Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.

Panasonic Corporation

Matsuhita Electric Co., Ltd.

Takayuki Negami

Takahiro Wada

Mikihiko Nishitani

Yasuhiro Hashimoto

Shigeo Hayashi

Naoki Kohara

Shigemi Kohiki

Takuya Satoh

Masaharu Terauchi

Isao Kidoguchi

Yasuo Kitaoka

Takashi Nishihara

Hisashi Minemoto

Shinya Fujimura

Takashi Sekiguchi

Yasuhito Takahashi

Taisuke Matsui

Hiroshi Higuchi

Toshimi Nishiyama

Shinichi Shimakawa

Kimihiko Shibuya

Mitsusuke Ikeda

Hironobu Inoue

Provided is a solar cell comprising a first electrode; a second electrode; a perovskite photoabsorber layer located between the first electrode and the second electrode; a first semiconductor layer located between the first electrode and the photoabsorber layer; and a second semiconductor layer located between the second electrode and the photoabsorber layer. At least one electrode selected from the group consisting of the first electrode and the second electrode is light-transmissive. The first semiconductor layer contains Li. The second semiconductor layer contains LiN(SOCF). The second semiconductor layer contains poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine]. In the second semiconductor layer, a molar ratio of LiN(SOCF)to poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine] is not less than 0.15 and not more than 0.26.

Solar cell

A solar cell includes: a first electrode; a first hole transport layer containing nickel; an inorganic material layer containing titanium; a light-absorbing layer converting light into electric charge; and a second electrode. The first electrode, the first hole transport layer, the inorganic material layer, the light-absorbing layer, and the second electrode are layered in that order. The light-absorbing layer contains a perovskite compound represented by a formula AMX3, where A is a monovalent cation, M is a divalent cation, and X is a monovalent anion.

Solar cell and solar cell module

A solar cell module includes a substrate, and first and second cells connected in series. The first and second cells each include a first electrode, a first semiconductor layer, a second semiconductor layer and a second electrode stacked in this order on the substrate. The first semiconductor layer contains an oxide of a first metal and includes first and second portions. A groove separates the second semiconductor layers of the first and second cells. The groove and the first portion entirely overlap each other in a plan view. The first portion contains a second metal different from the first metal. A ratio of a number of atoms of the second metal to a number of atoms of all metals in the first portion is grater than a ratio of a number of atoms of the second metal to a number of atoms of all metals in the second portion.

Solar cell module and method of producing the same

The present invention provides an acoustooptic device usable even with light in the ultraviolet region, free from laser damage and optical damage, and excellent in acoustooptic performance and an optical imaging apparatus using the same. The acoustooptic device according to the present invention includes a high-frequency signal input part (), a transducer part (), and an acoustooptic medium (). A high-frequency signal input from the high-frequency signal input part () is converted into a mechanical vibration by the transducer part (), and an optical characteristic of the acoustooptic medium () varies depending on the mechanical vibration. The acoustooptic medium is formed of a Group III nitride crystal. The optical imaging apparatus according to the present invention includes a light source, an acoustooptic device, a driving circuit, and an image plane. Light from the light source is diffracted by the acoustooptic device in accordance with a signal from the driving circuit and the resultant diffracted light forms an image on the image plane. An acoustooptic medium of the acoustooptic device is formed of a Group III nitride crystal.

Acoustooptic device and optical imaging apparatus using the same

It is an object of the present invention to provide a solar cell, and a method for manufacturing the same, that includes a layer having Zn, Mg, and O, and with which an increase in efficiency can be achieved. The solar cell includes a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer, a p-type semiconductor layer disposed between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, and a layer A disposed between the second electrode layer and the p-type semiconductor layer, the layer A includes Zn, Mg, O, and at least one element M selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, Al, In, and Ga, and photoelectromotive force is generated due to light that is incident from the second electrode layer side.

