Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell comprises disposing a first doping layer on a substrate, forming a first doping layer pattern by patterning the first doping layer to expose a portion of the substrate, disposing a second doping layer on the first doping layer pattern to cover the exposed portion of the substrate, diffusing an impurity from the first doping layer pattern which forms a first doping region in a surface of the substrate, and diffusing an impurity from the second doping layer which forms a second doping region in the surface of the substrate, wherein the forming of the first doping layer pattern uses an etching paste.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for manufacturing a solar cell are disclosed. In a particular embodiment, the solar cell may be manufactured by disposing a solar cell in a chamber having a particle source; disposing a patterned assembly comprising an aperture and an assembly segment between the particle source and the solar cell; and selectively implanting first type dopants traveling through the aperture into a first region of the solar cell while minimizing introduction of the first type dopants into a region outside of the first region.

Abstract: In order to increase photoelectric conversion efficiency in a photoelectric conversion device, there is disclosed a photoelectric converter containing a photoelectric conversion unit in which a p-type layer (40) containing a p-type dopant, an i-type layer (42) that is a microcrystalline silicon layer that is an electricity-generating layer, and an n-type layer (44) containing an n-type dopant are layered, wherein the p-type layer (40) is caused to have a layered structure comprising a first p-type layer (40a) that is a microcrystalline silicon layer, and a second p-type layer (40b) containing at least one of an amorphous silicon carbide p-type layer and an amorphous silicon p-type layer disclosed between the microcrystalline silicon p-type layer (40a) and the i-type layer (42). The second p-type layer (40b) is provided with an oxide layer on the side of the i-type layer (42).

Abstract: So as to manufacture an intrinsic absorber layer of amorphous hydrogenated silicon within a p-i-n configuration a solar cell by PeCvD deposition upon a base structure, thereby improving throughput an simultaneously maintaining quality of the absorber layer, a specific processing regime is proposed, wherein in the reactor for depositing the addressed absorber layer a pressure of between 1 mbar and 1.8 mbar is established and a flow of silane and of hydrogen with a dilution of silane to hydrogen of 1:4 up to 1:10 and generating an RF plasma with a generator power of between 600W and 1200W per 1.4 m2 base structure surface to be coated.

Abstract: A hybrid solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same is disclosed, wherein the hybrid solar cell comprises a semiconductor wafer having a predetermined polarity; a first semiconductor layer on one surface of the semiconductor wafer; a second semiconductor layer on the other surface of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the second semiconductor layer is different in polarity from the first semiconductor layer; a first electrode on the first semiconductor layer; a second electrode on the second semiconductor layer; and at least one of first and second interfacial layers, wherein the first interfacial layer containing ZnO is formed between the first semiconductor layer and the first electrode, and the second interfacial layer containing ZnO is formed between the second semiconductor layer and the second electrode, wherein the hybrid solar cell is provided with the interfacial layer between the first semiconductor layer and the first electrode and/or between the second semiconductor layer and the second elec

Abstract: An improved method for manufacturing a lateral germanium detector is disclosed. A detector window is opened through an oxide layer to expose a doped single crystalline silicon layer situated on a substrate. Next, a single crystal germanium layer is grown within the detector window, and an amorphous germanium layer is grown on the oxide layer. The amorphous germanium layer is then polished to leave only a small portion around the single crystal germanium layer. A dielectric layer is deposited on the amorphous germanium layer and the single crystal germanium layer. Using resist masks and ion implants, multiple doped regions are formed on the single crystal germanium layer. After opening several oxide windows on the dielectric layer, a refractory metal layer is deposited on the doped regions to form multiple germanide layers.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a solar cell is disclosed. The method includes the steps of forming a sacrificial layer on a silicon substrate, forming a doped silicon layer atop the sacrificial substrate, forming a silicon film atop the doped silicon layer, forming a plurality of interdigitated contacts on the silicon film, contacting each of the plurality of interdigitated contacts with a metal contact, and removing the sacrificial layer.

