Patents Assigned to Solarate Ltd
  • Publication number: 20150239001
    Abstract: An apparatus for chemical bath deposition includes a housing defining a chemical tank, a circulation pipe, and at least one flow adjustment device disposed inside the chemical tank. The chemical tank has an opening on a top surface and is configured to accept and hold at least one substrate inside the chemical tank. The circulation pipe has at least one portion inside the chemical tank, and is configured to supply at least one chemical to the chemical tank. The at least one flowing adjustment device includes any one of a turbine, a diffuser and a bubbler, or a combination thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventor: Pei-Chen TSAI
  • Publication number: 20150241506
    Abstract: Provided is a method for identifying material junctions and doping characteristics in semiconductor and other materials by illuminating the material and measuring voltage. A correlation between penetration depth of light and wavelength of light is established for a material. Photons are applied to materials such as semiconductor materials to induce charge. The photons are applied by exposing the material to light having a range of wavelengths. The induced charge results in a measureable voltage. The voltage is measured and the voltage measurements used to determine a junction depth and charge concentration of a material using the correlation between penetration depth of light and wavelength of light.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventor: Tzu-Huan CHENG
  • Publication number: 20150236187
    Abstract: A solar cell device and a method of fabricating the device is described. The solar cell is fabricated by forming a back contact layer on a front side of a substrate, forming an absorber layer on the back contact layer, applying a protective layer on a back side of the substrate, depositing a buffer layer on the absorber layer. Excess buffer materials are deposited on the substrate back side, and the protective layer with excess buffer materials are removed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Wei CHEN
  • Publication number: 20150236183
    Abstract: A solar cell device and a method of fabricating the device is described. The solar cell is fabricated by providing a substrate, depositing a back contact over the substrate, depositing an absorber over the back contact, depositing a front contact over the absorber, and embedding a highly thermally conductive material within the solar cell. The highly thermally conductive material can be embedded as a highly thermally conductive layer between the substrate and the back contact, a highly thermally conductive fill within a P3 scribe line, or both.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 19, 2014
    Publication date: August 20, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventor: Shih-Wei CHEN
  • Patent number: 9112065
    Abstract: A method for encapsulating solar cells includes a curing step that renders CIGS or other types of solar cell absorber layers resistant to degradation by high-temperature lamination processes. The curing process takes place after IV test and prior to the lamination of an encapsulant film. The curing step is carried out in conjunction with a light soaking step that takes place prior to the IV test. The curing process takes place for a time that may range from 10 minutes to two days and at a high relative humidity, RH. Relative humidities of 20-90% are used and have been effective in passivating selenium vacancy defects associated with the absorber layers. The cured absorber layers are resistant to degradation and produce a solar cell with a high solar cell efficiency.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 18, 2015
    Assignee: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventors: Yi-Feng Huang, Chia-Juei Pan, Kwang-Ming Lin
  • Publication number: 20150228820
    Abstract: A solar cell has a back contact layer over a substrate; an absorber layer over the back contact layer, having a scribe line extending through the back contact layer; and a front contact layer over the absorber layer. The front contact layer has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The scribe line is closer to the second end than to the first end, and the front contact layer has a thickness above the scribe line that is greater than the thickness of the front contact layer at the first end.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC SOLAR LTD.
    Inventor: Shih-Wei CHEN
  • Publication number: 20150228821
    Abstract: A solar panel comprises a back contact layer, an absorber layer over the back contact layer, a buffer layer over the absorber layer, and a front contact layer comprising a transparent conductive material over the buffer layer. The front contact layer has a plurality of outer edges and a seed layer comprising a seed layer material along the outer edges.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 7, 2014
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC SOLAR LTD.
