Rca Inc.

Solarex Corporation

Other

David E Carlson

Christopher R Wronski

Brown F Williams

Charles R Dickson

Jacques I Pankove

Robert V D'Aiello

Chester E Tracy

Lawrence A Goodman

Alan E Bell

Alfred R Triano, Jr

The present invention relates to an article and method for identification, classification, and inventory tracking of articles in bulk. The article has a first state and a second state. The state is the condition of the article including such states as new, used, broken, or depleted. When the article is new, it will have a perception indicating its state. The perception will be different from other perceptions of the article because of an identifiable characteristic which differentiates it from articles being in other states. The article has a second perception that is representative of a second state of the article. The second perception may be fixed upon or within the article or, in the alternative, the first perception may be such that, when the article changes state, the first perception changes into the second perception. The method of the invention comprises providing at least one article having at least a first state and a second state and providing each article with a first perception indicating the first state and a second perception indicating the second state of the article.

Article and method for identification, classification, and inventory tracking

A method of fabricating spaced-apart back contacts on a thin film of semiconductor material by forming strips of buffer material on top of the semiconductor material in locations corresponding to the desired dividing lines between back contacts, forming a film of metal substantially covering the semiconductor material and buffer strips, and scribing portions of the metal film overlying the buffer strips with a laser without contacting the underlying semiconductor material to separate the metal layer into a plurality of back contacts. The buffer material serves to protect the underlying semiconductor material from being damaged during the laser scribing. Back contacts and multi-cell photovoltaic modules incorporating such back contacts also are disclosed.

Electrical contacts for a thin-film semiconductor device

Method for manufacturing electrical contacts for a thin-film

Compounds having the formula (MX.sub.3).sub.n M'X.sub.4-n wherein M and M' are different Group 4A atoms, at least one of M and M' is silicon, X is hydrogen, halogen or mixtures thereof, and n is an integer between 1 and 4, inclusive, can be activated by dehydrogenation or dehalogenation. These compounds are useful as deposition feedstock materials in the formation of hydrogenated amorphous silicon alloys useful in the fabrication of photovoltaic and other electronically active devices. Dopants having the formula (SiX.sub.3).sub.m L X.sub.3-m wherein L is a Group 5A atom selected from the group of phosphorus, arsenic, antimony and bismuth, X is hydrogen, halogen or mixtures thereof and m is an integer between 1 and 3, inclusive, can be activated by dehydrogenation or dehalogenation. These compounds are useful in the fabrication of negatively-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon alloys useful in the fabrication of photovoltaic and other electronically active devices. Dopants having the formula YJX.sub.2 wherein Y is halogen or carbonyl, J is a Group 3A atom and X is hydrogen, halogen or mixtures thereof, can be activated by dehydrogenation or dehalogenation. These compounds are useful in the formation of positively-doped hydrogenated amorphous silicon alloys useful in the fabrication of photovoltaic and other electronically active devices.

Activation by dehydrogenation or dehalogenation of deposition feedstock

A p-type impurity in a silicon semiconductor structure is at least partially neutralized by exposure to atomic hydrogen. The subject method provides an excellent means of modifying the profile of the impurity. Suitable impurities include boron, aluminum, gallium and indium.

Neutralization of acceptor levels in silicon by atomic hydrogen

A photocell comprises a p-i-n amorphous silicon structure having a wide bandgap layer adjacent to either the p-type or n-type layer. This structure reduces the absorption of light entering the photocell and the back-diffusion of minority carriers.

Photocell utilizing a wide-bandgap semiconductor material

A photodetector having a light transmissive and electrical conducting spacer layer interposed between a semiconductor body having a semiconductor junction therein and a light reflective electrical contact to the body. The spacer layer may have a thickness of about one-half the wavelength of light passing through the body and impinging on the spacer layer or the thicknesses of the spacer layer and the active body may be so adjusted that the reflectivity of the photodetector at a particular wavelength is reduced.

Photodetector having enhanced back reflection

An improved process for fabricating amorphous silicon solar cells in which the temperature of the substrate is varied during the deposition of the amorphous silicon layer is described. Solar cells manufactured in accordance with this process are shown to have increased efficiencies and fill factors when compared to solar cells manufactured with a constant substrate temperature during deposition of the amorphous silicon layer.

Fabricating amorphous silicon solar cells by varying the temperature _of

An amorphous silicon material, fabricated by the process of a glow discharge in silane, is utilized as the body of semiconductor devices.

Semiconductor device having a body of amorphous silicon and method of

The dark conductivity and photoconductivity of an N-type and/or undoped hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer fabricated by an AC or DC proximity glow discharge in silane can be increased through the incorporation of argon in an amount from 10 to about 90 percent by volume of the glow discharge atmosphere which contains a silicon-hydrogen containing compound in an amount of from about 90 to about 10 volume percent.

Method of enhancing the electronic properties of an undoped and/or

An amorphous silicon solar cell incorporates a region of intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon fabricated by a glow discharge wherein said intrinsic region is compensated by P-type dopants in an amount sufficient to reduce the space charge density of said region under illumination to about zero.

Compensated amorphous silicon solar cell

Amorphous silicon Schottky barrier solar cells which incorporate a thin insulating layer and a thin doped layer adjacent to the junction forming metal layer exhibit increased open circuit voltages compared to standard rectifying junction metal devices, i.e., Schottky barrier devices, and rectifying junction metal insulating silicon devices, i.e., MIS devices.

Amorphous silicon Schottky barrier solar cells incorporating a thin

An amorphous silicon capable of the formation of a semiconductor junction. The amorphous silicon can be fabricated by a glow discharge in a gas atmosphere including hydrogen and a deposition gas. The deposition gas has therein the elements silicon and a halogen selected from the group consisting of chlorine, bromine and iodine.

Article and device having an amorphous silicon containing a halogen and

An amorphous silicon solar cell with a layer of high index of refraction material or a series of layers having high and low indices of refraction material deposited upon a transparent substrate to reflect light of energies greater than the bandgap energy of the amorphous silicon back into the solar cell and transmit solar radiation having an energy less than the bandgap energy of the amorphous silicon.

Growing community of inventors

Yardley, PA, United States of America

David E Carlson