Abstract: Embodiments generally relate to optoelectronic semiconductor devices such as photovoltaic cells. In one aspect, a method for forming a device includes forming an absorber layer made of gallium arsenide (GaAs) and having one type of doping, and forming an emitter layer made of a different material and having a higher bandgap than the absorber layer. An intermediate layer can be formed between emitter and absorber layers. A heterojunction and p-n junction are formed between the emitter layer and the absorber layer, where the p-n junction is formed at least partially within the different material at a location offset from the heterojunction. A majority of the absorber layer can be outside of a depletion region formed by the p-n junction. The p-n junction causes a voltage to be generated in the cell in response to the cell being exposed to light at a front side.

Abstract: A third semiconductor layer 14 is formed on a light receiving surface 13a of a second semiconductor layer 13 so as to cover the light receiving surface 13a of the second semiconductor layer 13 at least partially in a plan view. A first semiconductor layer 10 is formed on an opposite surface of the light receiving surface 13a of the second semiconductor layer 13 so as to overlap the light receiving surface 13a and the third semiconductor layer 14 at least partially in a plan view. In the second semiconductor layer 13, the relative light receiving sensitivity to respective wavelengths of light has the highest value at a wavelength in an infrared region.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell comprises disposing a first doping layer on a substrate, forming a first doping layer pattern by patterning the first doping layer to expose a portion of the substrate, disposing a second doping layer on the first doping layer pattern to cover the exposed portion of the substrate, diffusing an impurity from the first doping layer pattern which forms a first doping region in a surface of the substrate, and diffusing an impurity from the second doping layer which forms a second doping region in the surface of the substrate, wherein the forming of the first doping layer pattern uses an etching paste.

Abstract: [Problem] To provide a large solar battery cell capable of realizing sufficient conversion efficiency and a method of manufacturing the same. [Solution] There is provided a solar battery cell including: a p-type diffusion layer and an n-type diffusion layer formed on one surface and another surface of a silicon single crystal substrate; one electrode or more formed on part of the p-type diffusion layer; and one electrode or more formed on part of the n-type diffusion layer, wherein: a plurality of high-concentration p-type diffusion regions and low-concentration p-type diffusion regions each located between the high-concentration p-type diffusion regions are formed in the p-type diffusion layer; a plurality of high-concentration n-type diffusion regions and low-concentration n-type diffusion regions each located between the high-concentration n-type diffusion regions are formed in the n-type diffusion layer.

Abstract: A light-receiving element includes a group III-V compound semiconductor stacked structure that includes an absorption layer having a pn-junction therein. The stacked structure is formed on a group III-V compound semiconductor substrate. The absorption layer has a multi- quantum well structure composed of group III-V compound semiconductors, and the pn-junction is formed by selectively diffusing an impurity element into the absorption layer. A diffusion concentration distribution control layer composed of a III-V group semiconductor is disposed in contact with the absorption layer on a side of the absorption layer opposite the side adjacent to the group III-V compound semiconductor substrate. The bandgap energy of the diffusion concentration distribution control layer is smaller than that of the group III-V compound semiconductor substrate. The concentration of the impurity element selectively diffused in the diffusion concentration distribution control layer is 5×1016/cm3 or less toward the absorption layer.

Abstract: A method of producing a photovoltaic device includes providing a stretchable substrate for the photovoltaic device; and stretching the substrate to produce a stretched substrate. The method further includes depositing a structure comprising hydrogenated amorphous silicon onto the stretched substrate; and subjecting the deposited hydrogenated amorphous silicon structure and the stretched substrate to a compressive force to form a compressively strained photovoltaic device.

Abstract: Provided are thin-film solar cells and methods of fabricating the same. The solar cell may include a substrate and a cell comprising an amorphous layer with a continuously graded hydrogen content disposed on the substrate, a n-type semiconductor, an p-type semiconductor layer, a metal electrode adjacent to the n-type semiconductor and a transparent electrode adjacent to p-type semiconductor layers. The hydrogen content of the amorphous intrinsic semiconductor layer decreases in a continuous manner from a first interface, to which a light is incident, toward a second interface opposite to the first interface, and the first and second interfaces are two opposite surfaces of the amorphous intrinsic semiconductor layer being in contact with the p-type and n-type semiconductor layers, respectively.

