Thin-film photoelectric conversion device and a method of manufacturing the same
AssigneeSemiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
InventorsShunpei Yamazaki, Yasuyuki Arai
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing a thin-film solar cell, comprising the steps of: forming an amorphous silicon film on a substrate; placing a metal element that accelerates the crystallization of silicon in contact with the surface of the amorphous silicon film; subjecting the amorphous silicon film to a heat treatment to obtain a crystalline silicon film; depositing a silicon film to which phosphorus has been added in contact with the crystalline silicon film; and subjecting the crystalline silicon film and the silicon film to which phosphorus has been added to a heat treatment to getter the metal element from the crystalline film.
Claims31
A method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device, comprising the steps of:
- disposing a metal containing layer in contact with an upper or lower surface of a non-single crystalline silicon semiconductor layer;
- crystallizing said non-single crystalline silicon semiconductor layer by heating, wherein said metal functions to promote the crystallization;
- forming a gettering layer on or a gettering region within said semiconductor layer after said crystallizing, said gettering layer containing phosphorus;
- and
- heating said semiconductor layer and said gettering layer or region in order to getter said metal contained in said semiconductor layer.
A method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device, comprising:
- disposing a metal containing layer in contact with a non-single crystalline silicon semiconductor layer, said metal being a catalyst that promotes crystallization of said silicon semiconductor layer;
- crystallizing said silicon semiconductor layer by a heating treatment wherein said metal functions to promote said crystallization;
- forming a phosphorus doped silicon gettering layer on said semiconductor layer after said crystallizing;
- and
- heating said phosphorus doped silicon layer and said semiconductor layer to activate said phosphorus for gettering said catalyst metal contained in said crystallized semiconductor layer.
A method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device, comprising:
- disposing a metal containing layer in contact with a non-single crystalline silicon semiconductor layer, said metal being a catalyst that promotes crystallization of said silicon semiconductor layer;
- crystallizing said semiconductor layer by a heating treatment wherein said metal functions to promote said crystallization thereof;
- introducing phosphorus ions into a surface of said semiconductor layer after said crystallizing;
- and
- subsequentially heating said semiconductor layer to activate said phosphorus ions for gettering said catalyst metal contained in said crystallized semiconductor layer.
A method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device, comprising:
- disposing a metal containing layer in contact with a non-single crystalline silicon semiconductor layer, said metal being a catalyst that promotes crystallization of said silicon semiconductor layer;
- crystallizing said semiconductor layer by a heating treatment wherein said metal functions to promote said crystallization
- forming a phospho-silicate glass layer on said semiconductor layer after said crystallizing;
- and
- heating said phosphorus silicate glass layer and said semiconductor layer to activate phosphorus ions in said phospho-silicate glass layer for gettering said catalyst metal contained in said crystallized semiconductor layer.
A method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device, comprising:
- forming a metal layer on a substrate, said metal being a catalyst to promote crystallization of silicon;
- depositing a non-single crystalline silicon semiconductor layer on said metal layer;
- crystallizing said semiconductor layer by a heating process wherein said metal functions to promote crystallization of said semiconductor layer;
- forming a phosphorus containing layer or region on or within said semiconductor layer after said crystallizing;
- and
- heating said phosphorus containing layer or region and said crystallized semiconductor layer so that said phosphorus is activated to getter said metal.
A solar cell comprising:
- a substrate;
- a first crystalline silicon film of a first conductivity type on said substrate, having a metal catalyst element for promoting crystallization of silicon at a concentration not higher than 5.times.10.sup.18 atoms/cm.sup.3 ;
- and
- a second crystalline silicon film a second conductivity type that is different from said first conductivity type, said second crystalline silicon film being adjacent to said first crystalline silicon film.
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:
- disposing a catalyst material in contact with a surface of a non-single crystalline silicon semiconductor layer, said catalyst material including a metal;
- crystallizing said non-single crystalline silicon semiconductor layer, wherein said metal operates to promote said crystallization;
- forming a gettering layer or region comprising phosphorus on or within said semiconductor layer after said crystallization;
- and
- heating said semiconductor layer and said gettering layer or region to getter said metal contained in said crystallized semiconductor layer.
A method of manufacturing a semiconductor device, comprising:
- disposing a catalyst material comprising a metal in contact with a non-single crystalline silicon semiconductor layer;
- crystallizing said semiconductor layer, wherein said metal operates to promote said crystallization;
- introducing phosphorus ions into a portion of said semiconductor layer after said crystallizing;
- and
- subsequentially heating said crystallized semiconductor layer so that said metal is gettered by said phosphorus ions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.