Primestar Solar, Inc.

Jennifer Ann Drayton

Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody

Robert Dwayne Gossman

Mehran Sadeghi

Richard Ernest Demaray

Jonathan Mack Frey

Robert Dwayne Gossmann

Victor Kaydanov

Methods of depositing a transparent conductive oxide layer on a substrate are generally disclosed. A shield of greater than about 75% by weight molybdenum can be attached to a first surface of a substrate such that the shield contacts at least about 75% of the first surface. The shield can then be heated via an energy source to cause thermal exchange from the shield to the substrate to heat the substrate to a sputtering temperature. A transparent conductive oxide layer can then be sputtered on a second surface of the substrate at the sputtering temperature. Methods are also generally disclosed for manufacturing a cadmium telluride based thin film photovoltaic device.

Methods for forming a transparent conductive oxide layer on a substrate

Methods are generally provided for forming a conductive oxide layer on a substrate. In one particular embodiment, the method can include sputtering a transparent conductive oxide layer on a substrate at a sputtering temperature from about 10&#xb0; C. to about 100&#xb0; C. A cap layer including cadmium sulfide can be deposited directly on the transparent conductive oxide layer. The transparent conductive oxide layer can be annealed at an anneal temperature from about 450&#xb0; C. to about 650&#xb0; C. Methods are also generally provided for manufacturing a cadmium telluride based thin film photovoltaic device. An intermediate substrate is also generally provided for use to manufacture a thin film photovoltaic device.

Methods of forming a conductive transparent oxide film layer for use in a cadmium telluride based thin film photovoltaic device

A cadmium telluride thin film photovoltaic device is provided having a thin film interlayer positioned between a cadmium sulfide layer and a cadmium telluride layer. The thin film interlayer can be an oxide thin film layer (e.g., an amorphous silica layer, a cadmium stannate layer, a zinc stannate layer, etc.) or a nitride film, and can act as a chemical barrier at the p-n junction to inhibit ion diffusion between the layers. The device can include a transparent conductive layer on a glass superstrate, a cadmium sulfide layer on the transparent conductive layer, a thin film interlayer on the cadmium sulfide layer, a cadmium telluride layer on the thin film interlayer, and a back contact on the cadmium telluride layer. Methods are also provided of manufacturing such devices.

Thin film interlayer in cadmium telluride thin film photovoltaic devices and methods of manufacturing the same

Methods for protecting a cadmium sulfide layer on a substrate are provided. The method can include sputtering a cadmium sulfide layer onto a substrate from a cadmium sulfide target at a sputtering pressure (e.g., about 10 mTorr to about 150 mTorr), and sputtering a cap layer directly on the cadmium sulfide layer. The cap layer can be sputtered directly onto the cadmium sulfide layer without breaking vacuum of the sputtering pressure. Methods are also provided for manufacturing a cadmium telluride based thin film photovoltaic device through depositing a cadmium sulfide layer on a substrate, depositing a cap layer directly on the cadmium sulfide layer, heating the substrate to sublimate at least a portion of the cap layer from the cadmium sulfide layer, and then depositing a cadmium telluride layer on the cadmium sulfide layer. An intermediate substrate for forming a cadmium telluride based thin-film photovoltaic device is also provided.

Devices and methods of protecting a cadmium sulfide for further processing

Methods for manufacturing a cadmium telluride based thin film photovoltaic device are generally disclosed. The method can include sputtering a resistive transparent layer on a transparent conductive oxide layer from an alloy target including zinc from about 5% by weight and about 33% by weight and tin. The method can also include forming a cadmium sulfide layer on the resistive transparent layer, forming a cadmium telluride layer on the cadmium sulfide layer, and forming a back contact layer on the cadmium telluride layer. Cadmium telluride thin film photovoltaic devices are also generally disclosed including a resistive transparent layer having a mixture of zinc oxide and tin oxide having a zinc oxide concentration between about 5% and about 33% by mole fraction.

Cadmium telluride thin film photovoltaic devices and methods of manufacturing the same

Methods are generally provided for forming a conductive oxide layer on a substrate. In one particular embodiment, the method can include sputtering a transparent conductive oxide layer on a substrate at a sputtering temperature from about 50&#xb0; C. to about 250&#xb0; C., and annealing the transparent conductive oxide layer at an anneal temperature of about 450&#xb0; C. to about 650&#xb0; C. Methods are also generally provided for manufacturing a cadmium telluride based thin film photovoltaic device.

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Golden, CO, United States of America

Jennifer Ann Drayton