Abstract: A method of making a photovoltaic cell includes providing a metal oxide substrate. The substrate is at least translucent to light. The substrate is directed through a deposition chamber. A semiconductor is deposited over a first major surface of the substrate. The semiconductor includes a polycrystalline p-type layer. The semiconductor is exposed to a chlorine-containing compound or a chlorine molecule. A second electrode layer is provided over the semiconductor.

Abstract: A method of making a photovoltaic cell includes providing a metal oxide substrate. The substrate is at least translucent to light. The substrate is directed through a deposition chamber. A semiconductor is deposited over a first major surface of the substrate. The semiconductor includes a polycrystalline p-type layer. The semiconductor is exposed to a chlorine-containing compound or a chlorine molecule. A second electrode layer is provided over the semiconductor.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell structure is disclosed that includes a back contact layer that includes single wall carbon nanotube elements. The single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) back contact is in electrical communication with an adjacent semiconductor layer and provides a buffer characteristic that impedes elemental metal migration from the back contact into the semiconductor active layers. In one embodiment, the SWNT back contact includes a semiconductor characteristic and a buffer characteristic. In another embodiment, the SWNT back contact further includes a metallic characteristic.

Abstract: A particle detector includes a support member. A front electrode layer is disposed over the support member. A semiconductor heterojunction is disposed over the front electrode layer. The semiconductor heterojunction has at least a polycrystalline n-type layer and at least a polycrystalline p-type layer. A back electrode layer is disposed over the semiconductor heterojunction. The back electrode includes at least one removed portion that separates a first portion of the back electrode layer from a second portion of the back electrode layer. The particle detector also includes a first body of electrically insulating material which separates a first portion of the semiconductor heterojunction from a second portion of the semiconductor heterojunction. The first body of electrically insulating material also separates a first portion of the front electrode layer from a second portion of the front electrode layer.

Abstract: A particle detector includes a support member. A front electrode layer is disposed over the support member. A semiconductor heterojunction is disposed over the front electrode layer. The semiconductor heterojunction has at least a polycrystalline n-type layer and at least a polycrystalline p-type layer. A back electrode layer is disposed over the semiconductor heterojunction. The back electrode includes at least one removed portion that separates a first portion of the back electrode layer from a second portion of the back electrode layer. The particle detector also includes a first body of electrically insulating material which separates a first portion of the semiconductor heterojunction from a second portion of the semiconductor heterojunction. The first body of electrically insulating material also separates a first portion of the front electrode layer from a second portion of the front electrode layer.

Abstract: A particle detector having a support member. A front electrode layer is disposed over the support member. A semiconductor junction having at least an n-type layer and at least a p-type layer is disposed over the front electrode layer. A back electrode layer is disposed over the semiconductor junction. The back electrode layer has a thickness which is selected to permit particles having energies in the range from about 0.5 MeV to about 5 MeV to enter the semiconductor junction.

Abstract: Photovoltaic (PV) cell structures having an integral light scattering interface layer configured to diffuse or scatter light prior to entering a semiconductor material and methods of making the same are described.

Abstract: A particle detector having a support member. A front electrode layer is disposed over the support member. A semiconductor junction having at least an n-type layer and at least a p-type layer is disposed over the front electrode layer. A back electrode layer is disposed over the semiconductor junction. The back electrode layer has a thickness which is selected to permit particles having energies in the range from about 0.5 MeV to about 5 MeV to enter the semiconductor junction.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell structure is disclosed that includes a back contact layer that includes single wall carbon nanotube elements. The single wall carbon nanotube (SWNT) back contact is in electrical communication with an adjacent semiconductor layer and provides a buffer characteristic that impedes elemental metal migration from the back contact into the semiconductor active layers. In one embodiment, the SWNT back contact includes a semiconductor characteristic and a buffer characteristic. In another embodiment, the SWNT back contact further includes a metallic characteristic.

