Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

Joel Nathan Duenow

David Scott Albin

James Michael Burst

Wyatt Keith Metzger

Eric Michael Colegrove

Timothy A Gessert

Matthew O Reese

Teresa M Barnes

Rommel Noufi

Timothy J Coutts

Ramesh G Dhere

Helio R Moutinho

Stuart Farrell

Methods for growing and using large-grain templates are provided. According to an aspect of the invention, a method includes depositing a small-grain layer of a semiconductor material; treating the small-grain layer such that the small-grain layer becomes a large-grain layer; and growing an epitaxial layer of the semiconductor material on the large-grain layer. A ratio of an average grain size of the small-grain layer to a thickness of the small-grain layer is less than 1.0, and a ratio of an average grain size of the large-grain layer to a thickness of the large-grain layer is greater than 1.5.

Fabrication and use of large-grain templates for epitaxial deposition of semiconductor materials

Systems and methods for growing high-quality CdTe-based materials at high growth rates are provided. According to an aspect of the invention, a method includes depositing a first CdTe-based layer on a CdTe-based template at a rate of greater than 1 &#x3bc;m/min. Each of the first CdTe-based layer and the CdTe-based template has a single-crystal structure and/or a large-grain polycrystalline structure. The depositing is performed by physical vapor deposition.

Methods of growing CdTe-based materials at high rates

Methods for treating a semiconductor material are provided. According to an aspect of the invention, the method includes annealing the semiconductor material in the presence of a compound that includes a first element and a second element. The first element provides an overpressure to achieve a desired stoichiometry of the semiconductor material, and the second element provides a dopant to the semiconductor material.

Controlling the stoichiometry and doping of semiconductor materials

A method of producing polycrystalline CdTe materials and devices that incorporate the polycrystalline CdTe materials are provided. In particular, a method of producing polycrystalline p-doped CdTe thin films for use in CdTe solar cells in which the CdTe thin films possess enhanced acceptor densities and minority carrier lifetimes, resulting in enhanced efficiency of the solar cells containing the CdTe material are provided.

CdTe devices and method of manufacturing same

A transparent conducting oxide (TCO) film comprising: a TCO layer, and dopants selected from the elements consisting of Vanadium, Molybdenum, Tantalum, Niobium, Antimony, Titanium, Zirconium, and Hafnium, wherein the elements are n-type dopants; and wherein the transparent conducting oxide is characterized by an improved electron mobility of about 42 cm/V-sec while simultaneously maintaining a high carrier density of &#x2dc;4.4e&#xd7;10cm.

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Golden, CO, United States of America

Joel Nathan Duenow