Patents Assigned to First Solar, Inc.
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Publication number: 20240154049Abstract: A photovoltaic device is presented. The photovoltaic device includes a layer stack; and an absorber layer is disposed on the layer stack. The absorber layer comprises selenium, wherein an atomic concentration of selenium varies across a thickness of the absorber layer. The photovoltaic device is substantially free of a cadmium sulfide layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2024Publication date: May 9, 2024Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Holly Ann Blaydes, Kristian William Andreini, William Hullinger Huber, Eugene Thomas Hinners, Joseph John Shiang, Yong Liang, Jongwoo Choi
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Publication number: 20240154052Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, an island in a regular, closed shape is ablated in a first conductive layer. An interconnect is formed through the island, using the island as an alignment fiducial. The island and the interconnect are isolated from the remainder of the first conductive layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 17, 2022Publication date: May 9, 2024Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Nikhil Bhandari, Matthew Davis, Rhett Miller, Charles Wickersham
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Publication number: 20240138164Abstract: Photovoltaic devices having contact layers are described herein. Devices, intermediate structures, and methods for making multilayer contacts for perovskite photovoltaic devices are provided. Embodiments include back contacts for N-I-P structures.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2022Publication date: April 25, 2024Applicants: First Solar, Inc., Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLCInventors: Joseph Jonathan Berry, Le Chen, Axel Finn Palmstrom, Tze-Bin Song, Vera Steinmann, Natasha Teran, Aravamuthan Varadarajan, Xueping Yi, Zhibo Zhao, Kai Zhu
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Publication number: 20240138163Abstract: Methods and compositions for forming perovskite hole transport layers for use in manufacturing photovoltaic devices are described. Embodiments include using a plurality of hole transport materials to produce high-performance HTL contacts to improve performance and stability.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 11, 2022Publication date: April 25, 2024Applicants: First Solar, Inc., Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLCInventors: Joseph Jonathan Berry, Le Chen, Axel Finn Palmstrom, Tze-Bin Song, Vera Steinmann, Natasha Teran, Aravamuthan Varadarajan, Mengjin Yang, Xueping Yi, Zhibo Zhao, Kai Zhu
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Publication number: 20240088319Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a substrate structure and at least one Se-containing layer, such as a CdSeTe layer. A process for manufacturing the photovoltaic device includes forming the CdSeTe layer over a substrate by at least one of sputtering, evaporation deposition, CVD, chemical bath deposition process, and vapor transport deposition process. The process can also include controlling a thickness range of the Se-containing layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 13, 2023Publication date: March 14, 2024Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Dan Damjanovic, Markus Gloeckler, Feng Liao, Andrei Los, Dan Mao, Benjamin Milliron, Gopal Mor, Rick Powell, Kenneth Ring, Aaron Roggelin, Jigish Trivedi, Zhibo Zhao
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Patent number: 11929447Abstract: A method for annealing an absorber layer is disclosed, the method including contacting a surface of the absorber layer with an annealing material provided as a gel. The annealing material comprises cadmium chloride and a thickening agent. A viscosity of the gel of the annealing material is greater than or equal to 5 millipascal seconds.Type: GrantFiled: March 12, 2019Date of Patent: March 12, 2024Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Joshua Brubaker, Joan King, Benjamin Milliron, Jay Norman, Jason Robinson, John Tumbush
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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: 20240055546Abstract: Embodiments of a photovoltaic device are provided herein. The photovoltaic device can include a layer stack and an absorber layer disposed on the layer stack. The absorber layer can include a first region and a second region. Each of the first region of the absorber layer and the second region of the absorber layer can include a compound comprising cadmium, selenium, and tellurium. An atomic concentration of selenium can vary across the absorber layer. The first region of the absorber layer can have a thickness between 100 nanometers to 3000 nanometers. The second region of the absorber layer can have a thickness between 100 nanometers to 3000 nanometers. A ratio of an average atomic concentration of selenium in the first region of the absorber layer to an average atomic concentration of selenium in the second region of the absorber layer can be greater than 10.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 9, 2023Publication date: February 15, 2024Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Kristian William Andreini, Holly Ann Blaydes, Jongwoo Choi, Adam Fraser Halverson, Eugene Thomas Hinners, William Hullinger Huber, Yong Liang, Joseph John Shiang
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Publication number: 20240030367Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a substrate structure and a p-type semiconductor absorber layer. A photovoltaic device may include a CdSeTe layer. A process for manufacturing a photovoltaic device includes forming a CdSeTe layer over a substrate. The process includes forming a p-type cadmium selenide telluride absorber layer.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2023Publication date: January 25, 2024Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Dan Damjanovic, Feng Liao, Rick Powell, Rui Shao, Jigish Trivedi, Zhibo Zhao