    Inventors: Wei Chun HSU, Chen Yun WANG
  • Publication number: 20150228815
    Abstract: A solar cell with microlenses and a method for forming the same, are provided. The solar cell includes a TCO (transparent conductive oxide) structure with an upper surface including flat portions and a plurality of convex shaped raised portions forming a plurality of discrete microlenses. The microlenses enable a maximum amount of sunlight to reach the absorber layer and increase the efficiency of the solar cell. The method for forming the solar cell includes forming a first TCO layer, then a plurality of discrete sacrificial layer portions over the first TCO layer, then a second TCO layer over the first TCO layer but not enveloping the discrete sacrificial layer portions. The sacrificial layer portions are then removed, leaving discrete TCO raised portions which are then smoothed by acid etching.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2014
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventor: Chia-Hung TSAI
  • Patent number: 9105799
    Abstract: An light apparatus used in forming a solar cell includes a housing separate from other processing in a deposition processing system, a transport mechanism for carrying a solar cell into the housing after deposition of a front contact layer in the deposition processing system, and one or more light source elements arranged to apply light on the solar cell after deposition of the front contact layer. A method of making a solar cell includes forming a back contact layer on a glass substrate, forming an absorber layer on the back contact layer, forming a buffer layer on the absorber layer, and forming a front contact layer above the buffer layer, the glass substrate, back contact layer, absorber layer, buffer layer, and front contact layer forming a first module. The method includes applying a light source to the first module after forming the front contact layer separate from other processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 10, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventors: Hao-Yu Cheng, Yung-Sheng Chiu, Yi-Feng Huang, Chen-Yun Wang, Chi-Yu Chiang, Hsuan-Sheng Yang, Kuan-Min Lin
  • Patent number: 9103659
    Abstract: Provided is a method for identifying material junctions and doping characteristics in semiconductor and other materials by illuminating the material and measuring voltage. A correlation between penetration depth of light and wavelength of light is established for a material. Photons are applied to materials such as semiconductor materials to induce charge. The photons are applied by exposing the material to light having a range of wavelengths. The induced charge results in a measurable voltage. The voltage is measured and the voltage measurements used to determine a junction depth and charge concentration of a material using the correlation between penetration depth of light and wavelength of light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventor: Tzu-Huan Cheng
  • Patent number: 9103032
    Abstract: Apparatus for forming a solar cell comprises a housing defining a chamber including a substrate support. A sputtering source is configured to deposit particles of a first type over at least a portion of a surface of a substrate on the substrate support. An evaporation source is configured to deposit a plurality of particles of a second type over the portion of the surface of the substrate. A cooling unit is provided between the sputtering source and the evaporation source. A control system is provided for controlling the evaporation source based on a rate of mass flux emitted by the evaporation source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2015
    Assignee: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventors: Edward Teng, Ying-Chen Chao, Chih-Jen Yang
  • Publication number: 20150221811
    Abstract: An apparatus for forming a solar cell includes a housing defining a vacuum chamber, a rotatable substrate support, at least one inner heater and at least one outer heater. The substrate support is inside the vacuum chamber configured to hold a substrate. The at least one inner heater is between a center of the vacuum chamber and the substrate support, and is configured to heat a back surface of a substrate on the substrate support. The at least one outer heater is between an outer surface of the vacuum chamber and the substrate support, and is configured to heat a front surface of a substrate on the substrate support.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2015
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC SOLAR LTD.
    Inventors: Edward TENG, Ying-Chen CHAO, Chih-Jen YANG
  • Publication number: 20150221785
    Abstract: A solar module includes a solar panel and a wireless power transmission module coupled to the solar panel for transmitting power generated by the solar panel wirelessly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventor: Tzu-Huan CHENG
  • Publication number: 20150221808
    Abstract: A method for monitoring the process of fabricating solar cells generally comprises performing a reaction process in a chamber for a solar cell substructure, wherein the chamber includes a reaction solution that includes at least one chemical component. A concentration value is detected for the chemical component during the reaction process, via a detection assembly that is coupled to the chamber. The method further includes determining whether the detected concentration value is at a predefined threshold concentration level or within a predefined concentration range for the chemical component, via a control assembly that is coupled to the detection assembly. The concentration of the chemical component within the reaction solution is modified, during the reaction process, when the detected concentration value is different from the predefined threshold concentration level or different from the predefined concentration range.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 6, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Hsien WU, Hung-Yu CHANG
  • Publication number: 20150214399
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a photovoltaic device includes a step of forming an absorber layer above a substrate, and a step of forming a surface layer on the absorber layer. The absorber layer includes an I-III-VI2 compound, which contains a Group I element, a Group III element and a Group VI element. The surface layer includes an I-III-VI2 compound, which contains a Group I element, a Group III element and a Group VI element, and has an atomic ratio of the Group I element to the Group III element in the range of from 0.1 to 0.9.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 24, 2014
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC SOLAR LTD.
