Solopower, Inc.

Novellus Systems Incorporated

Asm Nutool, Inc.

Nutool, Inc.

Other

Active Layer Parametrics, Inc.

International Solar Electric Technology, Inc.

Encoresolar, Inc.

Solopower Systems, Inc.

International Solar Electronic Technology, Inc.

Bulent Mehmet Basol

Homayoun Talieh

Cyprian Emeka Uzoh

Jalal Ashjaee

Serdar Aksu

Douglas W Young

Jiaxiong Wang

Konstantin Volodarsky

Boguslaw Nagorski

Jeffrey A Bogart

Mustafa Pinarbasi

Vijay K Kapur

Abhijeet Joshi

Bernard Frey

Hung-Ming Wang

Efrain A Velazquez

Paul G Lindquist

Halit N Yakupoglu

Yuchun Wang

David Aitan Soltz

Boris T Govzman

Rimma Volodarsky

Craig R Leidholm

Robert A Roe

Serkan Erdemli

James Mac Freitag

Chantal Arena

Howard Gordon Zolla

Ismail Emesh

Mukundan Narasimhan

Jeff A Bogart

Tuan Truong

Bernard M Frey

Mukesh Desai

Brett E McGrath

Geordie Zapalac

Todd Richards Johnson

Paul Lindquist

Homayoun Talleh

Arvind T Halani

Yongbong Han

George Xinsheng Guo

In some embodiments, a method includes forming a mini chamber over a test region, the mini chamber comprising an inlet, an outlet and an electrode, introducing an electrolyte solution into the mini chamber through the inlet, applying an electro-etching potential difference between the electrode and at least one contact region and reducing the thickness of a semiconductor film portion at the test region forming a thinned down semiconductor film portion, replacing the electrolyte solution in the mini chamber with a fluid that is substantially insulating, and determining the electrical property of the thinned down semiconductor film portion while the fluid is in the mini chamber.

Methods and tools for electrical property depth profiling using electro-etching

A method for electrically characterizing a layer disposed on a substrate and electrically insulated from the substrate is disclosed. The method can include forming a test pattern, contacting the test pattern with electrical contact elements at contact regions, and measuring an electrical parameter of the layer by passing a first set of test currents between contact regions. The test pattern can be formed by pushing a pattern forming head against a top surface of the layer, introducing a first fluid into the cavity, and converting the sacrificial portion of the layer into an insulator using the first fluid and forming the test pattern under the test-pattern-shaped inner seal.

Methods and apparatus for test pattern forming and film property measurement

Methods, tools and systems for full characterization of thin and ultra-thin layers employed in advanced semiconductor device structures are disclosed.

Methods and systems for material property profiling of thin films

A roll-to-roll rapid thermal processing (RTP) tool with multiple chambers for forming a solar cell absorber by reacting a precursor layer on a continuous flexible workpiece. The RTP tool includes an elongated housing having a heating chamber with a predetermined temperature profile, a supply chamber and a receiving chamber. The heating chamber includes a small process gap in which the precursor layer is reacted with a Group VIA material to form an absorber layer. The continuous flexible workpiece is unrolled and advanced from the supply chamber into the heating chamber, and the processed continuous flexible workpiece is taken up and rolled in the receiving chamber.

Reel-to-reel reaction of precursor film to form solar cell absorber

A method of forming an ohmic contact and electron reflector on a surface of a CdTe containing compound film as may be found, for example in a photovoltaic cell. The method comprises forming a Cd-deficient, Te-rich surface region at a surface of the CdTe containing compound film; exposing the Cd-deficient surface region to an electron reflector forming material; forming the electron reflector; and laying down a contact layer over the electron reflector layer. The solar cell so produced has a Cd-deficient region which is converted to an electron reflector layer on the surface of a CdTe absorber layer, and an ohmic contact. A Cd/Te molar ratio within the Cd-deficient region decreases from 1 at an interface with the CdTe absorber layer to a value less than 1 towards the ohmic contact.

High efficiency cadmium telluride solar cell and method of fabrication

An evaporation tool for forming a dopant structure on a front surface of a continuous workpiece, wherein the front surface includes a precursor layer to form Group IBIIIAVIA absorbers for solar cells and the dopant structure is used to introduce dopants into the precursor layer. The tool includes at least a first vapor source station to deposit a Group VIA material, such as Se, and a second vapor station to deposit a dopant material, such as Na, onto the continuous workpiece. A moving assembly of the tool holds and moves the continuous workpiece within the tool by feeding the continuous workpiece from a first end and taking up from a second end of the tool. A support assembly of the tool contacts a back surface of the continuous workpiece to remove the heat from and apply tension to the continuous workpiece during the process.

