# US 8,772,627 B2 · Photoelectric conversion device and manufacturing method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,772,627 B2 - Document ID: US8772627B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/848,357 - Filed: 2010-08-02 - Published: 2011-02-10 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2009-08-07 - Assignees: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Shunpei Yamazaki; Yasuyuki Arai; Satohiro Okamoto - Inventors: Shunpei Yamazaki; Yasuyuki Arai; Satohiro Okamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8772627B2 ## CPC - H10F 77/143: {comprising quantum structures} - H10F 10/17: Photovoltaic cells having only PIN junction potential barriers - H10F 10/172: comprising multiple PIN junctions, e.g. tandem cells - H10F 77/1642: {including only Group IV materials} - H10F 77/1645: {including microcrystalline silicon} - H10F 77/1662: {including only Group IV materials} - Y02E 10/545: Microcrystalline silicon PV cells - Y02E 10/546: Polycrystalline silicon PV cells - Y02E 10/548: Amorphous silicon PV cells - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract To provide a photoelectric conversion device whose characteristics are sufficiently improved. The photoelectric conversion device includes: a first electrode; a unit cell having a semiconductor layer exhibiting a first conductivity type, a semiconductor layer having an effect of photoelectric conversion, and a semiconductor layer exhibiting a second conductivity type; and a second electrode. In the semiconductor layer having an effect of photoelectric conversion, crystal grains each grain diameter of which is smaller than a thickness of the semiconductor layer having an effect of photoelectric conversion are aligned in the thickness direction of the semiconductor layer having an effect of photoelectric conversion from the semiconductor layer exhibiting the first conductivity type to the semiconductor layer exhibiting the second conductivity type. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A photoelectric conversion device, comprising: a first electrode; a unit cell comprising a semiconductor layer exhibiting a first conductivity type, a semiconductor layer having an effect of photoelectric conversion, and a semiconductor layer exhibiting a second conductivity type; and a second electrode, wherein the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion includes crystal grains, wherein the crystal grains are aligned continuously one directly on top of another in a thickness direction of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion, and wherein the crystal grains are linearly aligned along a plurality of lines in the thickness direction of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion and a distance between each of the plurality of lines is 50 nm to 1 μm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein the unit cell is interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein each grain diameter of the crystal grains is smaller than a thickness of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of regions in which the crystal grains are aligned. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein regions in which the crystal grains are aligned are localized. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein a base of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion is an amorphous semiconductor. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein a texture structure is provided for a surface of the first electrode. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein a texture structure is provided for a surface of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 1, wherein each of the crystal grains has a size less than or equal to 20 nm. ### Claim 10 A photoelectric conversion device, comprising: a first electrode; a plurality of unit cells each including a semiconductor layer exhibiting a first conductivity type, a semiconductor layer having an effect of photoelectric conversion, and a semiconductor layer exhibiting a second conductivity type; and a second electrode, wherein in at least one of the plurality of unit cells, the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion includes crystal grains, wherein in at least one of the plurality of unit cells, the crystal grains are aligned continuously one directly on top of another in a thickness direction of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion, and wherein the crystal grains are linearly arranged along a plurality of lines in the thickness direction of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion and a distance between each of the plurality of lines if 50 nm to 1 μm. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of unit cells are interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein each grain diameter of the crystal grains is smaller than a thickness of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The photoelectric conversion device, according to claim 10, comprising a plurality of regions in which the crystal grains are aligned. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein regions in which the crystal grains are aligned are localized. ### Claim 15 (depends on 10) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein a base of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion including the crystal grains is an amorphous semiconductor. ### Claim 16 (depends on 10) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein a texture structure is provided for a surface of the first electrode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein a texture structure is provided for a surface of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion. ### Claim 18 (depends on 10) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein each of the crystal grains has a size less than or equal to 20 nm. ### Claim 19 A photoelectric conversion device, comprising: a first electrode; a unit cell comprising a semiconductor layer exhibiting a first conductivity type, a semiconductor layer having an effect of photoelectric conversion, and a semiconductor layer exhibiting a second conductivity type; and a second electrode, wherein the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion includes crystal grains, wherein the crystal grains are aligned one directly on top of another and configured to form a carrier path in a thickness direction of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion, and wherein the crystal grains are linearly arranged along a plurality of lines in the thickness direction of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion and a distance between each of the plurality of lines is 50 nm to 1 μm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 19, wherein the unit cell is interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 19, wherein each grain diameter of the crystal grains is smaller than a thickness of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion. ### Claim 22 (depends on 19) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 19, comprising a plurality of regions in which the crystal grains are aligned. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 19, wherein regions in which the crystal grains are aligned are localized. ### Claim 24 (depends on 19) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 19, wherein a base of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion is an amorphous semiconductor. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 19, wherein a texture structure is provided for a surface of the first electrode. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 19, wherein a texture structure is provided for a surface of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion. ### Claim 27 (depends on 19) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 19, wherein each of the crystal grains has a size less than or equal to 20 nm. ### Claim 28 A photoelectric conversion device, comprising: a first electrode; a plurality of unit cells each including a semiconductor layer exhibiting a first conductivity type, a semiconductor layer having an effect of photoelectric conversion, and a semiconductor layer exhibiting a second conductivity type; and a second electrode, wherein in at least one of the plurality of unit cells, the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion includes crystal grains, wherein in the at least one of the plurality of unit cells, the crystal grains are aligned one directly on top of another and configured to form a carrier path in a thickness direction of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion, and wherein the crystal grains are linearly arranged along a plurality of lines in the thickness direction of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion and a distance between each of the plurality of lines is 50 nm to 1 μm. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 28, wherein the plurality of unit cells are interposed between the first electrode and the second electrode. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 28, wherein each grain diameter of the crystal grains is smaller than a thickness of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion. ### Claim 31 (depends on 28) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 28, comprising a plurality of regions in which the crystal grains are aligned. ### Claim 32 (depends on 28) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 28, wherein regions in which the crystal grains are aligned are localized. ### Claim 33 (depends on 28) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 28, wherein a base of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion including the crystal grains is an amorphous semiconductor. ### Claim 34 (depends on 28) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 28, wherein a texture structure is provided for a surface of the first electrode. ### Claim 35 (depends on 28) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 28, wherein a texture structure is provided for a surface of the semiconductor layer having the effect of photoelectric conversion. ### Claim 36 (depends on 28) The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 28, wherein each of the crystal grains has a size less than or equal to 20 nm.