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US 4,445,965 AGranted
Method for making thin film cadmium telluride and related semiconductors for solar cells
AssigneeCarnegie Mellon University
InventorArthur G. Milnes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thin cadmium-telluride semiconductor film for use in solar cells is grown epitaxially on a second semiconductor film, typically tellurium, which may be epitaxial on a substrate semiconductor, typically single-crystal cadmium-telluride. The second semiconductor has a lower resistance to layered cleaving than the desired semiconductor. Application of a strain to the sandwich causes the desired thin CdTe layer to peel off by fracture along the plane of the second semiconductor.
Claims19
A method of producing a desired first thin semiconductor film for use in solar cells comprising:
- (a) growing epitaxially a second semiconductor film on a third semiconductor the second semiconductor film having a lower fracture strength than the desired semiconductor film and the second semiconductor having a substantial lattice match with the desired semiconductor;
- (b) growing epitaxially the desired semiconductor film on the second semiconductor film so that the second semiconductor film orients the desired semiconductor film;
- (c) affixing a rigid substrate to the under surface of the third semiconductor and a rigid superstrate to the upper surface of the desired semiconductor film;
- (d) applying stress to the rigid superstrate and rigid substrate so as to fracture the said second semiconductor film;
- and
- (e) detaching the desired semiconductor film.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.