Abstract: An improved method of tilting a mask to perform a pattern implant of a substrate is disclosed. The mask has a plurality of apertures, and is placed between the ion source and the substrate. The mask and substrate are tilted at a first angle relative to the incoming ion beam. After the substrate is exposed to the ion beam, the mask and substrate are tilted at a second angle relative to the ion beam and a subsequent implant step is performed. Through the selection of the aperture size and shape, the cross-section of the mask, the distance between the mask and the substrate and the number of implant steps, a variety of implant patterns may be created. In some embodiments, the implant pattern includes heavily doped horizontal stripes with lighter doped regions between the stripes. In some embodiments, the implant pattern includes a grid of heavily doped regions.

Abstract: A hybrid solar cell is disclosed, which is capable of preventing a defect from occurring in a surface of a semiconductor wafer when forming a thin-film type semiconductor layer on the semiconductor wafer, to thereby improve cell efficiency by the increase of open-circuit voltage, the hybrid solar cell comprising a semiconductor wafer having a predetermined polarity; a first semiconductor layer on one surface of the semiconductor wafer; a second semiconductor layer on the other surface of the semiconductor wafer, wherein the second semiconductor layer is different in polarity from the first semiconductor layer; a first electrode on the first semiconductor layer; and a second electrode on the second semiconductor layer; wherein the first semiconductor layer comprises a lightly doped first semiconductor layer on one surface of the semiconductor wafer; and a highly doped first semiconductor layer on the lightly doped first semiconductor layer.

Abstract: In various embodiments, a solar cell is provided. The solar cell may include a base region doped with dopant of a first doping type; an emitter region doped with dopant of a second doping type, wherein the second doping type is opposite to the first doping type; a plurality of regions in the emitter region having an increased dopant concentration of the second doping type compared with the emitter region; and a plurality of metallic soldering pads, wherein each soldering pad is at least partially arranged on a region having an increased dopant concentration.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods for forming amorphous silicon-based photovoltaic devices, such as solar cells, by utilizing deposition and plasma treatment steps during a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PE-CVD) process. In one embodiments, the method includes exposing a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer disposed on a substrate to hydrogen plasma during pretreatment, forming a p-type ?-Si film on the TCO layer, forming an ?-Si intrinsic film on the p-type ?-Si film during a PE-CVD process, and forming an n-type ?-Si film on the ?-Si intrinsic film. In some examples, the PE-CVD process includes depositing an ?-Si intrinsic layer during a deposition step, treating the ?-Si intrinsic layer to form a treated ?-Si intrinsic layer during a plasma treatment step, and sequentially repeating the deposition step and the plasma treatment step until obtaining a desired thickness of the ?-Si intrinsic film containing a plurality of treated ?-Si intrinsic layers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide methods for forming a silicon-based photovoltaic (PV) device containing a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer that is exposed to a very high frequency (VHF) plasma. In one embodiment, a method includes depositing a TCO layer on an underlying surface, such as a transparent substrate, and exposing the TCO layer to a VHF plasma to form a treated surface on the TCO layer during a plasma treatment process. The VHF plasma is generated by ionizing a process gas containing hydrogen (H2) and nitrous oxide at an excitation frequency within a range from about 30 MHz to about 300 MHz. The method further includes forming a p-i-n junction over the TCO layer, wherein the p-i-n junction contains a p-type Si-based layer disposed on the treated surface of the TCO layer. In some examples, the TCO layer contains zinc oxide and the p-i-n junction contains amorphous silicon.

Abstract: A hole-based ultra-deep photodiode in a CMOS image sensor and an associated process are disclosed. A p-type substrate is grounded or connected to a negative power supply. An n-type epitaxial layer is grown on the p-type substrate, and is connected to a positive power supply. An ultra-deep p-type photodiode implant region is formed in the n-type epitaxial layer. Thermal steps are added to insure a smooth and deep doping profile.

