United Solar Systems Corporation

Energy Conversion Devices, Inc.

Sovonics Solar Systems

United Solar Ovonic Corp.

Sky Solar L.l.c.

Subhendu Guha

Chi C Yang

Arindam Banerjee

Stanford R Ovshinsky

James Kulman

Prem Nath

XiXiang Xu

Jeffrey Fournier

Troy Glatfelter

Kevin Beernink

Ginger Pietka

Chi-Chung Yang

Guy Charles Wicker

Wolodymyr Czubatyj

Kevin R Hoffman

Ronald Himmler

Kenneth Lord

Xunming Deng

Gregory Demaggio

Scott Jones

David Beglau

David C Jablonski

Shengzhong Liu

Baojie Yan

Todd Johnson

Shengzhong (Frank) Liu

Jeffrey Yang

Xi Xiang Xu

William DenBoer

Tim Ellison

Michael Hack

Satish Agarwal

Chaolan Hu

A system for the laser scribing of semiconductor devices includes a laser light source operable to selectably deliver laser illumination at a first wavelength and at a second wavelength which is shorter than the first wavelength. The system further includes a support for a semiconductor device and an optical system which is operative to direct the laser illumination from the light source to the semiconductor device. The optical system includes optical elements which are compatible with the laser illumination of the first wavelength and the laser illumination of the second wavelength. In specific instances, the first wavelength is long wavelength illumination such as illumination of at least 1000 nanometers, and the second wavelength is short wavelength illumination which in specific instances is 300 nanometers or shorter. By the use of the differing wavelengths, specific layers of the semiconductor device may be scribed without damage to subjacent layers. Also disclosed are specific scribing processes.

Method and apparatus for the laser scribing of ultra lightweight semiconductor devices

A process for the plasma deposition of a layer of a microcrystalline semiconductor material is carried out by energizing a process gas which includes a precursor of the semiconductor material and a diluent with electromagnetic energy so as to create a plasma therefrom. The plasma deposits a layer of the microcrystalline semiconductor material onto the substrate. The concentration of the diluent in the process gas is varied as a function of the thickness of the layer of microcrystalline semiconductor material which has been deposited. Also disclosed is the use of the process for the preparation of an N-I-P type photovoltaic device.

Method for depositing high-quality microcrystalline semiconductor materials

An ultra lightweight semiconductor device such as a photovoltaic device is fabricated on a non-etchable barrier layer which is disposed upon an etchable substrate. The device is contacted with an appropriate etchant for a period of time sufficient to remove at least a portion of the thickness of the substrate. The barrier layer prevents damage to the photovoltaic material during the etching process. Photovoltaic devices fabricated by this method have specific power levels in excess of 300 w/kg.

Ultra lightweight photovoltaic device and method for its manufacture

A photovoltaic roofing system includes front surface electrical connections and can be installed utilizing conventional tools and techniques. The system includes particularly configured photovoltaic power generating roofing shingles which provide for linearly aligned electrical terminals when installed. The system may be used in conjunction with a protective cap which shields the connections.

Photovoltaic roofing structure

An ultra lightweight semiconductor device comprises a substrate electrode, a body of semiconductor material, and a top electrode, and is manufactured by a process wherein the thickness dimension of a portion of the substrate electrode is decreased so as to reduce the weight of the device. The portions of the device having a thick substrate serve to support and reinforce the device during processing and handling. These portions may subsequently be severed away to further reduce the weight of the device. Also disclosed are configurations of ultra lightweight semiconductor devices.

Lightweight semiconductor device and method for its manufacture

A P-I-N type photovoltaic device is manufactured by a process wherein the deposition rate of the intrinsic layer is controlled so that a portion of the intrinsic layer which is closest to the P-I interface, and which comprises at least 10% of the thickness of the intrinsic layer, is deposited at a rate which is less than the average rate at which the entire intrinsic layer is deposited.

