Patents by Inventor Sachit Grover
Sachit Grover 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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Publication number: 20240063316Abstract: Provided are structures and methods for doping polycrystalline thin film semiconductor materials in photovoltaic devices. Embodiments include methods for forming and treating a photovoltaic semiconductor absorber layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 16, 2023Publication date: February 22, 2024Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Sachit Grover, Stuart Irvine, Xiaoping Li, Roger Malik, Shahram Seyedmohammadi, Gang Xiong, Wei Zhang
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Publication number: 20240015992Abstract: Photovoltaic devices (100) with type ll-VI semiconductor absorber materials (160) having p-type contact layers (180) are obtained by forming a ll-VI absorber layer over a substrate stack (113), wherein the type II material includes cadmium (Cd) and the type VI material includes tellurium (Te); contacting an alkaline wash fluid, comprising a hydroxide, to a second surface of the absorber layer to produce a Cd-rich surface, depositing a p-type contact layer (180) over the absorber layer (160), whereby the p-type contact layer is directly adjacent to the Cd-rich layer, and wherein the p-type contact layer comprises at least one of: PTAA, P3HT, poly-TPD, TFB, TTF-1, TF8-TAA, TIF8-TAA, SGT-407, PCDTBT, SpiroOMeTAD, anthracene-based HTM, polythiophene, semiconducting polymers, NiO, CuSCN, or Cui; and depositing a conductive layer (190) over the p-type contact layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 1, 2021Publication date: January 11, 2024Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Duyen Cao, Markus Gloeckler, Sachit Grover, James Hack, Chungho Lee, Dingyuan Lu, Aravamuthan Varadarajan, Gang Xiong, Zhibo Zhao
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Patent number: 11870002Abstract: According to embodiments provided herein, the performance of photovoltaic device can be improved by rapidly heating an absorber layer of a device in open-circuit to a high temperature for a short period of time followed by rapid quenching. The rapid heating may be accomplished by one or more pulses of high intensity electromagnetic energy. The energy may be visible light. The energy may be absorbed primarily in the absorber layer, such that the absorber layer is preferentially heated, promoting chemical reactions of dopant complexes. The dopant chemical reactions disrupt compensating defect complexes that have formed in the device, and regenerate active carriers.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 2021Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Dmitry Krasikov, Sachit Grover, Igor Sankin
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Patent number: 11791427Abstract: Provided are structures and methods for doping polycrystalline thin film semiconductor materials in photovoltaic devices. Embodiments include methods for forming and treating a photovoltaic semiconductor absorber layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2021Date of Patent: October 17, 2023Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Sachit Grover, Stuart Irvine, Xiaoping Li, Roger Malik, Shahram Seyedmohammadi, Gang Xiong, Wei Zhang
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Publication number: 20230082990Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, a photovoltaic device can include an absorber layer. The absorber layer can be doped p-type with a Group V dopant and can have a carrier concentration of the Group V dopant greater than 4×1015 cm?3. The absorber layer can include oxygen in a central region of the absorber layer. The absorber layer can include an alkali metal in the central region of the absorber layer. Methods for carrier activation can include exposing an absorber layer to an annealing compound in a reducing environment. The annealing compound can include cadmium chloride and an alkali metal chloride.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2022Publication date: March 16, 2023Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Hongbo Cao, Sachit Grover, William Hullinger Huber, Xiaoping Li, Dingyuan Lu, Roger Malik, Hongying Peng, Joseph John Shiang, Qianqian Xin, Gang Xiong
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Patent number: 11502212Abstract: A photovoltaic device (100) can include an absorber layer (160). The absorber layer (160) can be doped p-type with a Group V dopant and can have a carrier concentration of the Group V dopant greater than 4×1015 cm?3. The absorber layer (160) can include oxygen in a central region of the absorber layer (160). The absorber layer (160) can include an alkali metal in the central region of the absorber layer (160). Methods for carrier activation can include exposing an absorber layer (160) to an annealing compound in a reducing environment (220). The annealing compound (224) can include cadmium chloride and an alkali metal chloride.Type: GrantFiled: December 7, 2017Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Hongbo Cao, Sachit Grover, William Hullinger Huber, Xiaoping Li, Dingyuan Lu, Roger Malik, Hongying Peng, Joseph John Shiang, Qianqian Xin, Gang Xiong
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Publication number: 20220285569Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, a method for forming a photovoltaic device can include depositing a plurality of semiconductor layers. The plurality of semiconductor layers can include a doped layer that is doped with a group V dopant. The doped layer can include cadmium selenide or cadmium telluride. The method can include annealing the plurality of semiconductor layers to form an absorber layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 23, 2022Publication date: September 8, 2022Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Sachit Grover, Chungho Lee, Xiaoping Li, Dingyuan Lu, Roger Malik, Gang Xiong
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Patent number: 11342471Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, a method for forming a photovoltaic device can include depositing a plurality of semiconductor layers. The plurality of semiconductor layers can include a doped layer that is doped with a group V dopant. The doped layer can include cadmium selenide or cadmium telluride. The method can include annealing the plurality of semiconductor layers to form an absorber layer.Type: GrantFiled: February 27, 2018Date of Patent: May 24, 2022Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Sachit Grover, Chungho Lee, Xiaoping Li, Dingyuan Lu, Roger Malik, Gang Xiong