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Patent number: 11876140Abstract: A photovoltaic device is presented. The photovoltaic device includes a layer stack; and an absorber layer is disposed on the layer stack. The absorber layer comprises selenium, wherein an atomic concentration of selenium varies across a thickness of the absorber layer. The photovoltaic device is substantially free of a cadmium sulfide layer.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2013Date of Patent: January 16, 2024Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Holly Ann Blaydes, Kristian William Andreini, William Hullinger Huber, Eugene Thomas Hinners, Joseph John Shiang, Yong Liang, Jongwoo Choi
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Publication number: 20240014334Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, a photovoltaic device can have one or more cells with a conducting layer interconnect.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 3, 2021Publication date: January 11, 2024Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Nikhil Bhandari, Matthew Davis, Rhett Miller, Charles Wickersham
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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: 11866817Abstract: An evaporation system comprises an evaporation chamber having an interior enclosed by one or more chamber walls; an evaporation source comprising (i) a source body for containing a feedstock material, and (ii) an evaporation port fluidly coupling the source body with an interior of the evaporation chamber; an insulation material; and a computer-based controller for configuring the insulation material in (i) a first configuration in which the insulation material is disposed snugly around the source body and (ii) a second configuration in which at least a portion of the insulation material is spaced away from the source body and at least a second portion of the insulation material is disposed snugly around the source body; wherein the insulation material does not cover an opening of the evaporation port in the first configuration and the second configuration.Type: GrantFiled: May 6, 2022Date of Patent: January 9, 2024Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Markus Eberhard Beck, Ulrich Alexander Bonne
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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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Publication number: 20230402554Abstract: Photovoltaic devices having transparent contact layers are described herein.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2021Publication date: December 14, 2023Applicant: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: James Becker, Mark Hendryx, William Huber, Jason Kephart, Andrei Los, Wei Zhang
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Patent number: 11843070Abstract: A photovoltaic cell can include a dopant in contact with a semiconductor layer.Type: GrantFiled: December 4, 2020Date of Patent: December 12, 2023Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Anke Abken, Markus Gloeckler, Roger T. Green, Akhlesh Gupta, Upali Jayamaha, Peter Meyers, Rick C. Powell
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Patent number: 11817516Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes a substrate structure and at least one Se-containing layer, such as a CdSeTe layer. A process for manufacturing the photovoltaic device includes forming the CdSeTe layer over a substrate by at least one of sputtering, evaporation deposition, CVD, chemical bath deposition process, and vapor transport deposition process. The process can also include controlling a thickness range of the Se-containing layer.Type: GrantFiled: October 25, 2019Date of Patent: November 14, 2023Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Dan Damjanovic, Markus Gloeckler, Feng Liao, Andrei Los, Dan Mao, Benjamin Milliron, Gopal Mor, Rick Powell, Kenneth Ring, Aaron Roggelin, Jigish Trivedi, Zhibo Zhao
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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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Patent number: 11784278Abstract: Embodiments of a photovoltaic device are provided herein. The photovoltaic device can include a layer stack and an absorber layer disposed on the layer stack. The absorber layer can include a first region and a second region. Each of the first region of the absorber layer and the second region of the absorber layer can include a compound comprising cadmium, selenium, and tellurium. An atomic concentration of selenium can vary across the absorber layer. The first region of the absorber layer can have a thickness between 100 nanometers to 3000 nanometers. The second region of the absorber layer can have a thickness between 100 nanometers to 3000 nanometers. A ratio of an average atomic concentration of selenium in the first region of the absorber layer to an average atomic concentration of selenium in the second region of the absorber layer can be greater than 10.Type: GrantFiled: October 10, 2022Date of Patent: October 10, 2023Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Kristian William Andreini, Holly Ann Blaydes, Jongwoo Choi, Adam Fraser Halverson, Eugene Thomas Hinners, William Hullinger Huber, Yong Liang, Joseph John Shiang
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Patent number: D1023907Type: GrantFiled: February 25, 2021Date of Patent: April 23, 2024Assignee: First Solar, Inc.Inventors: Joshua Conley, Benjamin DeFresart, Peter Hruby, Daniel Smith, Thomas Truman, Joseph Vaillant