Abstract: A photovoltaic device includes an electron blocking layer (EBL) and an absorber layer. The EBL is positioned between the absorber layer and a back contact layer. A material of the EBL is a cadmium zinc telluride Cd(1-y)Zn(y)Te, and a material of the absorber layer is a cadmium telluride selenide CdTe(1-x)Se(x) producing a lattice mismatch between the materials of the EBL and between the materials of the absorber of less than about two tenths of a percent when x˜y and has a value less than about 0.4.
Abstract: 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:
Application
Filed:
October 19, 2021
Publication date:
February 10, 2022
Applicant:
First Solar, Inc.
Inventors:
Dan Damjanovic, Feng Liao, Rick Powell, Rui Shao, Jigish Trivedi, Zhibo Zhao
Abstract: 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:
Application
Filed:
October 25, 2021
Publication date:
February 10, 2022
Applicant:
First Solar, Inc.
Inventors:
Sachit Grover, Stuart Irvine, Xiaoping Li, Roger Malik, Shahram Seyedmohammadi, Gang Xiong, Wei Zhang
Abstract: According to the embodiments provided herein, a method for sputtering a TCO material onto a substrate includes process conditions that produce a textured topography at the interfaces of various layers. The textured topography can include an average roughness from about 5 to about 40 nm. The process conditions can include providing oxygen in the sputtering environment at a flow rate of from 0 to about 30 sccm; or heating the substrate to at least 200; or increasing the magnetic field strength to above 40 mT. The textured topography creates interfacial transition areas which have hybrid physical properties compared to their constituent materials.
Abstract: A process for preparing alloy products is described using a self-sustaining or self-propagating SHS-type combustion process with point-source ignition, preferably a laser, in a pressurized vessel. Binary, ternary and quaternary alloys can be formed with control over polycrystalline structure and bandgap. Methods to tune the bandgap and the alloys formed are described. The alloy products may be doped. Preferably sulfides, tellurides or selenides are formed. Cooling during reaction takes place.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
March 23, 2017
Date of Patent:
December 28, 2021
Assignee:
First Solar, Inc.
Inventors:
Shrinivas Govindarajan, Michael Latusek, Christopher Wagner, Feng Yan
Abstract: 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:
Application
Filed:
September 3, 2021
Publication date:
December 23, 2021
Applicant:
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
Abstract: 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:
Grant
Filed:
January 14, 2019
Date of Patent:
December 14, 2021
Assignee:
First Solar, Inc.
Inventors:
Sachit Grover, Dingyuan Lu, Roger Malik, Gang Xiong
Abstract: 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:
Application
Filed:
October 23, 2019
Publication date:
December 2, 2021
Applicant:
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
Abstract: 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:
Application
Filed:
May 13, 2021
Publication date:
November 18, 2021
Applicant:
First Solar, Inc.
Inventors:
Dmitry Krasikov, Sachit Grover, Igor Sankin
Abstract: 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:
Grant
Filed:
July 21, 2020
Date of Patent:
November 2, 2021
Assignee:
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
Abstract: 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:
Grant
Filed:
February 22, 2018
Date of Patent:
October 26, 2021
Assignee:
First Solar, Inc.
Inventors:
Sachit Grover, Stuart Irvine, Xiaoping Li, Roger Malik, Shahram Seyedmohammadi, Gang Xiong, Wei Zhang
Abstract: 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:
Grant
Filed:
July 21, 2020
Date of Patent:
September 7, 2021
Assignee:
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
Abstract: 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:
Application
Filed:
February 22, 2018
Publication date:
May 13, 2021
Applicant:
First Solar, Inc.
Inventors:
Sachit Grover, Stuart Irvine, Xiaoping Li, Roger Malik, Shahram Seyedmohammadi, Gang Xiong, Wei Zhang
Inventors:
Joshua Conley, Benjamin De Fresart, Peter Hruby, Matthew Kuzila, Weixin Li, Joseph Lindgren, Daniel Smith, Thomas Truman, Charles Wickersham
Inventors:
Joshua Conley, Benjamin De Fresart, Peter Hruby, Matthew Kuzila, Weixin Li, Joseph Lindgren, Daniel Smith, Thomas Truman, Charles Wickersham