Polycrystalline Or Amorphous Semiconductor Patents (Class 136/258)
  • Patent number: 8455754
    Abstract: A solar cell element and method of manufacturing same is disclosed. A reverse-conductive-type layer is formed on at least one part of a first surface side of a one-conductive-type semiconductor substrate. A conductive layer is formed on the reverse-conductive-type layer. A contact region for electrically connecting the conductive layer and the one-conductive-type semiconductor substrate is formed by heating and melting at least one part of the conductive layer. The solar cell element can be manufactured without conducting complicated treatments, such as removal by etching and re-growing of a silicon thin layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: KYOCERA Corporation
    Inventors: Koichiro Niira, Manabu Komoda
  • Patent number: 8450139
    Abstract: A method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device including a forming a semiconductor film by a plasma CVD method. The semiconductor film is an amorphous film of SiGe-based compound or a microcrystalline film of SiGe-based compound. The plasma CVD controls bandgap in thickness direction of the semiconductor film by varying the ON or OFF time of electric power applied to generate a plasma and intermittently supplying the power. The ON time and OFF time of the power fall in a range where the duty ratio ON time/(ON time+OFF time)×100(%) is 10% or more and 50% or less.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 28, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuaki Ishikawa, Shinya Honda, Makoto Higashikawa
  • Patent number: 8450595
    Abstract: A non-aqueous electrolyte battery includes a battery element, a film-form casing member, and a resin protective layer. The battery element includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, and a separator disposed between the positive electrode and the negative electrode. The film-form casing member contains the battery element and an electrolyte in an enclosed space thereof. The resin protective layer is formed along the surface of the film-form casing member and has a substantially uniform thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Tamotsu Harada, Yoshiaki Naruse, Takashi Ishigooka, Nobuyuki Ohyagi
  • Publication number: 20130125969
    Abstract: This disclosure provides photovoltaic apparatus and methods of forming the same. In one implementation, a method of forming a photovoltaic device includes forming a plurality of substrate features on a surface of a glass substrate, the substrate features having a depth dimension in the range of about 10 ?m to about 1000 ?m and a width dimension in the range of about 10 ?m to about 1000 ?m. The method further includes forming a thin film solar cell over the surface of the glass substrate including over the plurality of substrate features.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Wilhelmus A. de Groot, Sijin Han, Fan Yang
  • Publication number: 20130125982
    Abstract: It is aimed to provide a photoelectric conversion device having high adhesion between a light-absorbing layer and an electrode layer as well as high photoelectric conversion efficiency. A photoelectric conversion device comprises a light-absorbing layer including a chalcopyrite-based compound semiconductor and oxygen. The light-absorbing layer includes voids therein. An atomic concentration of oxygen in the vicinity of the voids is higher than an average atomic concentration of oxygen in the light-absorbing layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2011
    Publication date: May 23, 2013
    Applicant: KYOCERA CORPORATION
    Inventors: Seiji Oguri, Isamu Tanaka, Norihiko Matsushima, Akio Yamamoto
  • Publication number: 20130112266
    Abstract: The photoelectric conversion device of the present invention is a photoelectric conversion device which includes a substrate on which the following are layered in the order listed below: a lower electrode layer; a photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer which includes, as a major component, at least one kind of compound semiconductor having a chalcopyrite structure formed of a group Ib element, a group IIIb element, and a group VIb element; a buffer layer; and a transparent conductive layer, in which the buffer layer includes a ternary compound of a cadmium-free metal, oxygen, and sulfur, and a has a carbonyl ion on a surface facing the transparent conductive layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 2, 2013
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
    Inventor: FUJIFILM CORPORATION
  • Publication number: 20130112265
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a heterojunction solar cell. The solar cell includes a metallurgical-grade Si (MG-Si) substrate, a layer of heavily doped crystalline-Si situated above the MG-Si substrate, a layer of lightly doped crystalline-Si situated above the heavily doped crystalline-Si layer, a backside ohmic-contact layer situated on the backside of the MG-Si substrate, a passivation layer situated above the heavily doped crystalline-Si layer, a layer of heavily doped amorphous Si (a-Si) situated above the passivation layer, a layer of transparent-conducting-oxide (TCO) situated above the heavily doped a-Si layer, and a front ohmic-contact electrode situated above the TCO layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 25, 2012
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: SILEVO, INC.
