Intrinsic absorber layer for photovoltaic cells
AssigneeTel Solar AG
InventorsSylvie-Noelle Bakehe-Ananga, Stefano Benagli
Life of this patent
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Abstract
So as to manufacture an intrinsic absorber layer of amorphous hydrogenated silicon within a p-i-n configuration a solar cell by PeCvD deposition upon a base structure, thereby improving throughput an simultaneously maintaining quality of the absorber layer, a specific processing regime is proposed, wherein in the reactor for depositing the addressed absorber layer a pressure of between 1 mbar and 1.8 mbar is established and a flow of silane and of hydrogen with a dilution of silane to hydrogen of 1:4 up to 1:10 and generating an RF plasma with a generator power of between 600 W and 1200 W per 1.4 m2 base structure surface to be coated.
Claims14
A method of manufacturing an intrinsic absorber layer of amorphous hydrogenated silicon in a p-i-n configuration of a solar cell by PECVD depositing of said intrinsic absorber layer upon a base structure surface for said intrinsic absorber layer in a reactor space, said PECVD depositing comprising:
- establishing in said reactor space a pressure range of between 1 mbar and 1.8 mbar,
- establishing in said reactor space a flow of silane and a flow of hydrogen with a dilution of silane to hydrogen of 1:4 up to 1:10,
- generating a RF Plasma with a generator power range of between 600 W and 1200 W per 1.4 m2 of the base structure surface to be coated,
- wherein the base structure surface is a surface of an n-layer of the p-i-n configuration of the solar cell, further comprising a step of providing a buffer layer of amorphous hydrogenated silicon between the intrinsic absorber layer and a subsequent p-layer to be deposited upon the intrinsic absorber layer, said buffer layer being deposited by an equal deposition process as the PECVD depositing of the intrinsic absorber layer with the following differing settings:
- a pressure ½ to ⅓ times the pressure established for depositing the intrinsic absorber layer,
- a flow of silane ½ to ¼ times the flow of silane established for depositing the intrinsic absorber layer,
- a flow of hydrogen 2 to 2.5 times the flow of hydrogen established for depositing the intrinsic absorber layer,
- a generator power ½ to ⅓ times the generator power applied for depositing the intrinsic absorber layer.
A method of manufacturing an intrinsic absorber layer of amorphous hydrogenated silicon in a p-i-n configuration of a solar cell by PECVD depositing of said intrinsic absorber layer upon a base structure surface for said intrinsic absorber layer in a reactor space, said PECVD depositing comprising:
- establishing in said reactor space a pressure range of between 1 mbar and 1.8 mbar,
- establishing in said reactor space a flow of silane and a flow of hydrogen with a dilution of silane to hydrogen of 1:4 up to 1:10,
- generating a RF Plasma with a generator power range of between 600 W and 1200 W per 1.4 m2 of the base structure surface to be coated,
- wherein the base structure surface is a surface of a p-layer of the p-i-n configuration of the solar cell and there is provided a buffer layer of amorphous hydrogenated silicon between the surface of the p-layer and the intrinsic absorber layer, said buffer layer being deposited by an equal deposition process as the PECVD depositing of the intrinsic absorber layer with the following differing settings:
- a pressure ½ to ⅓ times the pressure established for depositing the intrinsic absorber layer,
- a flow of silane ½ to ¼ times the flow of silane established for depositing the intrinsic absorber layer,
- a flow of hydrogen 2 to 2.5 times the flow of hydrogen established for depositing the intrinsic absorber layer,
- a generator power ½ to ⅓ times the generator power applied for depositing the intrinsic absorber layer.
A method of manufacturing a buffer layer of amorphous hydrogenated silicon between an intrinsic absorber layer of amorphous hydrogenated silicon in a p-i-n configuration of a solar cell and a p-layer of said p-i-n configuration of the solar cell, by a PECVD depositing of said buffer layer of amorphous hydrogenated silicon in a reactor space on a base structure surface comprising:
- establishing in said reactor space a pressure range of between 0.3 mbar and 0.9 mbar;
- establishing in said reactor space a flow range of silane between 180 sccm and 225 sccm per 1.4 m2 of the base structure surface to be coated;
- establishing in said reactor a flow range of hydrogen of between 4000 sccm and 5000 sccm per 1.4 m2 of the base structure surface to be coated;
- and
- generating an RF Plasma with a generator power range of between 200 W and 600 W per 1.4 m2 of the base structure surface to be coated,
- wherein said buffer layer being deposited by an equal deposition process as the PECVD depositing of the intrinsic absorber layer with the following differing settings:
- a pressure ½ to ⅓ times the pressure established for depositing the intrinsic absorber layer,
- a flow of silane ½ to ¼ times the flow of silane established for depositing the intrinsic absorber layer,
- a flow of hydrogen 2 to 2.5 times the flow of hydrogen established for depositing the intrinsic absorber layer,
- a generator power ½ to ⅓ times the generator power applied for depositing the intrinsic absorber layer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.