIIB elements;
• heating the layer of Cadmium Selenide in an environment having an ambient temperature of between 300 and 500 degrees Celsius for a time between three and thirty minutes while at least partially preventing the evaporation of Selenium from the layer of Cadmium Selenide;
• and
• depositing a contact layer.

A process for forming a hybrid multi-junction photovoltaic cell, comprising:

• forming a first single-junction photovoltaic cell on a substrate, including the steps of:
• forming a first back contact layer on the substrate,
• forming a first solar absorber layer on the back contact layer, the first solar absorber layer being formed of a low bandgap Group IB-IIIB-VIB2 material having bulk p-type character,
• forming a first heterojunction partner layer on the first solar absorber layer, the first heterojunction partner layer comprising at least one layer of a high resistivity material having a resistivity of at least 100 ohms-centimeter, the high resistivity material being a material having the formula (Zn and/or Mg)(S, Se, O, and/or OH);
• forming a conductive interconnect layer above the first heterojunction partner layer of the first single-junction photovoltaic cell;
• and
• forming at least one additional single-junction photovoltaic cell above the conductive interconnect layer.