    Inventor: SILEVO, INC.
  • Publication number: 20130112264
    Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to methods for forming a doped amorphous silicon oxide layer utilized in thin film solar cells. In one embodiment, a method for forming a doped p-type amorphous silicon containing layer on a substrate includes providing a substrate in a processing chamber, supplying a gas mixture having a hydrogen-based gas, a silicon-based gas and a carbon and oxygen containing gas into the processing chamber, the gas mixture having a volumetric flow ratio of the hydrogen-based gas to the silicon-based gas between about 5 and about 15, wherein a volumetric flow ratio of the carbon and oxygen containing gas to the total combined flow of hydrogen-based gas and the silicon-based gas is between about 10 percent and about 50 percent; and maintaining a process pressure of the gas mixture within the processing chamber at between about 1 Torr and about 10 Torr while forming a doped p-type amorphous silicon containing layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2011
    Publication date: May 9, 2013
    Applicant: APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.
    Inventors: Dapeng Wang, Yong Kee Chae
  • Publication number: 20130098444
    Abstract: A polycrystalline silicon thin-film forming method includes: preparing a substrate; forming a precursor of a first silicon thin film including a first polycrystalline silicon phase and a non-crystalline silicon phase; exposing the first polycrystalline silicon phase; and growing, above the first silicon thin film which the first polycrystalline silicon phase is exposed, a second polycrystalline silicon phase using the first polycrystalline silicon phase as a seed crystal by a plasma chemical vapor deposition method, wherein the first polycrystalline silicon phase is formed continuously in any direction perpendicular to a thickness direction of the first silicon thin film.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2012
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventor: PANASONIC CORPORATION
  • Publication number: 20130100675
    Abstract: The present disclosure describes multi-functional windows. Functions of the multi-functional windows described herein can include transmitting incident light, generating photovoltaic power from incident light, and emitting light. In some implementations, a multi-functional window may be placed in a photovoltaic state, a lighting state, or a neutral state. A multi-functional window can continue to function as a normal window in transmitting a portion of any incident light in any of the photovoltaic, lighting, and neutral states. A multi-functional window can be implemented in a building or automobile.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2011
    Publication date: April 25, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Sijin Han, Fan Yang
  • Patent number: 8425807
    Abstract: A paste-like composition for a solar cell provided by the present invention contains a mixed aluminum powder prepared by mixing a small particle diameter aluminum powder, which has a D50 of particle size distribution based on laser diffraction of 3 ?m or less and a ratio of D10 to D90 (D10/D90) of 0.2 or more, and a large particle diameter aluminum powder, which has a D50 that is 2 to 6 times the D50 of the small particle diameter aluminum powder and a ratio of D10/D90 of 0.2 or more.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Noritake Co., Ltd
    Inventors: Shinji Senda, Mamiko Iwaya
  • Publication number: 20130087194
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a silicon multilayer anti-reflective film with a gradually varying refractive index and a manufacturing method therefor, and a solar cell having the same and a manufacturing method therefor, wherein: the refractive index of a silicon thin film is adjusted by depositing silicon on a semiconductor or glass substrate with a slight tilt; and an anti-reflective film with a gradually varying refractive index is implemented using a silicon multi-layer film in which multi-layer film are stacked with different tilt angles. In addition, the silicon multilayer anti-reflective film according to the present invention is applied to a silicon solar cell, thereby suppressing reflection in the inside of the solar cell and providing an excellent heat radiation characteristic using a high heat transfer coefficient.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: GWANGJU INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Sung Jun Jang, Yong Tak Lee, Young Min Song
  • Publication number: 20130087190
    Abstract: This disclosure provides photovoltaic apparatus and methods of forming the same. In one implementation, a photovoltaic device includes an anode contact structure, a cathode contact structure, and an inorganic solar cell disposed between the anode and cathode contact structures. The inorganic solar cell includes a p-type photovoltaic layer, an n-type photovoltaic layer, and one or more minority carrier blocking layers for improving the efficiency of the solar cell by preventing minority carriers within the solar cell from reaching interface recombination surfaces associated with the anode and cathode contact structures.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2011
