# US 9,040,333 B2 · Method for fabricating power-generating module with solar cell

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 9,040,333 B2
- Document ID: US9040333B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/075,472
- Filed: 2013-11-08
- Published: 2014-03-06
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2011-04-11
- Assignees: National Applied Research Laboratories
- Applicants: National Applied Research Laboratories
- Inventors: Jia-Min Shieh; Chang-Hong Shen; Wen-Hsien Huang; Bau-Tong Dai; Jung Y. Huang; Hao-Chung Kuo
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9040333B2

## CPC

- H10F 19/50: Integrated devices comprising at least one photovoltaic cell and other types of semiconductor or solid-state components (H10F19/75 takes precedence)
- H10F 10/17: Photovoltaic cells having only PIN junction potential barriers
- H10F 77/1698: {the metallic or insulating substrates being flexible}
- 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

The invention discloses a method for fabricating power-generating module with solar cell. The method includes the steps of providing a flexible substrate; forming a solar cell unit on the flexible substrate by using a high density plasma at a temperature lower than about 150° C.; and forming a circuit unit on the flexible substrate; wherein the solar cell unit is coupled to the circuit unit, so as to provide the power needed for the operation of the circuit unit.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for fabricating a power-generating module with solar cell, comprising the following steps of:
providing a flexible substrate;
forming a solar cell unit on the flexible substrate by using a high density plasma at a temperature lower than about 150° C.; and
forming a circuit unit on the flexible substrate;
wherein the solar cell unit is coupled to the circuit unit, so as to provide the power needed for the operation of the circuit unit, and
wherein forming the solar cell unit further comprises the following steps of:
forming a first oxide layer on the flexible substrate;
forming a p-i-n multi-layer structure on the first oxide layer by using the high density plasma at a temperature lower than 150° C.; and
forming a second oxide layer on the p-i-n multi-layer structure.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the solar cell unit is about 9.6%.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein forming the solar cell unit further comprises the following steps of:
forming a metallic layer on the flexible substrate;
forming a first conductive layer on the second oxide layer; and
forming a second conductive layer on the first oxide layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the p-i-n multi-layer structure is a hydrogenated amorphous silicon structure.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, further comprising the following steps in between the step of forming the first conductive layer and the step of forming the second conductive layer:
etching the p-i-n multi-layer structure to expose at least a part of the first oxide layer, and the second conductive layer is formed on the exposed part of the first oxide layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming the p-i-n multi-layer structure further comprises the following steps of:
(c1) forming a n-type layer on the first oxide layer under a first process condition, wherein the first process condition comprises a process pressure between 600 and 1200 mTorr, a process power between 30 and 60W and a deposition rate between 2 and 4 A/s;
(c2) forming an i-type layer on the n-type layer under a second process condition, wherein the second process condition comprises a process pressure between 600 and 1200 mTorr, a process power between 15 and 40W and a deposition rate between 1 and 2.5 A/s; and
(c3) forming a p-type layer on the i-type layer under a third process condition, wherein the third process condition comprises a process pressure between 600 and 1200 mTorr, a process power between 30 and 60W and a deposition rate between 2 and 5 A/s.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein in step (c1), the n-type layer is formed of a first reaction gas mixture, which comprises SiH4, H2, PH3 and Ar, wherein the flow rate of SiH4 is between 6 and 15 sccm, the flow rate of H2 is between 100 and 250 sccm, the flow rate of PH3 is between 0.5 and 1.5 sccm, and the flow rate of Ar is between 100 and 200 sccm.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein in step (c2), the i-type layer is formed of a second reaction gas mixture, which comprises SiH4, H2 and Ar, wherein the flow rate of SiH4 is between 10 and 20 sccm, the flow rate of H2 is between 100 and 250 sccm, and the flow rate of Ar is between 100 and 200 sccm.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein in step (c3), the p-type layer is formed of a third reaction gas mixture, which comprises SiH4, H2, B2H6 and Ar, wherein the flow rate of SiH4 is between 6 and 15 sccm, the flow rate of H2 is between 100 and 250 sccm, the flow rate of B2H6 is between 0.5 and 1.5 sccm, and the flow rate of Ar is between 100 and 200 sccm.

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

The method of claim 3, wherein the first oxide layer is formed of transparent conducting oxide (TCO), and the second oxide layer is formed of Indium Tin Oxide (ITO).

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the flexible substrate is a PEN substrate, a PET substrate or a polyimide substrate.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the circuit unit is made of inductive coupling plasma technology.

### Claim 13

A method for fabricating a power-generating module with solar cell, comprising the following steps of:
providing a flexible substrate;
forming a solar cell unit on the flexible substrate by using a high density plasma at a temperature lower than about 150° C.; and
forming a thin film transistor on the flexible substrate;
wherein the solar cell unit is coupled to the thin film transistor, so as to provide the power needed for the operation of the thin film transistor, and
wherein forming the solar cell unit further comprises the following steps of:
forming a first oxide layer on a metallic layer;
forming a p-i-n multi-layer structure on the first oxide layer by using the high density plasma at a temperature lower than 150° C.; and
forming a second oxide layer on the p-i-n multi-layer structure.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the solar cell unit is about 9.6%.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein forming the thin film transistor further comprises the following steps of:
forming an active layer on the flexible substrate;
forming a source electrode structure and a drain electrode structure on the active layer;
forming a gate electrode structure between the source electrode structure and the drain electrode structure.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein forming the solar cell unit further comprises the following steps of:
forming the metallic layer on the flexible substrate;
forming a first conductive layer on the second oxide layer; and
forming a second conductive layer on the first oxide layer.

### Claim 17

A method for fabricating a power-generating module with solar cell, comprising the following steps of:
providing a flexible substrate;
forming a silicon film solar cell on the flexible substrate by using a high density plasma at a temperature lower than about 150° C.; and
forming a circuit unit on the flexible substrate;
wherein the silicon film solar cell is coupled to the circuit unit, so as to provide the power needed for the operation of the circuit unit, and
wherein forming the silicon thin solar cell further comprises the following steps of:
forming a first oxide layer on a metallic layer;
forming a p-i-n multi-layer structure on the first oxide layer by using the high density plasma at a temperature lower than 150° C.; and
forming a second oxide layer on the p-i-n multi-layer structure.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of the solar cell unit is about 9.6%.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein forming the circuit unit further comprises the following steps of:
forming an active layer on the flexible substrate;
forming a source electrode structure and a drain electrode structure on the active layer;
forming a gate electrode structure between the source electrode structure and the drain electrode structure.

### Claim 20 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17, wherein forming the silicon thin solar cell further comprises the following steps of:
forming the metallic layer on the flexible substrate;
forming a first conductive layer on the second oxide layer; and
forming a second conductive layer on the first oxide layer.