Method for making semiconductors for solar cells
AssigneeCarnegie Mellon University
InventorsArthur G. Milnes, Donald L. Feucht
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Abstract
The invention relates to a method for producing a desired thin semiconductor film for use in solar cells. The desired semiconductor is grown epitaxially on a second semiconductor film which may be epitaxial on a third semiconductor. The second semiconductor has a lower melting point than the desired semiconductor. The temperature of the second semiconductor is increased. This creates a molten state in the second semiconductor and the desired semiconductor is stripped away from the second semiconductor. The desired film may be detached by dissolving the second semiconductor with a chemical agent that dissolves the second semiconductor.
Claims26
A method for producing a desired thin semiconductor film for use in solar cells comprising:
- a. growing epitaxially the desired semiconductor film on a second semiconductor film which has been epitaxially grown on a third semiconductor, the second semiconductor film having a lower melting point than the desired semiconductor film and the third semiconductor;
- b. increasing the temperature of the second semiconductor film to create a molten state;
- and then
- c. detaching the desired semiconductor film.
A method for producing a desired thin semiconductor film for use in solar cells comprising:
- a. growing epitaxially the desired semiconductor film on a second semiconductor film which has been epitaxially grown on a third semiconductor film, the second semiconductor having greater solubility in a chemical agent than the desired semiconductor film and the third semiconductor;
- b. immersing the films in a chemical agent to dissolve the second semiconductor film;
- and then
- c. detaching the desired semiconductor film.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.