    Publication date: April 11, 2013
    Applicant: QUALCOMM MEMS Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Sijin Han, Fan Yang
  • Patent number: 8415556
    Abstract: Methods for fabrication of copper delafossite materials include a low temperature sol-gel process for synthesizing CuBO2 powders, and a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) process for forming thin films of CuBO2, using targets made of the CuBO2 powders. The CuBO2 thin films are optically transparent p-type semiconductor oxide thin films. Devices with CuBO2 thin films include p-type transparent thin film transistors (TTFT) comprising thin film CuBO2 as a channel layer and thin film solar cells with CuBO2 p-layers. Solid state dye sensitized solar cells (SS-DSSC) comprising CuBO2 in various forms, including “core-shell” and “nano-couple” particles, and methods of manufacture, are also described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Kaushal K. Singh, Omkaram Nalamasu, Nety Krishna, Michael Snure, Ashutosh Tiwari
  • Patent number: 8415558
    Abstract: A dye-sensitized photoelectric converter with enhanced light absorptance and photoelectric conversion efficiency is provided. The dye-sensitized photoelectric converter includes a transparent substrate (e.g., glass), a (negative) electrode composed of a transparent conductive layer such as FTO (fluorine-doped tin(IV) oxide SnO2), a semiconductor layer holding multiple types of photosensitizing dyes, an electrolyte layer, a counter (positive) electrode, a counter substrate, and a sealing medium (not illustrated). In some embodiments, the multiple types of photosensitizing dyes have minimum excitation energies that are different from one another. In some embodiments, the multiple types of dyes have steric configurations that are different relative to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Reiko Yoneya, Yusuke Suzuki, Masahiro Morooka
  • Publication number: 20130081694
    Abstract: Disclosed is a polycrystalline-type silicon solar cell which can be produced at low cost by forming a polycrystalline silicon film having a PN junction in a simple manner. Specifically, an amorphous silicon film produced by sputtering using a dopant-containing silicon target is polycrystallized with plasma, and a PN junction is formed in the amorphous silicon film, thereby producing a polycrystalline silicon film having a PN junction. The polycrystalline silicon film having a PN junction is used as a silicon substrate for a polycrystalline-type silicon solar cell. Also disclosed is a technique for producing a dopant-containing silicon target from a silicon ingot.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 17, 2011
    Publication date: April 4, 2013
    Applicant: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Ichiro Nakayama, Hitoshi Yamanishi, Yoshihisa Chido, Nobuyuki Kamikihara, Tomohiro Okumura
  • Patent number: 8410353
    Abstract: A novel surface texturing provides improved light-trapping characteristics for photovoltaic cells. The surface is asymmetric and includes shallow slopes at between about 5 and about 30 degrees from horizontal as well as steeper slopes at about 70 degrees or more from horizontal. It is advantageously used as either the front or back surface of a thin semiconductor lamina, for example between about 1 and about 20 microns thick, which comprises at least the base or emitter of a photovoltaic cell. In embodiments of the present invention, the shallow slopes are formed using imprint photolithography.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: GTAT Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher J Petti
  • Patent number: 8410355
    Abstract: This invention intends to develop a technique for forming an interlayer with excellent optical characteristics and to provide a photoelectric conversion device having high conversion efficiency. To realize this purpose, a series connection through an intermediate layer is formed in the thin-film photoelectric conversion device of the invention, and the interlayer is a transparent oxide layer in its front surface and n pairs of layers stacked therebehind (n is an integer of 1 or more), wherein each of the pair of layers is a carbon layer and a transparent oxide layer stacked in this order. Film thicknesses of each layer are optimized to improve wavelength selectivity and stress resistance while keeping the series resistance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Kaneka Corporation
    Inventors: Tomomi Meguro, Mitsuru Ichikawa, Fumiyasu Sezaki, Kunta Yoshikawa, Takashi Kuchiyama, Kenji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 8410354
