US 2021/0280735 A1 · DIFFUSION BASED EX-SITU GROUP V (P, As, Sb, Bi) DOPING IN POLYCRYSTALLINE CdTe THIN FILM SOLAR CELLS

Abstract

Described herein is a diffusion-based ex-situ group V element doping method in the CdCl2 heat-treated polycrystalline CdTe film. The ex-situ doping using group V halides, such as PCl3, AsCl3, SbCl3, or BiCl3, demonstrated a promising PCE of ˜18% and long-term light soaking stability in CdSe/CdTe and CdS/CdTe devices with decent carrier concentration>1015 cm−3. This ex-situ solution or vapor process can provide a low-cost alternative pathway for effective doping of As, as well as P, Sb, and Bi, in CdTe solar cells with limited deviation from the current CdTe manufacturing process.

Claims18

Dependent claims

A method of ex-situ doping cadmium telluride (CdTe) with P, As, Sb, or Bi, comprising:

a) depositing a cadmium telluride (CdTe) film onto a substrate;
b) heat-treating the cadmium telluride film with cadmium chloride (CdCl2);
and then
c) contacting the heat-treated cadmium telluride film with a solution or vapor comprising P halide, As halide, Sb halide, or Bi halide, to thereby provide a cadmium telluride film doped with P, As, Sb, or Bi.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

17/190,664Filed 3 Mar 2021

Priority

3 Mar 2020

Published

9 Sep 2021

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification10 codes

H10F 71/125
Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass: the active layers comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS, ZnS or CdTe
H10F 71/128
Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass: annealing
H10F 77/1233
Comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS, ZnS or HgCdTe: characterised by the dopants
H10F 77/211
For devices having potential barriers: for photovoltaic cells

DIFFUSION BASED EX-SITU GROUP V (P, As, Sb, Bi) DOPING IN POLYCRYSTALLINE CdTe THIN FILM SOLAR CELLS

Life of this patent

DIFFUSION BASED EX-SITU GROUP V (P, As, Sb, Bi) DOPING IN POLYCRYSTALLINE CdTe THIN FILM SOLAR CELLS

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18