Patents by Inventor Axel Herguth
Axel Herguth has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 11784279Abstract: There are provided a method for producing a photovoltaic element with stabilised efficiency, and a device which may be used to carry out the method, for example in the form of a specially adapted continuous furnace. A silicon substrate to be provided with an emitter layer and electrical contacts is thereby subjected to a stabilisation treatment step. In that step, hydrogen, for example from a hydrogenated silicon nitride layer, is introduced into the silicon substrate, for example within a zone (2) of maximum temperature. The silicon substrate may then purposively be cooled rapidly in a zone (3) in order to avoid hydrogen effusion. The silicon substrate may then purposively be maintained, for example in a zone (4), within a temperature range of from 230° C. to 450° C. for a period of, for example, at least 10 seconds. The previously introduced hydrogen may thereby assume an advantageous bond state.Type: GrantFiled: October 22, 2020Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: UNIVERSITÄT KONSTANZInventors: Axel Herguth, Svenja Wilking
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Publication number: 20210057600Abstract: There are provided a method for producing a photovoltaic element with stabilised efficiency, and a device which may be used to carry out the method, for example in the form of a specially adapted continuous furnace. A silicon substrate to be provided with an emitter layer and electrical contacts is thereby subjected to a stabilisation treatment step. In that step, hydrogen, for example from a hydrogenated silicon nitride layer, is introduced into the silicon substrate, for example within a zone (2) of maximum temperature. The silicon substrate may then purposively be cooled rapidly in a zone (3) in order to avoid hydrogen effusion. The silicon substrate may then purposively be maintained, for example in a zone (4), within a temperature range of from 230° C. to 450° C. for a period of, for example, at least 10 seconds. The previously introduced hydrogen may thereby assume an advantageous bond state.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 22, 2020Publication date: February 25, 2021Applicant: UNIVERSITÄT KONSTANZInventors: Axel HERGUTH, Svenja WILKING
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Patent number: 10892376Abstract: According to an example, in a method for producing a photovoltaic element with stabilised efficiency, a silicon substrate may be provided with an emitter layer and electrical contacts, which may be subjected to a stabilisation treatment step. Hydrogen from a hydrogenated silicon nitride layer may be introduced into the silicon substrate, for example, within a zone of maximum temperature. The silicon substrate may then be cooled rapidly in a zone in order to avoid hydrogen effusion. The silicon substrate may then be maintained, for example in a zone within a temperature range of from 230° C. to 450° C. for a period of, for example, at least 10 seconds. The previously introduced hydrogen may thereby assume an advantageous bond state. At the same time or subsequently, a regeneration may be carried out by generating excess minority charge carriers in the substrate at a temperature of at least 90° C., preferably at least 230° C.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2013Date of Patent: January 12, 2021Assignee: UNIVERSITÄT KONSTANZInventors: Axel Herguth, Svenja Wilking
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Patent number: 10825945Abstract: What is proposed is a method of producing at least two differently heavily doped subzones (3, 5) predominantly doped with a first dopant type in a silicon substrate (1), in particular for a solar cell. The method comprises: covering at least a first subzone (3) of the silicon substrate (1) in which a heavier doping with the first dopant type is to be produced with a doping layer (7) of borosilicate glass, wherein at least a second subzone (5) of the silicon substrate (1) in which a lighter doping with the first dopant type is to be produced is not covered with the doping layer (7), and wherein boron as a dopant of a second dopant type differing from the first dopant type and oppositely polarized with respect to the same is included in the layer (7), and; heating the such prepared silicon substrate (1) to temperatures above 300° C., preferably above 900° C., in a furnace in an atmosphere containing significant quantities of the first dopant type.Type: GrantFiled: June 29, 2015Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: UNIVERSITÄT KONSTANZInventors: Sebastian Gloger, Barbara Terheiden, Daniel Sommer, Axel Herguth, Josh Engelhardt
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Publication number: 20170133538Abstract: What is proposed is a method of producing at least two differently heavily doped subzones (3, 5) predominantly doped with a first dopant type in a silicon substrate (1), in particular for a solar cell. The method comprises: covering at least a first subzone (3) of the silicon substrate (1) in which a heavier doping with the first dopant type is to be produced with a doping layer (7) of borosilicate glass, wherein at least a second subzone (5) of the silicon substrate (1) in which a lighter doping with the first dopant type is to be produced is not covered with the doping layer (7), and wherein boron as a dopant of a second dopant type differing from the first dopant type and oppositely polarized with respect to the same is included in the layer (7), and; heating the such prepared silicon substrate (1) to temperatures above 300° C., preferably above 900° C., in a furnace in an atmosphere containing significant quantities of the first dopant type.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 29, 2015Publication date: May 11, 2017Inventors: Sebastian GLOGER, Barbara TERHEIDEN, Daniel SOMMER, Axel HERGUTH, Josh ENGELHARDT