    Abstract: Higher conversion efficiency and productivity of photoelectric conversion devices. A semiconductor layer including a first and second crystal regions grown in the layer-deposition direction is provided between an impurity semiconductor layer containing an impurity element imparting one conductivity type and an impurity semiconductor layer containing an impurity element imparting a conductivity type opposite to the one conductivity type. The first crystal region is grown from the interface between one of the impurity semiconductor layers and the semiconductor layer. The second crystal region is grown toward the interface between the semiconductor layer and the other of the impurity semiconductor layers from a position which is away from the interface between the one of the impurity semiconductor layers and the semiconductor layer. The semiconductor layer including the first and second crystal regions which exist in an amorphous structure forms the main part of a region for photoelectric conversion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 4, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Shunpei Yamazaki
  • Patent number: 8409976
    Abstract: Photovoltaic modules comprise solar cells having doped domains of opposite polarities along the rear side of the cells. The doped domains can be located within openings through a dielectric passivation layer. In some embodiments, the solar cells are formed from thin silicon foils. Doped domains can be formed by printing inks along the rear surface of the semiconducting sheets. The dopant inks can comprise nanoparticles having the desired dopant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: NanoGram Corporation
    Inventor: Henry Hieslmair
  • Publication number: 20130068301
    Abstract: A method and apparatus provide for a roughened back surface of a semiconductor absorber layer of a photovoltaic device to improve adhesion. The roughened back surface may be achieved through an etching process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2012
    Publication date: March 21, 2013
    Inventors: Jianjun Wang, Oleh P. Karpenko, Thomas A. Sorenson
  • Publication number: 20130061923
    Abstract: To provide a photoelectric conversion device having high conversion efficiency and a method for manufacturing the same. The photoelectric conversion device includes a working electrode that has a transparent electrode (2) and a porous metal oxide semiconductor layer (3) that is formed on a surface of the transparent electrode (2) and supported with a dye; a counter electrode (5); and an electrolyte layer (4), the hydroxyl group concentration on the surface of the oxide semiconductor layer is 0.01 groups/(nm)2 or more and 4.0 groups/(nm)2 or less, and the adsorbed water concentration on the surface thereof is 0.03 pieces/(nm)2 or more and 4.0 pieces/(nm)2 or less. The method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device includes a first step of forming a porous metal oxide semiconductor layer (3) on a surface of a transparent electrode (2), a second step of controlling the hydroxyl group concentration on the surface of the oxide semiconductor layer to be 0.01 groups/(nm)2 or more and 4.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 17, 2011
    Publication date: March 14, 2013
    Applicant: SONY CORPORATION
    Inventors: Masakazu Muroyama, Kazuaki Fukushima
  • Patent number: 8395043
    Abstract: A solar cell includes a photoactive, semiconductive absorber layer configured to generate excess charge carriers of opposed polarity by light incident on a front of the absorber layer during operation. The absorber layer is configured to separate and move, via at least one electric field formed in the absorber layer, the photogenerated excess charge carriers of opposed polarity over a minimal effective diffusion length Leff,min. The absorber layer has a thickness Lx of 0<Lx?Leff,min. First contact elements are configured to remove the excess charge carriers of a first polarity on a rear of the absorber layer. Second contact elements are configured remove the excess charge carriers of a second polarity on the rear of the absorber layer. At least one undoped, electrically insulating second passivation region is disposed in an alternating, neighboring arrangement with a first passivation region on the rear of the absorber layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin fuer Materialien und Energie GmbH
    Inventors: Rolf Stangl, Bernd Rech
  • Publication number: 20130048071
    Abstract: A thin film amorphous silicon solar cell may have front contact between a hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer and a transparent conductive oxide layer. The cell may include a layer of a refractory metal, chosen among the group composed of molybdenum, tungsten, tantalum and titanium, of thickness adapted to ensure a light transmittance of at least 80%, interposed therebetween, before growing by PECVD a hydrogenated amorphous silicon p-i-n light absorption layer over it. A refractory metal layer of just about 1 nm thickness may effectively shield the oxide from the reactive plasma, thereby preventing a diffused defect when forming the p.i.n. layer that would favor recombination of light-generated charge carriers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 28, 2013
    Applicant: STMicroelectronics S.r.I.