Method for manufacturing high efficiency photovoltaic devices at enhanced depositions rates

A photovoltaic device includes a transparent, electrically conductive top electrode which functions as an anti-reflective layer. The thickness of this layer is selected to establish a three-quarter &lgr; anti-reflective condition. Use of this layer allows for the manufacture of a gridless photovoltaic device having an enhanced overall efficiency.

Method of manufacturing lightweight, high efficiency photovoltaic module

Plasma deposition of substantially amorphous semiconductor materials is carried out under a set of deposition parameters which are selected so that the process operates near the amorphous/microcrystalline threshold. This threshold varies as a function of the thickness of the depositing semiconductor layer; and, deposition parameters, such as diluent gas concentrations, must be adjusted as a function of layer thickness. Also, this threshold varies as a function of the composition of the depositing layer, and in those instances where the layer composition is profiled throughout its thickness, deposition parameters must be adjusted accordingly so as to maintain the amorphous/microcrystalline threshold.

Method for depositing layers of high quality semiconductor material

A high quality non-single-crystal silicon alloy material including regions of intermediate range order (IRO) silicon alloy material up to but not including the volume percentage required to form a percolation path within the material. The remainder of the material being either amorphous or a mixture of amorphous and microcrystalline materials. The materials were prepared by CVD using differing amounts of hydrogen dilution to produce materials containing differing amounts of IRO material. Preferably the material includes at least 8 volume percent of IRO material.

Semiconductor having large volume fraction of intermediate range order

An N-I-P type photovoltaic device includes a multi-layered body of N-doped semiconductor material which has an amorphous, N doped layer in contact with the amorphous body of intrinsic semiconductor material, and a microcrystalline, N doped layer overlying the amorphous, N doped material. A tandem device comprising stacked N-I-P cells may further include a second amorphous, N doped layer interposed between the microcrystalline, N doped layer and a microcrystalline P doped layer. Photovoltaic devices thus configured manifest improved performance, particularly when configured as tandem devices.

High efficiency photovoltaic device

A semiconductor device which includes a layer of hydrogenated semiconductor alloy material has the hydrogen content of that semiconductor layer optimized by the inclusion of a hydrogen-rich body of reservoir material in the device. Migration of hydrogen from the reservoir to the semiconductor layer provides and maintains an optimum hydrogen content in the semiconductor layer.

Method for the manufacture of semiconductor devices with optimized

An optically enhanced back reflector for a photovoltaic device includes a back reflector layer of aluminum having a multi-layered, reflectivity enhancement member deposed thereon. The multi-layer enhancement member includes at least one pair of first and second layers, the first layer having a low index of refraction and the second layer having a high index of refraction. A layer of transmissive conductive oxide is disposed between the optically enhanced back reflector and the photovoltaic device.

Optically enhanced photovoltaic back reflector

In a glow discharge deposition process for the preparation of hydrogenated, Group IV semiconductor alloys, the substrate is maintained at a temperature which is positively correlated with the deposition rate and which is high enough to impart sufficient kinetic energy to the layer to activate the removal of undesirable morphologies, but low enough to prevent degradation of the layer caused by the excessive loss of hydrogen.

Plasma deposition process with substrate temperature control

Substrate temperatures are maintained above 400.degree. C. During the microwave energized glow discharge deposition of Group IV semiconductor materials. The substrate temperature range provides for the preparation of materials having improved electrical properties. Cell efficiency of a photovoltaic device of the p-i-n type is significantly improved by depositing the intrinsic layer using a microwave generated plasma and a substrate temperature in excess of 400.degree. C. Maximum cell efficiency occurs for depositions carried out in the range of 400.degree.-500.degree. C.

Microwave energized deposition process with substrate temperature

High quality semiconductor material is deposited in a microwave energized glow discharge deposition process by energizing a process gas with microwave energy at a power level sufficient to generate a plasma at or near the 100% saturation mode and by impeding access of deposition species to the substrate so as to lower the deposition rate to a value less than that otherwise achieved operating at the 100% saturation mode.

Growing community of inventors

Troy, MI, United States of America

Subhendu Guha