Method for the continuous manufacture of thin film solar cells
AssigneeUniversity of Delaware
InventorsAllen M. Barnett, Bill N. Baron, James V. Masi, T. W. Fraser Russell
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Abstract
A technique for manufacturing durable, reliable solar cells by a continuous process suitable for large-scale manufacture involves, in substance, providing a reel of thin metal foil substrate and forming on the substrate a series of layers operative to form a photovoltaic junction, short prevention blocking layers, contacts and integral encapsulation. The foil substrate is processed as a continuous reel substantially until final testing at which point, if desired, it can be cut into individual cells for deployment. In comparison with a batch process, the continuous technique can reduce manufacturing cost by as much as a factor of two.
Claims15
A method for the substantially continuous fabrication of thin film solar cells by performing, on a substantially continuously moving, elongated, flexible conductive substrate, the following steps:
- (a) depositing a first semiconductor layer on the said conductive substrate with the conductive substrate a first electrical contact;
- (b) depositing a second semiconductor layer on said conductive substrate;
- (c) forming an electrical junction between said first and said second semiconductor layers;
- and
- (d) applying a second electrical contact to the unit resulting from said conductive substrate and from said first and said second semiconductor.
A method for the substantially continuous fabrication of thin film solar cells by substantially continuously passing an elongated, flexible conductive substrate past a series of treatment stations and performing the following process steps:
- (a) depositing a zinc sulfide layer by vacuum evaporation;
- (b) depositing a cadmium sulfide-type semiconductor by vacuum evaporation;
- (c) depositing a layer of cuprous chloride by vacuum evaporation;
- (d) forming a copper sulfide semiconductor by heating the structure to effect an ion exchange reaction between said cadmium sulfide-type semiconductor and said cuprous chloride;
- (e) removing the byproducts of said ion exchange reaction;
- (f) forming an electrical junction between the semiconductor layers by heating in a reducing atmosphere;
- (g) forming a discontinuous cadmium sulfate layer by heating in an oxygen-containing atmosphere;
- (h) applying an electrical contact grid to the copper sulfide semiconductor by printing;
- (i) depositing a copper oxide layer over the copper sulfide semiconductor by vacuum evaportion;
- and
- (j) depositing a glass layer over the copper oxide layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.