    Inventors: Salvatore LOMBARDO, Cosimo GERARDI, Sebastiano RAVESI, Marina FOTI, Cristina TRINGALI, Stella LOVERSO, Nicola COSTA
  • Patent number: 8383930
    Abstract: Disclosed is a solar cell including a passivation film formed on a light-receiving surface of a silicon substrate, and an antireflection film formed on the passivation film, wherein the passivation film has a refractive index higher than that of the antireflection film. The passivation film and the antireflection film can each be made of a silicon nitride film.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takayuki Isaka, Yoshiya Abiko, Yoshifumi Tonomura
  • Publication number: 20130042910
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solar cell comprising an anode (12) and a cathode (11) with a photosensitive layer (14) therebetween, wherein the photosensitive layer is at most 1000 nm thick and comprises crystalline lead oxide as a photosensitive material, wherein the lead oxide is doped with antimony and/or indium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2011
    Publication date: February 21, 2013
    Applicant: ISIS INNOVATION LTD
    Inventor: Andrew Archibald Ronald Watt
  • Publication number: 20130037105
    Abstract: A compositional range of high strain point and/or intermediate expansion coefficient alkali metal free aluminosilicate and boroaluminosilicate glasses are described herein. The glasses can be used as substrates or superstrates for photovoltaic devices, for example, thin film photovoltaic devices such as CdTe or CIGS photovoltaic devices or crystalline silicon wafer devices. These glasses can be characterized as having strain points ?600° C., thermal expansion coefficient of from 35 to 50×10?7/° C.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 8, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Inventors: Bruce Gardiner Aitken, James Edward Dickinson, JR., Timothy James Kiczenski, John Christopher Mauro, Adama Tandia
  • Publication number: 20130037106
    Abstract: Processes for making a photovoltaic layer on a substrate by depositing a first layer of an ink onto the substrate, wherein the ink contains one or more compounds having the formula MB(ER)3, wherein MB is In, Ga, or Al, E is S or Se, and depositing a second layer of one or more copper chalcogenides or a CIGS material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2012
    Publication date: February 14, 2013
    Applicant: PRECURSOR ENERGETICS, INC.
    Inventor: Precursor Energetics, Inc.
  • Patent number: 8372684
    Abstract: The method and system for selenization in fabricating CIS and/or CIGS based thin film solar cell overlaying cylindrical glass substrates. The method includes providing a substrate, forming an electrode layer over the substrate and depositing a precursor layer of copper, indium, and/or gallium over the electrode layer. The method also includes disposing the substrate vertically in a furnace. Then a gas including a hydrogen species, a selenium species and a carrier gas are introduced into the furnace and heated to between about 350° C. and about 450° C. to at least initiate formation of a copper indium diselenide film from the precursor layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 7, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignee: Stion Corporation
    Inventors: Robert D. Wieting, Steven Aragon, Chester A. Farris, III
  • Patent number: 8373058
    Abstract: The present invention provides a solar cell whose external color can be adjusted so that redness is suppressed. In the case where a photoelectric conversion layer contains amorphous silicon, an optical absorption layer is provided between the photoelectric conversion layer and a reflecting electrode layer. The optical absorption layer has a light absorbing property mainly in a long wavelength range, while the photoelectric conversion layer (amorphous silicon) has a selective light absorbing property mainly in a short/medium wavelength range. Incident light (solar light) passed through the photoelectric conversion layer further passes through the optical absorption layer and, after that, is reflected by the reflecting electrode layer. That is, remaining light of the incident light absorbed by the optical absorption layer and the photoelectric conversion layer is reflected by the reflecting electrode layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2013
    Assignees: TDK Corporation, Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Hisao Morooka, Takeshi Echizenya, Hirokazu Fujioka, Saki Takahashi, Kazuo Nishi
  • Patent number: 8367453
    Abstract: When a layered structure of a transparent electrode layer and a metal layer is formed as a back side electrode layer over a surface on a side opposite to a side of incidence of light of a thin film solar battery, a time when formation of the transparent electrode layer is completed and a time when formation of the metal layer is started are made to coincide for one substrate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 9, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Kazushige Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8367924
    Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and apparatuses for providing a buried insulator isolation for solar cell contacts. According to certain aspects, the invention places a buried oxide under the emitter of a polysilicon emitter solar cell. The oxide provides an excellent passivation layer over most of the surface. Holes in the oxide provide contact areas, increasing the current density to enhance efficiency. The oxide isolates the contacts from the substrate, achieving the advantage of a selective emitter structure without requiring deep diffusions. The oxide further enables use of screen printing on advanced shallow emitter cells. Positioning of the grid lines close to the openings also enables use of a very thin emitter to maximize blue response.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: February 5, 2013
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventors: Peter Borden, Li Xu
  • Patent number: 8362354
    Abstract: A photovoltaic apparatus includes a second groove so formed as to cut at least an intermediate layer, an insulating member so formed as to cover at least a cut portion of the intermediate layer in the second groove and extend along an upper surface of a second photoelectric conversion layer, and a third groove so formed as to pass through a first photoelectric conversion layer, the intermediate layer, the second photoelectric conversion layer and the insulating member on a region opposite to a first groove with respect to the second groove, wherein the insulating member is so formed as to extend up to at least a region opposite to the first groove with respect to the third groove.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Wataru Shinohara
  • Publication number: 20130019924
    Abstract: Nanoscopically thin photovoltaic junction solar cells are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, there is provided a photovoltaic film 100 that includes a p-doped region 102, an n-doped region 106, and an intrinsic region 104 positioned between the p-doped region 102 and the n-doped region 106, wherein an overall thickness of the photovoltaic film is between about 15 nm to about 30 nm so as to extract hot carriers excited across a band gap, wherein the extracted hot carriers are capable of resulting in an open circuit voltage, Voc, of the photovoltaic film that increases with optical frequency, and wherein the extracted hot carriers are capable of resulting in a total short-circuit current density, Jsc, between about 4 mA/cm2 and about 8 mA/cm2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2010
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Inventors: Michael J. Naughton, Krzysztof J. Kempa, Zhifeng Ren
  • Publication number: 20130019945
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor material of a photovoltaic device that includes providing a surface of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing material, and annealing the hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing material in a deuterium containing atmosphere. Deuterium from the deuterium-containing atmosphere is introduced to the lattice of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing material through the surface of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing material. In some embodiments, the deuterium that is introduced to the lattice of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing material increases the stability of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 6, 2012
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bahman Hekmatshoar-Tabari, Marinus Hopstaken, Dae-Gyu Park, Devendra K. Sadana, Ghavam G. Shahidi, Davood Shahrjerdi
  • Publication number: 20130019944
    Abstract: A method of forming a semiconductor material of a photovoltaic device that includes providing a surface of a hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing material, and annealing the hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing material in a deuterium containing atmosphere. Deuterium from the deuterium-containing atmosphere is introduced to the lattice of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing material through the surface of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing material. In some embodiments, the deuterium that is introduced to the lattice of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing material increases the stability of the hydrogenated amorphous silicon containing material.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2011
    Publication date: January 24, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: Bahman Hekmatshoar-Tabari, Marinus Hopstaken, Dae-Gyu Park, Devendra K. Sadana, Ghavam G. Shahidi, Davood Shahrjerdi
  • Patent number: 8354653
    Abstract: Techniques for manufacturing solar cells are disclosed. In one particular exemplary embodiment, the technique may be comprise disposing the solar cell downstream of an ion source; disposing a mask between the ion source and the solar cell, the mask including a front surface, a back surface, and at least one aperture extending in an aperture direction from the front surface to the back surface; and directing ions from the ion source to the solar cell along an ion beam path and through the at least one aperture of the mask, where the ion beam path may be non-parallel relative to the aperture direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignee: Varian Semiconductor Equipment Associates, Inc.