Abstract: A structural element is described to control the color of light transmitted and reflected from an intrinsically semitransparent photovoltaic cell and/or module for use with a PV window and methods for fabricating the same. Color control elements are described that will 1) control or shift the color spectrum of light transmitted through the PV window, 2) control or shift the color spectrum of light reflected from the outside of the window, and 3) control or shift the color spectrum of light reflected from the inside of the PV window.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell structure is disclosed that includes a buffer/passivation layer at a CdTe/Back contact interface. The buffer/passivation layer is formed from the same material that forms the n-type semiconductor active layer. In one embodiment, the buffer layer and the n-type semiconductor active layer are formed from cadmium sulfide (CdS). A method of forming a photovoltaic cell includes the step of forming the semiconductor active layers and the buffer/passivation layer within the same deposition chamber and using the same material source.

Abstract: An intrinsically semitransparent photovoltaic cell and module are described and a method for fabricating the same. Key steps in the fabrication involve the use of magnetron sputtering under appropriate conditions, the deposition of ultra-thin semiconductor absorber layers, and the fabrication of a transparent back contact.

Abstract: Photovoltaic (PV) cell structures having an integral light scattering interface layer configured to diffuse or scatter light prior to entering a semiconductor material and methods of making the same are described.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell structure is disclosed that includes a buffer/passivation layer at a CdTe/Back contact interface. The buffer/passivation layer is formed from the same material that forms the n-type semiconductor active layer. In one embodiment, the buffer layer and the n-type semiconductor active layer are formed from cadmium sulfide (CdS). A method of forming a photovoltaic cell includes the step of forming the semiconductor active layers and the buffer/passivation layer within the same deposition chamber and using the same material source.

Abstract: A photovoltaic cell includes a polymer window and at least one active semiconductor layer that is conditioned using a cadmium chloride treatment process. The photovoltaic cell is heated, during the cadmium chloride treatment process by a rapid thermal activation process to maintain polymer transparency. A method of producing a photovoltaic cell using the rapid thermal activation process and an apparatus to conduct rapid thermal activation processing are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of making a diode structure includes the step of depositing a transparent electrode layer of any one or more of the group ZnO, ZnS and CdO onto a substrate layer, and depositing an active semiconductor junction having an n-type layer and a p-type layer onto the transparent electrode layer under process conditions that avoid substantial degradation of the electrode layer. A back electrode coating layer is applied to form a diode structure.

Abstract: A method of making a photovoltaic device using light energy and a solution to normalize electric potential variations in the device. A semiconductor layer having nonuniformities comprising areas of aberrant electric potential deviating from the electric potential of the top surface of the semiconductor is deposited onto a substrate layer. A solution containing an electrolyte, at least one bonding material, and positive and negative ions is applied over the top surface of the semiconductor. Light energy is applied to generate photovoltage in the semiconductor, causing a redistribution of the ions and the bonding material to the areas of aberrant electric potential. The bonding material selectively bonds to the nonuniformities in a manner such that the electric potential of the nonuniformities is normalized relative to the electric potential of the top surface of the semiconductor layer. A conductive electrode layer is then deposited over the top surface of the semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A method of making a semiconductor comprises depositing a group II-group VI compound onto a substrate in the presence of nitrogen using sputtering to produce a nitrogen-doped semiconductor. This method can be used for making a photovoltaic cell using sputtering to apply a back contact layer of group II-group VI compound to a substrate in the presence of nitrogen, the back coating layer being doped with nitrogen. A semiconductor comprising a group II-group VI compound doped with nitrogen, and a photovoltaic cell comprising a substrate on which is deposited a layer of a group II-group VI compound doped with nitrogen, are also included.

Abstract: A thin film photovoltaic cell having a semiconductor layer of cadmium sulfide and a semiconductor layer of cadmium telluride is manufactured in a process in which the cadmium sulfide and the cadmium telluride are deposited onto a conductive layer of a substrate by RF sputtering. A layer of cadmium sulfide is deposited on the conducting layer of the substrate by RF magnetron sputtering. After the cadmium sulfide is deposited, a layer of cadmium telluride is deposited by RF magnetron sputtering. The RF sputtering deposition of the two semiconductor layers increases the efficiency of the cell and is conducive to a large scale manufacturing process. The photovoltaic cell may include only two semiconductor layers forming a p-n junction. A third semiconductor layer, typically zinc telluride, may be added to the cell to form a p-i-n junction. The efficiency of the cell is further increased by treatment with cadmium chloride and annealing in dry air.