Method of producing tandem solar cell devices from sheets of crystalline material
AssigneeMassachusetts Institute of Technology
InventorsCarl O. Bozler, John C. C. Fan, Robert W. McClelland
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Abstract
A method of producing sheets of crystalline material is disclosed which is employed in the construction of tandem solar cells. In the method, a growth mask is formed upon a substrate and crystalline material is grown at areas of substrate exposed through the mask and laterally over the surface of the mask to form a sheet of crystalline material. This sheet is then separated and used to form a tandem solar cell while the substrate can be reused to form additional sheets.
Claims13
A method for producing a tandem solar cell comprising:
- forming a crystal growth mask on a crystallization substrate;
- depositing crystalline material at exposed areas of said substrate under conditions to provide lateral growth of crystalline material over said mask;
- continuing lateral overgrowth until a sheet of essentially single crystal material having the desired dimensions has formed;
- separating the sheet of crystalline material from the substrate;
- forming a thin-film solar cell from said separated sheet;
- and
- bonding the solar cell to another solar cell to form a tandem solar cell.
A method of making a tandem solar cell comprising:
- forming a crystal growth mask on a crystallization substrate;
- depositing crystalline material at exposed areas of said substrate under conditions to provide lateral growth of crystalline material over said mask;
- continuing lateral overgrowth until a sheet of essentially single crystal material having the desired dimensions has formed;
- separating the sheet of crystalline material from the substrate;
- forming a thin-film solar cell from said separated sheet;
- repeating the above steps to produce a plurality of thin film solar cells;
- and
- bonding the plurality of solar cells together to form a tandem solar cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.