    Inventor: Steven M. Anella
  • Patent number: 8354585
    Abstract: A solar cell includes: a semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface; uneven patterns disposed on at least one of the first surface and the second surface of the semiconductor substrate; a first impurity layer disposed on the uneven patterns and which includes a first part having a first doping concentration and a second part having a second doping concentration greater than the first doping concentration; and a first electrode which contacts the second part of the first impurity layer and does not contact the first part of the first impurity layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2013
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Samsung Display Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Min-Seok Oh, Byoung-Kyu Lee, Min Park, Czang-Ho Lee, Myung-Hun Shin, Yuk-Hyun Nam, Seung-Jae Jung, Mi-Hwa Lim, Joon-Young Seo
  • Publication number: 20130008495
    Abstract: In exemplary implementations of this invention, a photoelectrode includes a semiconductor for photocarrier generation, and a catalyst layer for altering the reaction rate in an adjacent electrolyte. The catalyst layer covers part of the semiconductor. The thickness of the catalyst layer is less than 60% of its minority carrier diffusion distance. If the photoelectrode is a photoanode, it has an OEP that is more than the potential of the valance band edge but less than the potential of the Fermi level of the semiconductor. If it is a photocathode, it has an RHE potential that is less than the potential of the conduction band edge but more than the potential of the Fermi level of the semiconductor. The absolute value of difference (OEP minus potential of valence band edge, or RHE potential minus potential of conduction band edge) is greater than zero and less than or equal to 0.2V.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 9, 2012
    Publication date: January 10, 2013
    Applicant: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Kimin Jun, Joseph Jacobson
  • Publication number: 20130000706
    Abstract: A photovoltaic device and method for fabricating a photovoltaic device include forming a light-absorbing semiconductor structure on a transmissive substrate including a first doped layer and forming an intrinsic layer on the first doped layer, wherein the intrinsic layer includes an amorphous material. The intrinsic layer is treated with a plasma to form seed sites. A first tunnel junction layer is formed on the intrinsic layer by growing microcrystals from the seed sites.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Publication date: January 3, 2013
    Applicant: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
    Inventors: AHMED ABOU-KANDIL, KEITH E. FOGEL, AUGUSTIN J. HONG, JEEHWAN KIM, DEVENDRA K. SADANA
  • Patent number: 8338211
    Abstract: Systems and methods of the present invention can be used to charge a charge-holding layer (such as a passivation layer and/or antireflective layer) of a solar cell with a positive or negative charge as desired. The charge-holding layer(s) of such a cell can include any suitable dielectric material capable of holding either a negative or a positive charge, and can be charged at any suitable point during manufacture of the cell, including during or after deposition of the passivation layer(s). A method according to one aspect of the invention includes disposing a solar cell in electrical communication with an electrode inside a chamber. The solar cell includes an emitter, a base, a first passivation layer adjacent the emitter, and a second passivation layer adjacent the base. Gas is injected into the chamber and a plasma (with photons having an energy level of at least about 3.1 eV) is generated using the gas.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2012
    Assignee: Amtech Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Jeong-Mo Hwang
  • Publication number: 20120318340
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a back junction solar cell. The solar cell includes a base layer, a quantum-tunneling-barrier (QTB) layer situated below the base layer facing away from incident light, an emitter layer situated below the QTB layer, a front surface field (FSF) layer situated above the base layer, a front-side electrode situated above the FSF layer, and a back-side electrode situated below the emitter layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 31, 2012
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: SILEVO, INC.
    Inventors: Jiunn Benjamin Heng, Jianming Fu, Zheng Xu, Zhigang Xie
  • Patent number: 8334452
    Abstract: Certain example embodiments of this invention relate to an electrode (e.g., front electrode) for use in a photovoltaic device or the like. In certain example embodiments, a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) based front electrode for use in a photovoltaic device is of or includes zinc oxide, or zinc aluminum oxide, doped with yttrium (Y). In certain example embodiments, the addition of the yttrium (Y) to the conductive zinc oxide or zinc aluminum oxide is advantageous in that potential conductivity loss of the electrode can be reduced or prevented. In other example embodiments, a low-E coating may include a layer of or including zinc oxide, or zinc aluminum oxide, doped with yttrium (Y).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 18, 2012
    Assignee: Guardian Industries Corp.
