First Solar, Inc.

General Electric Company

Holly Ann Blaydes

Joseph John Shiang

William Hullinger Huber

Yong Liang

Jongwoo Choi

Kristian William Andreini

Eugene Thomas Hinners

Adam Fraser Halverson

Peter Joel Meschter

George Theodore Dalakos

Robert Dwayne Gossman

Hongbo Cao

Anping Zhang

Juan Carlos Rojo

Hongying Peng

David William Vernooy

Allan Robert Northrup

Yangang Andrew Xi

A photovoltaic device is presented. The photovoltaic device includes a layer stack; and an absorber layer is disposed on the layer stack. The absorber layer comprises selenium, wherein an atomic concentration of selenium varies across a thickness of the absorber layer. The photovoltaic device is substantially free of a cadmium sulfide layer.

Photovoltaic devices and method of making

Embodiments of a photovoltaic device are provided herein. The photovoltaic device can include a layer stack and an absorber layer disposed on the layer stack. The absorber layer can include a first region and a second region. Each of the first region of the absorber layer and the second region of the absorber layer can include a compound comprising cadmium, selenium, and tellurium. An atomic concentration of selenium can vary across the absorber layer. The first region of the absorber layer can have a thickness between 100 nanometers to 3000 nanometers. The second region of the absorber layer can have a thickness between 100 nanometers to 3000 nanometers. A ratio of an average atomic concentration of selenium in the first region of the absorber layer to an average atomic concentration of selenium in the second region of the absorber layer can be greater than 10.

A photovoltaic device is presented. The photovoltaic device includes a layer stack; and an absorber layer is disposed on the layer stack. The absorber layer includes selenium, and an atomic concentration of selenium varies non-linearly across a thickness of the absorber layer. A method of making a photovoltaic device is also presented.

In one aspect of the present invention, a method is provided. The method includes disposing a substantially amorphous cadmium tin oxide layer on a support; and thermally processing the substantially amorphous cadmium tin oxide layer in an atmosphere substantially free of cadmium from an external source to form a transparent layer, wherein the transparent layer has an electrical resistivity less than about 2&#xd7;10Ohm-cm. Method of making a photovoltaic device is also provided.

Method of making a transparent conductive oxide layer and a photovoltaic device

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Burnt Hills, NY, United States of America

Holly Ann Blaydes