Microcrystalline silicon alloys for thin film and wafer based solar applications
AssigneeApplied Materials, Inc.
InventorsShuran Sheng, Yong-Kee Chae
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for forming solar cells is provided. Doped crystalline semiconductor alloys including carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen are used as charge collection layers for thin-film solar cells. The semiconductor alloy layers are formed by providing semiconductor source compound and a co-component source compound to a processing chamber and ionizing the gases to deposit a layer on a substrate. The alloy layers provide improved control of refractive index, wide optical bandgap, high conductivity, and resistance to attack by oxygen.
Claims25
A method of making a solar cell, comprising:
- forming an n-type crystalline semiconductor alloy layer on a substrate;
- and
- forming a conductive layer on the n-type crystalline semiconductor alloy layer.
A method of forming a solar cell, comprising:
- forming a conductive layer on a substrate;
- forming a first doped crystalline semiconductor alloy layer on the conductive layer;
- and
- forming a second doped crystalline semiconductor alloy layer over the first doped semiconductor alloy layer.
A method of forming a solar cell, comprising:
- forming a reflective layer on a semiconductor substrate;
- and
- forming a crystalline junction over the reflective layer, wherein the reflective layer comprises one or more crystalline semiconductor alloy layers.
A photovoltaic device, comprising:
- an n-type crystalline semiconductor alloy layer;
- and
- a conductive layer formed on the n-type crystalline semiconductor alloy layer.
A photovoltaic device, comprising:
- a conductive layer;
- a first doped crystalline semiconductor alloy layer formed on the conductive layer;
- and
- a second doped crystalline semiconductor alloy layer formed over the first doped crystalline semiconductor alloy layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.