Abstract: In a photosensor and a method of manufacturing the same, the photosensor comprises: an intrinsic silicon layer formed on a substrate; a P-type doped region formed in a same plane with the intrinsic silicon layer; and an oxide semiconductor layer formed on or under the intrinsic silicon layer, and overlapping an entire region of the intrinsic silicon layer.

Abstract: An embodiment of a monolithic photovoltaic cell is provided. The photovoltaic cell comprises at least one junction; said at least one junction includes a base formed by an epitaxial doped semiconductor material of a first conductivity type and an emitter formed by a doped semiconductor material of a second conductivity type opposed to the first. Said emitter is stacked on the base according to a first direction, and the base of at least one of said at least one junction has a decreasing dopant concentration gradient along said first direction. Said base comprises a first portion far from the emitter, a second portion proximate to the emitter, and a third portion between the first portion and the second portion. In the first portion, said decreasing dopant concentration gradient has a slope whose average value ranges from approximately ?9*1017 cm?3/?m to ?4*1017 cm?3/?M.

Abstract: A disordered nanowire solar cell includes doped silicon nanowires disposed in a disordered nanowire mat, a thin (e.g., 50 nm) p-i-n coating layer formed on the surface of the silicon nanowires, and a conformal conductive layer disposed on the upper (e.g., n-doped) layer of the p-i-n coating layer. The disordered nanowire mat is grown from a seed layer using VLS processing at a high temperature (e.g., 450° C.), whereby the crystalline silicon nanowires assume a random interwoven pattern that enhances light scattering. Light scattered by the nanowires is absorbed by p-i-n layer, causing, e.g., electrons to pass along the nanowires to the first electrode layer, and holes to pass through the conformal conductive layer to an optional upper electrode layer. Fabrication of the disordered nanowire solar cell is large-area compatible.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell is discussed. The method may include injecting first impurity ions at a first surface of a substrate by using a first ion implantation method to form a first impurity region, the substrate having a first conductivity type and the first impurity region having a second conductivity type, heating the substrate with the first impurity region to activate the first impurity region to form an emitter region, etching the emitter region from a surface of the emitter region to a predetermined depth to form an emitter part, and forming a first electrode on the emitter part to connect to the emitter part and a second electrode on a second surface of the substrate, which is opposite the first surface of the substrate to connect to the second surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A photoelectric conversion device is provided wherein variance of photoelectric conversion efficiency within a panel plane is reduced. A method of manufacturing a photoelectric conversion device having a microcrystalline silicon photoelectric conversion unit (104) which has a layered structure including a p-type layer (40), an i-type layer (42) including a microcrystalline silicon layer which serves as a power generating layer, and an n-type layer (44) is provided, the method comprising a step of forming the i-type layer (42), wherein a first i-type layer (42a) is formed and a second i-type layer (42b) is formed over the first i-type layer (42a) under a condition that a crystallization percentage is higher than that of the first i-type layer (42a) and an in-plane distribution of the crystallization percentage is lower than that of the first i-type layer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an image sensor, wherein the method comprises several steps as follows: A semiconductor base doped with dopants having a first-type electrical conductivity is provided, wherein the semiconductor base comprises a handle wafer, an oxide insulator disposed on the handle wafer, and a silicon layer disposed on the oxide insulator. A front end process is then conducted, to form at least one imaging pixel disposed in the silicon layer and at least one metal layer disposed on the imaging pixel, whereby the first-type electrical dopants can be driven into the silicon layer to form a doping layer with the first-type electrical conductivity over the oxide insulator.

Abstract: Avalanche photodiodes and methods for forming them are disclosed. The breakdown voltage of an avalanche photodiode is controlled through the inclusion of a diffusion sink that is formed at the same time as the device region of the photodiode. The device region and diffusion sink are formed by diffusing a dopant into a semiconductor to form a p-n junction in the device region. The dopant is diffused through a first diffusion window to form the device region and a second diffusion window to form the diffusion sink. The depth of the p-n junction is based on an attribute of the second diffusion window.