Roll to roll evaporation tool for solar absorber precursor formation

A method of fabricating a solar cell involves electroplating a Group IIB-VIA material as a first or sub-layer over a junction partner layer, and then forming a second layer, also of a Group IIB-VIA material over the sub-layer. Both the sub-layer and the second layer comprise Te. The electroplating is performed at relatively low temperatures, as for example, below 100&#xb0; C. Forming the sub-layer by low temperature electroplating produces a small grained compact film that protects the interface between the sub-layer and the junction partner during the formation of the second layer. The second layer may be formed by physical vapor deposition or ink deposition. A solar cell has a first layer of a stoichiometric Group IIB-VIA material formed on a CdS film, and a second layer of a Group IIB-V1A material. Both the first and second layers contain Te. The first layer may comprise CdTe with a grain size small than 0.5 microns and the second layer may comprise CdTe with a grin size in the range of 1-5 microns.

Method of fabricating solar cells with electrodeposited compound interface layers

An electrochemical co-deposition method and solution to plate uniform, defect free and smooth (In,Ga)&#x2014;Se films with repeatability and controllable molar ratios of (In,Ga) to Se are provided. Such layers are used in fabrication of semiconductor and electronic devices such as thin film solar cells. In one embodiment, the present invention provides an alkaline electrodeposition solution that includes an In salt, a Se acid or oxide, a tartrate salt as complexing agent for the In species, and a solvent to electrodeposit an In&#x2014;Se film possessing sub-micron thickness on a conductive surface.

Electroplating methods and chemistries for deposition of group IIIA-group via thin films

Precursor layers and methods of forming Group IBIIIAVIA solar cell absorbers with bandgap grading using such precursor layers are described. The Group IBIIIAVIA absorber includes a top surface with a Ga/(Ga+In) molar ratio in the range of 0.1-0.3. The Group IBIIIAVIA solar cell absorber is formed by reacting the layers of a multilayer material structure which includes a metallic film including Cu, In and Ga formed on a base, a layer of Se formed on the metallic film, and a second metallic layer substantially including Ga formed on the layer of Se.

Method for forming copper indium gallium chalcogenide layer with shaped gallium profile

A method and a system are provided for forming planar absorber layers or structures by planarizing and reacting precursor layers in a reactor. A precursor structure is first formed over the front surface of a foil substrate and then planarized through application of pressure by a smooth surface while heated to a first temperature range to obtain a planar layer. The planar layer may be only partially reacted. The planar layer is further reacted at a second temperature range to form a fully or completely reacted planar absorber layer. The planar absorber layer may include at least one Group IB material, at least one Group IIIA material and at least one Group VIA material. The planar absorber layer may be a Group IBIIIAVIA compound layer.

Method and apparatus to form solar cell absorber layers with planar surface

Processes and apparatus are described that form a solar cell absorber on a surface of a workpiece by reacting a precursor layer disposed on the surface of the workpiece with an absorber constituent vapor in a heating chamber. The absorber constituent material is delivered from an absorber constituent material delivery system in molten form into a container in the heating chamber and vaporized to be used during the reaction.

Methods and apparatus to provide group VIA materials to reactors for group IBIIIAVIA film formation

The embodiments of the present invention provide a defect detection process and apparatus to detect defects in solar cell structures. During the process, an input signal from a signal source is applied to a top surface of a transparent conductive layer of a solar cell structure. In response to the input signal, an output signal is generated from a predetermined area of the top surface and detected by a defect detector. The output signal carrying the defect position information is transmitted to a computer and registered in a database. With the position information, an injector is driven to the defect location to apply an insulator to passivate the defect. A finger pattern layer may be formed over the predetermined area after completing the defect detection and passivation processes.

Method and apparatus for detecting and passivating defects in thin film solar cells

The present inventions relate to methods and apparatus for detecting and mechanically removing defects and a surrounding portion of the photovoltaic layer and the substrate in a thin film solar cell such as a Group IBIIIAVIA compound thin film solar cell to improve its efficiency.

Method and apparatus to remove a segment of a thin film solar cell structure for efficiency improvement

Described is a continuous electroless deposition method and a system to form a solar cell buffer layer with a varying composition through its thickness are provided. The composition of the buffer layer is varied by varying the composition of a chemical bath deposition solution applied onto an absorber surface on which the buffer layer with varying composition is formed. In one example, the buffer layer with varying composition includes a first section containing CdS, a second section containing CdZnS formed on top of the already deposited CdS, and a third section containing ZnS is formed on the second section All the process steps are applied in a roll-to-roll fashion. In another example, a transparent conductive layer including a first transparent conductive film such as aluminum doped zinc oxide and a second transparent conductive film such as indium tin oxide is deposited over the buffer layer with the varying composition.

Solar cell buffer layer having varying composition

Growing community of inventors

Manhattan Beach, CA, United States of America

Bulent Mehmet Basol