    Inventor: Alexey Krasnov
  • Patent number: 8330040
    Abstract: Photovoltaic cells and methods for the manufacture of photovoltaic cells are described. Operative layers of the photovoltaic cell are deposited onto a superstrate having a plurality of spaced ramps, allowing for the individual cells to be connected in series with minimal loss of the efficiency due to dead space between the cells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: Applied Materials, Inc.
    Inventor: Bruce E. Adams
  • Patent number: 8330039
    Abstract: Provided is a solar cell module that comprises a solar cell assembly. The solar cell assembly is encapsulated by a poly(vinyl butyral) encapsulant and contains a silver component that is at least partially in contact with the poly(vinyl butyral) encapsulant. The poly(vinyl butyral) encapsulant comprises poly(vinyl butyral), about 15 to about 45 wt % of one or more plasticizers, and about 0.1 to about 2 wt % of one or more unsaturated heterocyclic compounds, based on the total weight of the poly(vinyl butyral) encapsulant. Further provided are an assembly for preparing the solar cell module; a process for preventing or reducing the discoloration of a poly(vinyl butyral) encapsulant in contact with a silver component in the solar cell module; and the use of the solar cell module to convert solar energy to electricity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2012
    Assignee: E I du Pont de Nemours and Company
    Inventors: Rebecca L. Smith, Jason S. Wall, Katherine M. Stika
  • Publication number: 20120305060
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a photovoltaic module. The photovoltaic module includes an optical concentrator and a tunneling-junction solar cell. The tunneling junction solar cell includes a base layer, a quantum-tunneling-barrier (QTB) layer situated above the base layer, an emitter layer, a front-side electrode, and a back-side electrode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2012
    Publication date: December 6, 2012
    Applicant: SILEVO, INC.
    Inventors: Jianming Fu, Zheng Xu, Jiunn Benjamin Heng, Chentao Yu
  • Patent number: 8324498
    Abstract: A method of forming a crystalline layer includes: disposing a heating layer on a substrate, wherein the heating layer is separated from the substrate by a support structure; and forming a crystalline layer on the heating layer using heat generated from the heating layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignees: Samsung SDI Co., Ltd., Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Youngjun Park, Junhee Choi, Junggyu Nam
  • Publication number: 20120298182
    Abstract: A flexible solar cell including a flexible substrate; a first electrode on the flexible substrate; a second electrode on the flexible substrate, the second electrode being spaced apart from the first electrode; a photoelectric conversion element, one side of the photoelectric conversion element being connected to the first electrode and another side of the photoelectric conversion element being connected to the second electrode; and a reflective layer between the flexible substrate and the photoelectric conversion element, the reflective layer including at least one recessed portion, and being configured to reflect incident light toward the photoelectric conversion element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2012
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Inventor: Tae-Hyung HWANG
  • Publication number: 20120298200
    Abstract: An organic photovoltaic cell (100) having a pair of electrodes (113,114) and a photoactive layer (112) comprising a photoactive material, and means (111) to control and/or regulate the operating temperature of the cell (100).
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 25, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: CAMBRIDGE ENTERPRISE LIMITED
    Inventors: Michael Niggemann, Jurjen F. Winkel
  • Publication number: 20120298199
    Abstract: A solar cell includes a cathode component, an anode component, sealant for assembling the cathode component and the anode component to form a closed space, and electrolyte accommodated in the closed space, in which the cathode component contains a lower transparent conductive substrate, a nano-oxide semiconductor thin film formed on the lower transparent conductive substrate, and dye attached to a nano-particle surface of the nano-oxide semiconductor thin film; and the anode component contains an upper transparent conductive substrate, and an anode electrode layer formed on the upper transparent conductive substrate, the nano-oxide semiconductor thin film and the anode electrode layer being arranged opposite to each other and contacting with the electrolyte, in which the anode component further contains a CdTe layer which is patterned to have an opening, and the anode electrode layer is located in the opening of the CdTe layer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 26, 2011
    Publication date: November 29, 2012
    Applicant: PEKING UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Jinfeng Kang, Bao Wang, Xu Wang, Tianshu Zhang, Ziqing Lu, Yan Wang, Xiaoyan Liu