United Solar Systems Corporation

Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.

United Solar Ovonic Corp.

Arindam Banerjee

Subhendu Guha

Chi C Yang

Kevin Beernink

Ginger Pietka

Prem Nath

Herbert C Ovshinsky

Kevin R Hoffman

Troy Glatfelter

Mark Lycette

XiXiang Xu

Kais Younan

Shengzhong Liu

David Wolf

Gregory Demaggio

Jeffrey Yang

Shengzhong (Frank) Liu

Todd Johnson

Chaolan Hu

A system for the laser scribing of semiconductor devices includes a laser light source operable to selectably deliver laser illumination at a first wavelength and at a second wavelength which is shorter than the first wavelength. The system further includes a support for a semiconductor device and an optical system which is operative to direct the laser illumination from the light source to the semiconductor device. The optical system includes optical elements which are compatible with the laser illumination of the first wavelength and the laser illumination of the second wavelength. In specific instances, the first wavelength is long wavelength illumination such as illumination of at least 1000 nanometers, and the second wavelength is short wavelength illumination which in specific instances is 300 nanometers or shorter. By the use of the differing wavelengths, specific layers of the semiconductor device may be scribed without damage to subjacent layers. Also disclosed are specific scribing processes.

Method and apparatus for the laser scribing of ultra lightweight semiconductor devices

An ultra lightweight semiconductor device such as a photovoltaic device is fabricated on a non-etchable barrier layer which is disposed upon an etchable substrate. The device is contacted with an appropriate etchant for a period of time sufficient to remove at least a portion of the thickness of the substrate. The barrier layer prevents damage to the photovoltaic material during the etching process. Photovoltaic devices fabricated by this method have specific power levels in excess of 300 w/kg.

Ultra lightweight photovoltaic device and method for its manufacture

A photovoltaic roofing shingle includes a strip of roofing material having an overlap portion, and a plurality of tab portions depending therefrom. Each of the tab portions includes a photovoltaic generating device affixed thereto. The photovoltaic devices are electrically interconnected, and each photovoltaic shingle member includes a pair of electrical terminals for delivering power from said photovoltaic devices. In use, the shingle members are affixed to a roof so that the tab portions of one row of shingles cover the overlap portion of an adjoining row. Electrical interconnection may be made through the roof to the inside of the building, or to a point atop the roof.

Photovoltaic shingle system

A back reflector for a photovoltaic device includes an electrically conductive, textured layer and a reflective layer conformally disposed on the textured layer. The reflector may include a protective layer atop the reflective layer. The materials of the reflector are selected to be non-reactive under conditions encountered in the manufacture and use of the photovoltaic device.

Composite back reflector for photovoltaic device

An igniter for a plasma processing apparatus comprises a hollow, at least partially microwave transmissive, body having a gas inlet and gas outlet passing therethrough. The geometry of the inlet and outlet are selected so that the outlet provides a greater impedance to gas flow than does the inlet. In this manner, there is provided a high pressure region in the igniter in which plasma ignition is facilitated. Ionized species generated in the igniter function to initiate plasma formation externally of the igniter.

Igniter for microwave energized plasma processing apparatus

A method for manufacturing thin film, photovoltaic devices of the type having an intrinsic semiconductor layer disposed between two oppositely charged doped, semiconductor layers. A buffer layer of intrinsic semiconductor material is RF deposited at the junction between a microwave deposited, base intrinsic layer and a layer of doped material. The cell produced by the method of the present invention has enhanced performance characteristics over cells having microwave deposited intrinsic layers with no barrier layers.

Method of making pin junction semiconductor device with RF deposited

The glow discharge deposition of thin film materials is most advantageously carried out at a pressure which is less than the pressure of the minimum point on the deposition system's Paschen curve and at a power which is in excess of the minimum power required to sustain a deposition plasma at the particular process pressure.

Microwave energized deposition process wherein the deposition is carried

A protective layer is disposed between a silver reflective electrode and a layer of transparent conductive oxide in a photovoltaic device so as to prevent oxidation of the silver. The protective layer may be continuous or discontinuous and may be fabricated from MgF.sub.2, Si.sub.x N.sub.y or T.sub.ix N.sub.y where x and y are positive numbers.

Protective layer for the back reflector of a photovoltaic device

Open circuit voltage of photovoltaic devices manufactured by a microwave deposition process is increased by disposing a bias wire in the microwave energized plasma and applying a positive voltage of approximately 100 volts to the wire during only a portion of the time in which the intrinsic semiconductor layer is being deposited.

Semiconductor device and microwave process for its manufacture

A method of depositing a layer of doped or undoped wide band gap oxide material by chemical spray pyrolysis, upon a continuously advancing, elongated web of substrate material in a continuous, roll-to-roll process.

Method for continuously deposting a transparent oxide material by

A method for the plasma coating of a layer of material atop a semiconductor body, said method and apparatus adapted to substantially prevent damage to the semiconductor body by energetic vaporized species developed during the coating process. The invention has particular utility in the high volume fabrication of thin film semiconductor devices and may be readily adapted to provide the transparent conductive electrode of photoresponsive devices in a continuous roll-to-roll deposition process.

Growing community of inventors

Madison Heights, MI, United States of America

Arindam Banerjee