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US 2015/0318412 A1Published application
Microstructured ZnO coatings for improved performance in Cu(In, Ga)Se2 photovoltaic devices
OwnerJesse A. Frantz, Jason D. Myers +2inventors
InventorsJesse A. Frantz, Jason D. Myers, Robel Y. Bekele, Jasbinder S. Sanghera
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Abstract
A microstructured ZnO coating that improves the performance of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) photovoltaic (PV) devices via two mechanisms; it acts an antireflective layer with superior non-normal performance to thin film anti-reflective (AR) coatings, and it scatters a large fraction of incoming light at a large angle, resulting in absorption that is on average closer to the p-n junction.
Claims18
A photovoltaic device, comprising:
- a thin film of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) on a substrate;
- a layer of CdS on the CIGS;
- a layer of ZnO on the CdS;
- a layer of aluminum-doped ZnO (AZO) on the ZnO;
- and
- a microstructured ZnO coating on the AZO, wherein the microstructured ZnO coating forms antireflective surface structures on the AZO layer.
3 more elements
A photovoltaic device, made by the method comprising:
- coating a substrate with a thin film of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS);
- depositing a layer of CdS on the CIGS;
- depositing a layer of ZnO on the CdS;
- depositing a layer of aluminum-doped ZnO (AZO) on the ZnO;
- and
- depositing a top layer of ZnO on the AZO and etching the top ZnO layer to form a textured ZnO top layer, wherein the textured ZnO top layer forms antireflective surface structures on the AZO layer.
3 more elements
A method of making a photovoltaic device, comprising:
- coating a substrate with a thin film of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS);
- depositing a layer of CdS on the CIGS;
- depositing a layer of ZnO on the CdS;
- depositing a layer of aluminum-doped ZnO (AZO) on the ZnO;
- and
- depositing a top layer of ZnO on the AZO and etching the top ZnO layer to form a textured ZnO top layer, wherein the textured ZnO top layer forms antireflective surface structures on the AZO layer.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.