Abstract: An object is to obtain a high-efficiency photoelectric conversion device having a crystalline silicon i-layer in a photoelectric conversion layer. Disclosed is a fabrication method for a photoelectric conversion device that includes a step of forming, on a substrate, a photoelectric conversion layer having an i-layer formed mainly of crystalline silicon. The method includes the steps of determining an upper limit of an impurity concentration in the i-layer according to the Raman ratio of the i-layer; and forming the i-layer so as to have a value equal to or less than the determined upper limit of the impurity concentration. Alternatively, an upper limit of impurity-gas concentration in a film-formation atmosphere is determined according to the Raman ratio of the i-layer, and the i-layer is formed while controlling the impurity-gas concentration so as to have a value equal to or less than the determined upper limit.

Abstract: Disclosed are an image sensor and a method for manufacturing the same. The image sensor includes an isolation trench formed in a semiconductor substrate corresponding to a logic region and a pixel separating trench formed on the semiconductor substrate corresponding to a pixel region and having a depth shallower than a depth of the isolation trench of the logic region, a barrier region formed below the pixel separating trench, a pixel separator formed inside the pixel separating trench, a gate formed above the semiconductor substrate, a first doped region formed at a deep region of the semiconductor substrate corresponding to one side of the gate, an additionally-doped region interposed between the first doped region and the barrier region, and a second doped region formed at a shallow region of the semiconductor substrate such that the second doped region makes contact with the first doped region.

Abstract: When a solar battery configured by laminating a p-type layer, an i-type layer and an n-type layer in this order is produced, an n-type microcrystalline silicon thin film is formed as an n-type layer under film forming conditions wherein a ratio of the flow rate of an n-type dopant-containing gas to the flow rate of a silicon-containing gas is 0.03 or less, the ratio of the flow rate of a diluent gas to the flow rate of a silicon-containing gas is 70 or more, and the total pressure of a material gas is 200 Pa or more.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved solar cells. This patent teaches a particularly efficient method of device manufacture based on incorporating the solar cell fabrication into the widely used, high temperature, Float Glass manufacture process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing silicon thin-film solar cells, including: providing a substrate; forming a first electrode on the substrate; forming a first doped semiconductor layer on the first electrode by chemical vapor deposition; forming an intrinsic layer on the first doped semiconductor layer by chemical vapor deposition, where the intrinsic layer includes a plurality of amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon layers, and the intrinsic layer has various energy bandgaps formed by varying average grain sizes of the amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon layers; forming a second doped semiconductor layer on the intrinsic layer by chemical vapor deposition, where one of the first doped semiconductor layer and the second doped semiconductor layer is a p-type amorphous silicon layer and the other is an n-type amorphous/nano-microcrystalline silicon layer; and forming a second electrode on the second doped semiconductor layer.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a semiconductor substrate including a first conductive type, a first amorphous silicon thin film layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate and a second amorphous silicon thin film layer including a second conductive type and disposed on the first amorphous silicon thin film layer. The first amorphous silicon thin film layer includes a first intrinsic silicon thin film layer, a second intrinsic silicon thin film layer facing the semiconductor substrate while interposing the first intrinsic silicon thin film layer therebetween and a first low concentration silicon thin film layer including the second conductive type and disposed between the first intrinsic silicon thin film layer and the second intrinsic silicon thin film layer.

Abstract: In one embodiment, active diffusion junctions of a solar cell are formed by diffusing dopants from dopant sources selectively deposited on the back side of a wafer. The dopant sources may be selectively deposited using a printing method, for example. Multiple dopant sources may be employed to form active diffusion regions of varying doping levels. For example, three or four active diffusion regions may be fabricated to optimize the silicon/dielectric, silicon/metal, or both interfaces of a solar cell. The front side of the wafer may be textured prior to forming the dopant sources using a texturing process that minimizes removal of wafer material. Openings to allow metal gridlines to be connected to the active diffusion junctions may be formed using a self-aligned contact opening etch process to minimize the effects of misalignments.

