First Solar, Inc.

Gopal Mor

Markus Gloeckler

Zhibo Zhao

Feng Liao

Kenneth Ring

Andrei Los

Dan Mao

Rick C Powell

Jigish Trivedi

Benjamin Milliron

Dan Damjanovic

Aaron Roggelin

William Hullinger Huber

Rui Shao

Hongying Peng

Jing Guo

Paulina Bourgeois

Robert Clark-Phelps

Qi Fang

A photovoltaic device includes a substrate structure and at least one Se-containing layer, such as a CdSeTe layer. A process for manufacturing the photovoltaic device includes forming the CdSeTe layer over a substrate by at least one of sputtering, evaporation deposition, CVD, chemical bath deposition process, and vapor transport deposition process. The process can also include controlling a thickness range of the Se-containing layer.

Photovoltaic devices and method of manufacturing

According to the embodiments provided herein, a method for sputtering a TCO material onto a substrate includes process conditions that produce a textured topography at the interfaces of various layers. The textured topography can include an average roughness from about 5 to about 40 nm. The process conditions can include providing oxygen in the sputtering environment at a flow rate of from 0 to about 30 sccm; or heating the substrate to at least 200; or increasing the magnetic field strength to above 40 mT. The textured topography creates interfacial transition areas which have hybrid physical properties compared to their constituent materials.

Photovoltaic devices with textured TCO layers, and methods of making TCO stacks

A doped photovoltaic device is presented. The photovoltaic device includes a semiconductor absorber layer or stack disposed between a front contact and a back contact. The absorber layer comprises cadmium, selenium, and tellurium doped with Ag, and optionally with Cu. The Ag dopant may be added to the absorber in amounts ranging from 5&#xd7;10/cmto 2.5&#xd7;10/cmvia any of several methods of application before, during, or after deposition of the absorber layer. The photovoltaic device has improved Fill Factor and Pat higher P(=I*Vproduct) values, e.g. about 160 W, which results in improved conversion efficiency compared to a device not doped with Ag. Improved PT may result from increased I, increased V, or both.

Ag-doped photovoltaic devices and method of making

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Perrysburg, OH, United States of America

Gopal Mor