Astropower, Inc.

David H Ford

Allen M Barnett

Robert B Hall

James A Rand

Joseph C Checchi

Christopher L Kendall

Sandra R Collins

Chad Byron Moore

Jacob E Brown

William P Mulligan

Todd R Ruffins

Steven M Lampo

A polycrystalline film of silicon including silicon grains having an aspect ratio, d/t, of more than 1:1, wherein &ldquo;d&rdquo; is the grain diameter and &ldquo;t&rdquo; is the grain thickness. The polycrystalline film of silicon can be used to form an electronic device, such as a monolithically integrated solar cell having ohmic contacts formed on opposed surfaces or on the same surface of the film. A plurality of solar cells can be monolithically integrated to provide a solar cell module that includes an electrically insulating substrate and at least two solar cells disposed on the substrate in physical isolation from one another. Methods for manufacturing the film, solar cell and solar cell module are also disclosed. The simplified structure and method allow for substantial cost reduction on a mass-production scale, at least in part due to the high aspect ratio silicon grains in the film.

Silicon thin-film, integrated solar cell, module, and methods of manufacturing the same

The invention relates to a silicon sheet having columnar grains extending axially through the sheet from one free surface of the sheet to the other free surface. The sheet has an electrical resistivity in the range of 0.1 to 10 ohm-cm.

Columnar-grained polycrystalline solar cell substrate

The invention relates to improved techniques for manufacturing columnar-grained polycrystalline sheets which have particular utility as substrates or wafers for solar cells. The sheet is made from silicon on a setter material which supports the silicon material. The setter material and silicon are subjected to a thermal profile all of which promote columnar growth. The thermal profile sequentially creates a melt region where a thin-film capping layer grows at the top of the silicon, a nucleation region where preferential nucleation occurs at the capping-layer/molten-silicon interface, and then a growth region where both liquid and a growing polycrystalline sheet layer coexist. An annealing region is created where the temperature of the grown polycrystalline silicon sheet layer is controllably reduced to effect stress relief.

Columnar-grained polycrystalline solar cell substrate and improved

The invention relates to techniques for manufacturing columnar-grained polycrystalline sheets which have particular utility as substrates or wafers for solar cells. The sheet is made by applying granular silicon to a setter material which supports the granular material. The setter material and granular silicon are subjected to a thermal profile all of which promote columnar growth by melting the silicon from the top downwardly. The thermal profile sequentially creates a melt region at the top of the granular silicon and then a growth region where both liquid and a growing polycrystalline sheet layer coexist. An annealing region is created where the temperature of the grown polycrystalline silicon sheet layer is controllably reduced to effect stress relief.

Columnar-grained polycrystalline solar cell and process of manufacture

A thin-film photovoltaic solar cell features a thin polycrystalline silicon active semiconductor formed over a conductive ceramic substrate. Between the substrate and the adjacent active semiconductor layer is a barrier layer which provides for reflection of light, minimizes back surface recombination and prevents contamination of the active semiconductor.

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Wilmington, DE, United States of America

David H Ford