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Publication number: 20160141445Abstract: According to an example, in a method for producing a photovoltaic element with stabilised efficiency, a silicon substrate may be provided with an emitter layer and electrical contacts, which may be subjected to a stabilisation treatment step. Hydrogen from a hydrogenated silicon nitride layer may be introduced into the silicon substrate, for example, within a zone of maximum temperature. The silicon substrate may then be cooled rapidly in a zone in order to avoid hydrogen effusion. The silicon substrate may then be maintained, for example in a zone within a temperature range of from 230° C. to 450° C. for a period of, for example, at least 10 seconds. The previously introduced hydrogen may thereby assume an advantageous bond state. At the same time or subsequently, a regeneration may be carried out by generating excess minority charge carriers in the substrate at a temperature of at least 90° C., preferably at least 230° C.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2013Publication date: May 19, 2016Applicant: UNIVERSITÄT KONSTANZInventors: Axel HERGUTH, Svenja WILKING
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Patent number: 8263176Abstract: A method for fabricating a photovoltaic element with stabilized efficiency is proposed. The method comprises the following steps: preparing a boron-doped, oxygen-containing silicon substrate; forming an emitter layer on a surface of the silicon substrate; and a stabilization treatment step. The stabilization treatment step comprises keeping the temperature of the substrate during a treatment time within a selectable temperature range having a lower temperature limit of 50° C., preferably 90° C., more preferably 130° C. and even more preferably 160° C. and an upper temperature limit of 230° C., preferably 210° C., more preferably 190° C. and even more preferably 180° C., and generating excess minority carriers in the silicon substrate during the treatment time, for example, by illuminating the substrate or by applying an external voltage. This method can be used to fabricate a photovoltaic element, e.g.Type: GrantFiled: March 21, 2007Date of Patent: September 11, 2012Assignee: Universität KonstanzInventors: Axel Herguth, Gunnar Schubert, Martin Käs, Giso Hahn, Ihor Melnyk
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Publication number: 20110162716Abstract: A method and device for fabricating a photovoltaic element with stabilized efficiency is proposed. The method comprises the following steps: preparing a boron-doped, oxygen-containing silicon substrate; forming an emitter layer on a surface of the silicon substrate; and a stabilization treatment step. The stabilization treatment step comprises keeping the temperature of the substrate during a treatment time within a selectable temperature range having a lower temperature limit of 50° C., preferably 90° C., more preferably 130° C. and even more preferably 160° C. and an upper temperature limit of 230° C., preferably 210° C., more preferably 190° C. and even more preferably 180° C., and generating excess minority carriers in the silicon substrate during the treatment time, for example, by illuminating the substrate or by applying an external voltage. This method can be used to fabricate a photovoltaic element, e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2010Publication date: July 7, 2011Applicant: Universitat KonstanzInventors: Axel Herguth, Gunnar Schubert, Giso Hahn, Ihor Melnyk, Martin Käs
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Publication number: 20100243036Abstract: A method for fabricating a photovoltaic element with stabilised efficiency is proposed. The method comprises the following steps: preparing a boron-doped, oxygen-containing silicon substrate; forming an emitter layer on a surface of the silicon substrate; and a stabilisation treatment step. The stabilisation treatment step comprises keeping the temperature of the substrate during a treatment time within a selectable temperature range having a lower temperature limit of 50° C., preferably 90° C., more preferably 130° C. and even more preferably 160° C. and an upper temperature limit of 230° C., preferably 210° C., more preferably 190° C. and even more preferably 180° C., and generating excess minority carriers in the silicon substrate during the treatment time, for example, by illuminating the substrate or by applying an external voltage. This method can be used to fabricate a photovoltaic element, e.g.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 21, 2007Publication date: September 30, 2010Applicant: Universitat KonstanzInventors: Axel Herguth, Gunnar Schubert, Martin Käs, Giso Hahn, Ihor Melnyk