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Publication number: 20220045225Abstract: Provided are structures and methods for doping polycrystalline thin film semiconductor materials in photovoltaic devices. Embodiments include methods for forming and treating a photovoltaic semiconductor absorber layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 25, 2021Publication date: February 10, 2022Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Sachit Grover, Stuart Irvine, Xiaoping Li, Roger Malik, Shahram Seyedmohammadi, Gang Xiong, Wei Zhang
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Patent number: 11201257Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, a method for doping an absorber layer can include contacting the absorber layer with an annealing compound. The annealing compound can include cadmium chloride and a group V salt comprising an anion and a cation. The anion, the cation, or both can include a group V element. The method can include annealing the absorber layer, whereby the absorber layer is doped with at least a portion of the group V element of the annealing compound.Type: GrantFiled: January 14, 2019Date of Patent: December 14, 2021Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Sachit Grover, Dingyuan Lu, Roger Malik, Gang Xiong
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Publication number: 20210376177Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, a photovoltaic device can include a buffer layer adjacent to an absorber layer doped p-type with a group V dopant. The buffer layer can have a plurality of layers compatible with group V dopants.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 23, 2019Publication date: December 2, 2021Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Le Chen, Sachit Grover, Jason Kephart, Sergei Kniajanski, Chungho Lee, Xiaoping Li, Feng Liao, Dingyuan Lu, Rajni Mallick, Wenming Wang, Gang Xiong, Wei Zhang
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Publication number: 20210359152Abstract: According to embodiments provided herein, the performance of photovoltaic device can be improved by rapidly heating an absorber layer of a device in open-circuit to a high temperature for a short period of time followed by rapid quenching. The rapid heating may be accomplished by one or more pulses of high intensity electromagnetic energy. The energy may be visible light. The energy may be absorbed primarily in the absorber layer, such that the absorber layer is preferentially heated, promoting chemical reactions of dopant complexes. The dopant chemical reactions disrupt compensating defect complexes that have formed in the device, and regenerate active carriers.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 13, 2021Publication date: November 18, 2021Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Dmitry Krasikov, Sachit Grover, Igor Sankin
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Patent number: 11158749Abstract: Provided are structures and methods for doping polycrystalline thin film semiconductor materials in photovoltaic devices. Embodiments include methods for forming and treating a photovoltaic semiconductor absorber layer.Type: GrantFiled: February 22, 2018Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Sachit Grover, Stuart Irvine, Xiaoping Li, Roger Malik, Shahram Seyedmohammadi, Gang Xiong, Wei Zhang
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Publication number: 20210143288Abstract: Provided are structures and methods for doping polycrystalline thin film semiconductor materials in photovoltaic devices. Embodiments include methods for forming and treating a photovoltaic semiconductor absorber layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 22, 2018Publication date: May 13, 2021Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Sachit Grover, Stuart Irvine, Xiaoping Li, Roger Malik, Shahram Seyedmohammadi, Gang Xiong, Wei Zhang
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Publication number: 20210036178Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, a method for doping an absorber layer can include contacting the absorber layer with an annealing compound. The annealing compound can include cadmium chloride and a group V salt comprising an anion and a cation. The anion, the cation, or both can include a group V element. The method can include annealing the absorber layer, whereby the absorber layer is doped with at least a portion of the group V element of the annealing compound.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 14, 2019Publication date: February 4, 2021Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Sachit Grover, Dingyuan Lu, Roger Malik, Gang Xiong
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Publication number: 20200381567Abstract: A photovoltaic device (100) can include an absorber layer (160). The absorber layer (160) can be doped p-type with a Group V dopant and can have a carrier concentration of the Group V dopant greater than 4×1015cm-3. The absorber layer (160) can include oxygen in a central region of the absorber layer (160). The absorber layer (160) can include an alkali metal in the central region of the absorber layer (160). Methods for carrier activation can include exposing an absorber layer (160) to an annealing compound in a reducing environment (220). The annealing compound (224) can include cadmium chloride and an alkali metal chloride.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 7, 2017Publication date: December 3, 2020Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Hongbo Cao, Sachit Grover, William Hullinger Huber, Xiaoping Li, Dingyuan Lu, Roger Malik, Hongying Peng, Joseph John Shiang, Qianqian Xin, Gang Xiong
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Publication number: 20200035844Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, a method for forming a photovoltaic device can include depositing a plurality of semiconductor layers. The plurality of semiconductor layers can include a doped layer that is doped with a group V dopant. The doped layer can include cadmium selenide or cadmium telluride. The method can include annealing the plurality of semiconductor layers to form an absorber layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 27, 2018Publication date: January 30, 2020Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Sachit Grover, Chungho Lee, Xiaoping Li, Dingyuan Lu, Roger Malik, Gang Xiong