TSMC Solar Ltd.

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Comp. Ltd.

Chung-Hsien Wu

Wen-Tsai Yen

Shih-Wei Chen

Wen-Chin Lee

Jyh-Lih Wu

Kuan-Chu Chen

Chi-Yu Chiang

Li Xu

Wei-Lun Xu

Ying-Hsin Wu

Jui-Fu Hsueh

Hung-Yu Chang

A device and method of improving efficiency of a thin film solar cell by providing a back reflector between a back electrode layer and an absorber layer. Back reflector reflects sunlight photons back into the absorber layer to generate additional electrical energy. The device is a photovoltaic device comprising a substrate, a back electrode layer, a back reflector, an absorber layer, a buffer layer, and a front contact layer. The back reflector is formed as a plurality of parallel lines.

Photovoltaic device with back reflector

A solar cell with a molybdenum back electrode layer and a molybdenum selenide ohmic contact layer over the molybdenum back electrode, is provided. The molybdenum selenide layer includes an accurately controlled thickness. A distinct interface exists between the molybdenum back electrode layer and the molybdenum silicide layer. The molybdenum silicide layer is produced by forming a molybdenum layer or a molybdenum nitride layer or a molybdenum oxide layer over an initially formed molybdenum layer such that an interface exists between the two layers. A selenization and sulfurization process is carried out to selectively convert the molybdenum-containing layer to molybdenum selenide but not the original molybdenum back electrode layer which remains as a molybdenum layer.

Molybdenum selenide sublayers with controlled thickness in solar cells and methods for forming the same

A sputtering apparatus comprises a chamber configured to contain at least one sputter target and at least one substrate to be coated. The chamber has at least one adjustable shielding member defining an adjustable aperture. The member is positioned between the at least one sputter target and the at least one substrate. The aperture is adjustable in at least one of the group consisting of area and shape.

Sputtering apparatus and method

A method for monitoring the process of fabricating solar cells generally comprises performing a reaction process in a chamber for a solar cell substructure, wherein the chamber includes a reaction solution that includes at least one chemical component. A concentration value is detected for the chemical component during the reaction process, via a detection assembly that is coupled to the chamber. The method further includes determining whether the detected concentration value is at a predefined threshold concentration level or within a predefined concentration range for the chemical component, via a control assembly that is coupled to the detection assembly. The concentration of the chemical component within the reaction solution is modified, during the reaction process, when the detected concentration value is different from the predefined threshold concentration level or different from the predefined concentration range.

Apparatus and method for monitoring the process of fabricating solar cells

A method and system for forming chalcogenide semiconductor absorber materials with sodium impurities is provided. The system includes a sodium vaporizer in which a solid sodium source material is vaporized. The sodium vapor is added to reactant gases and/or annealing gases and directed to a furnace that includes a substrate with a metal precursor material. The precursor material reacts with reactant gases such as S-containing gases and Se-containing gases according to various process sequences. In one embodiment, a selenization operation is followed by an annealing operation and a sulfurization operation and the sodium vapor is caused to react with the metal precursor during at least one of the annealing and the sulfurization steps to produce a chalcogenide semiconductor absorber material that includes sodium dopant impurities.

Apparatus and method for forming chalcogenide semiconductor absorber materials with sodium impurities

A method for fabricating a solar cell generally comprises delivering a solar cell substructure to a chamber. Electromagnetic radiation is generated using a wave generating device that is coupled to the chamber such that the wave generating device is positioned proximate to the solar cell substructure. The electromagnetic radiation is applied onto at least a portion of the solar cell substructure to facilitate the diffusion of at least one metal element through at least a portion of the solar cell substructure such that a semiconductor interface is formed between at least two different types of semiconductor materials of the solar cell substructure.

Apparatus and methods for fabricating solar cells

In a method of forming a CIGS film absorption layer, a first precursor is provided including a first substrate having a major process precursor film formed thereon, the major process precursor film containing two or more of Cu, In, Ga, and Se. A second precursor is provided including a second substrate having an element supplying precursor film formed thereon, the element supply precursor film containing two or more of Cu, In, Ga and Se. The precursors are oriented with the major process precursor film and element supplying precursor film facing one another so as to allow diffusion of elements between the films during annealing. The oriented films are annealed and then the precursors are separated, wherein the CIGS film is formed over the first substrate and either a CIGS film or a precursor film containing two or more of Cu, In, Ga, and Se remains over the second substrate.

Method of forming chalcopyrite thin film solar cell

An evaporation apparatus comprises a chamber configured to contain at least one dispensing nozzle and at least one substrate to be coated. The chamber has at least one adjustable shielding member defining an adjustable aperture. The member is positioned between the at least one dispensing nozzle and the at least one substrate. The aperture is adjustable in at least one of the group consisting of area and shape. The at least one adjustable shielding member has a heater.

Evaporation apparatus and method

A solar cell includes an absorber layer formed of a CIGAS, copper, indium, gallium, aluminum, and selenium. A method for forming the absorber layer provides for using an indium-aluminum target and depositing an aluminum-indium film as a metal precursor layer using sputter deposition. Additional metal precursor layers such as a CuGa layer are also provided and a thermal processing operation causes the selenization of the metal precursor layers. The thermal processing operation/selenization operation converts the metal precursor layers to an absorber layer. In some embodiments, the absorber layer includes a double graded chalcopyrite-based bandgap.

Growing community of inventors

Luzhu, Taiwan

Chung-Hsien Wu