    Inventor: Chien-Yao HUANG
  • Publication number: 20150207010
    Abstract: Provided is a structure and method for forming CIS-based absorber layers for thin-film solar cells that include three-dimensional compositional profiles. The disclosure provides a patterned absorber layer with two or more different regions, each of the regions having a different concentration profile of one or more components. In some embodiments, the different regions have different respective GGI profiles. GGI represents an atomic ratio of Ga/(Ga+In) in CIS-based absorber materials and in some embodiments the two or more different regions have GGI gradients from top to bottom of the CIS-based absorber layer. The method includes using two evaporation sources in a co-evaporation system to produce the two or more different regions adjacent one another on a substrate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 21, 2014
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC SOLAR LTD.
    Inventor: Chien Yao HUANG
  • Publication number: 20150206994
    Abstract: A solar cell has a back contact layer over a substrate. The substrate has a scribe line extending through it. An absorber layer is over the back contact layer. A front contact layer is over the absorber layer. The front contact layer has a first end and a second end opposite the first end. The scribe line is closer to the second end than to the first end. The front contact layer has a thickness above the first end that is greater than the thickness of the front contact layer at the scribe line.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2014
    Publication date: July 23, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventor: Chia-Hung TSAI
  • Publication number: 20150200326
    Abstract: A method of fabricating a photovoltaic cell, and apparatus formed by the method, yields increased quantum efficiency. A back contact layer is formed above a substrate. An absorber layer is formed above the back contact layer. A buffer layer is formed above the absorber layer. A transparent conductive layer is formed above the buffer layer. A surface of the transparent conductive layer is treated with an acid to increase roughness of the surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2014
    Publication date: July 16, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventor: Chia-Hung TSAI
  • Publication number: 20150162459
    Abstract: Provided are methods for forming antireflective layers on solar cells using wet chemical processes and solar cells with anti-reflective layers formed of ZnO based nanorods. Self-assembling ZnO nanorods are generated in the chemical solution without any catalysts. The nanorods are formed to different shapes such as hexagonal, cubic, and circular in cross-section. The refractive index of the ARC layer formed of the nanorods is modulated by controlling the diameter and length of the nanorods by controlling the Molarity of the solution used to form the nanorods. A correlation is established between the refractive index and solution Molarity and a solution is prepared with the desired Molarity. The nanorods are formed from HMT ([CH2]6NH4) and a dissociative Zn2+/OH? chemical such as Zn(NO3)2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 11, 2013
    Publication date: June 11, 2015
    Applicant: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventors: Wei-Lun LU, Chun-Ying HUANG, Wei-Lun XU
  • Patent number: 9048373
    Abstract: An evaporation apparatus comprises a chamber configured to contain at least one dispensing nozzle and at least one substrate to be coated. The chamber has at least one adjustable shielding member defining an adjustable aperture. The member is positioned between the at least one dispensing nozzle and the at least one substrate. The aperture is adjustable in at least one of the group consisting of area and shape. The at least one adjustable shielding member has a heater.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 2, 2015
    Assignee: TSMC Solar Ltd.
    Inventors: Chung-Hsien Wu, Chi-Yu Chiang, Shih-Wei Chen, Wen-Tsai Yen