Texturing of glass by SiO2 film
AssigneePacific Solar Pty Limited
InventorsJing Jia Ji, Zhengrong Shi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A thin film silicon solar cell is provided on a glass substrate, is illustrated, the glass having a textured surface, including larger scale surface features and smaller scale surface features. Over the surface is deposited a thin barrier layer which also serves as an anti-reflection coating. The barrier layer may be a silicon nitride layer for example and will be 70 nm ±20% in order to best achieve its anti-reflection function. Over the barrier layer is formed an essentially conformal silicon film having a thickness which is less than the dimensions of the larger scale features of the glass surface and of a similar dimension to the smaller scale features of the glass surface.
Claims58
A method of forming a light trapping structure in a thin film silicon solar cell formed on a glass substrate or superstrate, the method including the steps of:
- a) applying a texturing layer to a surface of the glass substrate or superstrate, the texturing layer comprising texturing particles held in a binding matrix;
- and
- b) forming a silicon film on the textured surface and forming a photovoltaic device structure in the silicon film, the silicon film being less than 10 μm thick.
A thin film photovoltaic device incorporating a light trapping structure, wherein the photovoltaic device is formed on a textured surface provided on a glass substrate or superstrate, the photovoltaic device comprising a thin silicon film into which is formed at least one pn photovoltaic junction, the silicon film being less than 10 μm thick and the textured surface being provided by a texturing layer located over a surface of the substrate or superstrate and comprising texturing particles held in a binding matrix.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.