Abstract: A thin-film solar cell and a method for manufacturing the same are presented, in which the dopant concentration turns low in a sloping way. The solar cell includes a substrate, a first contact region, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second contact region. The first contact region a photoelectric conversion layer, and a second contact region are disposed on the substrate. At least one of the first contact region and the second contact region contains an N-type dopant, and the concentration of the N-type dopant is decreased gradually in a direction towards the photoelectric conversion layer. Through the thin-film solar cell and the method for manufacturing the same, the conversion efficiency of the solar cell is improved, and the thin-film solar cell and the manufacturing method are capable of being integrated with an existing manufacturing process of a solar cell, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing the cost.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell comprises disposing a first doping layer on a substrate, forming a first doping layer pattern by patterning the first doping layer to expose a portion of the substrate, disposing a second doping layer on the first doping layer pattern to cover the exposed portion of the substrate, diffusing an impurity from the first doping layer pattern which forms a first doping region in a surface of the substrate, and diffusing an impurity from the second doping layer which forms a second doping region in the surface of the substrate, wherein the forming of the first doping layer pattern uses an etching paste.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell comprises disposing a first doping layer on a substrate, forming a first doping layer pattern by patterning the first doping layer to expose a portion of the substrate, disposing a second doping layer on the first doping layer pattern to cover the exposed portion of the substrate, diffusing an impurity from the first doping layer pattern which forms a first doping region in a surface of the substrate, and diffusing an impurity from the second doping layer which forms a second doping region in the surface of the substrate, wherein the forming of the first doping layer pattern uses an etching paste.

Abstract: A solar cell includes a base layer; an emitter layer disposed on one side of the base layer; a first electrode in electrical communication with the base layer; and a second electrode in electrical communication with the emitter layer, wherein the base layer has a higher doping concentration with increasing distance from the interface between the base layer and the emitter layer, and the base layer has a doping concentration change slope that is further decreased with increasing distance from the interface between the base layer and the emitter layer.

Abstract: A first shallow trench isolation region is disposed in the silicon semiconductor layer laterally adjacent to a photodetector while a second shallow trench isolation region is disposed in the silicon semiconductor layer laterally adjacent to other electrical components in a pixel. The first and second shallow trench isolation regions each include a trench disposed in the silicon semiconductor layer that is filled with a dielectric material. An isolation layer having the second conductivity is disposed only along a portion of a bottom and only along a sidewall of the trench immediately adjacent to the photodetector. The isolation layer is not disposed along the other portion of the bottom and along the other sidewall of the trench adjacent the photodetector. The isolation layer is not disposed along the bottom and sidewalls of the trench adjacent to the other electrical components.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a layer stack adapted for a thin-film solar cell is and a precursor for a solar cell are described. The method includes depositing a TCO layer over a transparent substrate, depositing a first conductive-type layer a first p-i-n junction configured for the solar cell, depositing a first intrinsic-type layer of a first p-i-n junction configured for the solar cell and depositing a further conductive-layer with a conductivity opposite to the first conductive-type layer first p-i-n junction configured for the solar cell. The method further includes providing for a SiOx-containing intermediate layer by chemical vapor deposition and depositing a second p-i-n junction configured for the solar cell, wherein the SiOx-containing intermediate layer is provided within the a further conductive-type layer, and wherein the SiOx-containing layer has a thickness of 17 nm or less.

Abstract: The present invention provides improved devices such as transparent solar cells. This patent teaches a particularly efficient method of device manufacture based on incorporating the solar cell fabrication into the widely used, high temperature, Float Glass manufacture process.

Abstract: Processes for making a solar cell by depositing various layers of components on a substrate and converting the components into a thin film photovoltaic absorber material. Processes of this disclosure can be used to control the stoichiometry of metal atoms in making a solar cell for targeting a particular concentration and providing a gradient of metal atom concentration. A selenium layer can be used in annealing a thin film photovoltaic absorber material.

Abstract: In one example, a method for fabricating a solar cell comprising a first electrode, a first-type layer, an intrinsic layer, a second-type layer and a second electrode is disclosed. The method comprising forming a second-type layer including an amorphous silicon (Si) carbide thin film by an inductively coupled plasma chemical vapor deposition (ICP-CVD) device using mixed gas including hydrogen (H2) gas, silane (SiH4) gas, diborane (B2H6) and ethylene (C2H4) gas, wherein the ethylene (C2H4) gas includes 60% hydrogen gas diluted ethylene gas, the diborane gas is 97% hydrogen gas diluted diborane gas, the mixed gas includes 1 to 1.2% ethylene gas and 6 to 6.5% diborane gas.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a means to build a solar cell that is transparent to and polarizes visible light, and to transfer the energy thus generated to electrical power wires.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device including a substrate; a first electrode and a second electrode which are placed over the substrate; a first conductive semiconductor layer, an intrinsic semiconductor layer including a first sub-layer and a second sub-layer, and a second conductive semiconductor layer, which are placed between the first electrode and the second electrode. The method comprising: forming the first sub-layer having a first crystal volume fraction in an ‘i’-th process chamber group (‘i’ is a natural number equal to or greater than 1) among a plurality of process chamber groups; and forming the second sub-layer in an ‘i+1’-th process chamber group among the plurality of the process chamber groups, the second sub-layer contacting with the first sub-layer, including crystalline silicon grains and having a second crystal volume fraction greater than the first crystal volume fraction.

Abstract: Methods for selectively diffusing dopants into a substrate wafer are provided. A liquid precursor is doped with dopants. The liquid precursor is selected from a group comprising monomers, polymers, and oligomers of silicon and hydrogen. The doped liquid precursor is deposited on a surface of the substrate wafer to create a doped film. The doped film is heated on the substrate wafer for diffusing the dopants from the doped film into the substrate wafer at different diffusion rates to create a heavily diffused region and a lightly diffused region in the substrate wafer. The method disclosed herein further comprises selective curing of the doped film on the surface of the substrate wafer. The selectively cured doped film acts as a diffusion source for selectively diffusing the dopants into the substrate wafer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a solar cell comprises disposing a first doping layer on a substrate, forming a first doping layer pattern by patterning the first doping layer to expose a portion of the substrate, disposing a second doping layer on the first doping layer pattern to cover the exposed portion of the substrate, diffusing an impurity from the first doping layer pattern which forms a first doping region in a surface of the substrate, and diffusing an impurity from the second doping layer which forms a second doping region in the surface of the substrate, wherein the forming of the first doping layer pattern uses an etching paste.

Abstract: A transient index stack having an intermediate transient index layer, for use in an imaging device or a display device, that reduces reflection between layers having different refractive indexes by making a gradual transition from one refractive index to another. Other embodiments include a pixel array in an imaging or display device, an imager system having improved optical characteristics for reception of light by photosensors and a display system having improved optical characteristics for transmission of light by photoemitters. Enhanced reception of light is achieved by reducing reflection between a photolayer, for example, a photosensor or photoemitter, and surrounding media by introducing an intermediate layer with a transient refractive index between the photolayer and surrounding media such that more photons reach the photolayer. The surrounding media can include a protective layer of optically transparent media.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a thin-film solar cell structure, a method for manufacturing the same and a thin-film solar cell array. The method for manufacturing thin-film solar cell structures comprises: forming at least two first trenches through a first surface into said semiconductor substrate, forming at least one second trench through a second surface into said semiconductor substrate, said second trench located between two neighboring said first trenches; forming a first structure on sidewalls of each of said first trenches; to forming a second structure on sidewalls of each of said second trench; and cutting or stretching said semiconductor substrate to form thin-film solar cell structures.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention also generally provide a solar cell formation process that includes the formation of metal contacts over heavly doped regions that are formed in a desired pattern on a surface of a substrate. Embodiments of the invention also provide an inspection system and supporting hardware that is used to reliably position a similarly shaped, or patterned, metal contact structure on the patterned heavily doped regions to allow an Ohmic contact to be made. The metal contact structure, such as fingers and busbars, are formed on the heavily doped regions so that a high quality electrical connection can be formed between these two regions.