Solar cell and method for manufacturing the same

An electronic device including a new oxide layer and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The electronic device of the present invention includes an oxide layer, which is formed of an oxide containing an element from group IIa, an element from group IIb and an element from group IIIb. For example, it can be applied to a solar cell including a back electrode serving as a first electrode layer, a transparent electrically conductive film serving as a second electrode layer having a light-transmitting property, and a semiconductor layer that is provided between the back electrode and the transparent electrically conductive film and functions as a light-absorption layer, and including an oxide layer provided between the semiconductor layer and the transparent electrically conductive film.

Electronic device and method for manufacturing the same

A solar cell includes a first semiconductor layer that is p-type, and a second semiconductor layer that is n-type formed over the first semiconductor layer. The solar cell includes a layer A made of a semiconductor different from the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer or an insulator between the first semiconductor layer and the second semiconductor layer. The band gap Eg of the first semiconductor layer and the band gap Eg of the second semiconductor layer satisfy the relationship Eg <Eg . The electron affinity &khgr; (eV) of the first semiconductor layer and the electron affinity &khgr; (eV) of the second semiconductor layer satisfy the relationship 0&lE;(&khgr; &minus;&khgr; )<0.5, and the average layer thickness of the layer A is 1 nm or more and 20 nm or less.

A solar cell with good characteristics and high reliability is provided that includes a semiconductor comprising at least one element from each of groups Ib, IIIb, and VIb. A method of manufacturing the same also is provided. The solar cell includes a conductive base, a first insulating layer formed on one principal plane of the base, a second insulating layer formed on a second principal plane of the base, and a light-absorption layer disposed above the first insulating layer. The light-absorption layer is formed of a semiconductor comprising at least one element from each of groups Ib, IIIb, and VIb.

Solar cell and method of manufacturing the same

The present invention includes a substrate, a lower electrode film, a p-type semiconductor layer (a second semiconductor layer), an n-type semiconductor layer (a first semiconductor layer), an upper electrode film and an anti-reflection film, which are stacked sequentially on the substrate in this order, and an interconnection electrode formed on the upper electrode film. The first semiconductor layer is free from Cd, and the second semiconductor layer is a light-absorption layer. The band gap Eg,of the first semiconductor layer and the band gap Eg,of the second semiconductor layer satisfy a relationship: Eg,>Eg,. The electron affinity &khgr;,(eV) of the first semiconductor layer and an electron affinity &khgr;,(eV) of the second semiconductor layer satisfy a relationship: 0&lE;(&khgr;,&minus;&khgr;,)<0.5.

The method and the apparatus of manufacturing the I-III-VI.sub.2 type chalcopyrite semiconductor thin films of the present invention control the film composition easily and improve the reproducibility of films by monitoring the composition of the films during forming the films. The apparatus comprise the substrate holder and heater which are in the vacuum chamber and Mo-coated glass substrate on which Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 films are deposited. The change of the substrate temperature is monitored by the use of a heating element to heat the substrate by releasing a certain quantity of heat, a mechanism of measuring a temperature of the heated substrate. The change of power supplied is monitored by the use of a power source for the heating element to keep the substrate at a certain temperature and a mechanism of monitoring the change of the power supplied to the heating element. The changes in substrate temperature or power supplied can be correlated to the film composition.

Method and apparatus for manufacturing chalcopyrite semiconductor thin

A semiconductor thin film comprises an n-type compound semiconductor layer including at least one element from each of groups Ib, IIIb, VIb and II. A solar cell using this semiconductor thin film comprises a substrate and a rear electrode, a p-type compound semiconductor layer, an n-type compound semiconductor layer, an n-type semiconductor layer, a window layer, and a transparent conductive film, formed in this order on the substrate. The n-type compound semiconductor layer including at least one element from each of groups Ib, IIIb, VIb and II has a high carrier density.

Semiconductor thin film, method for manufacturing the same, and solar

A solar cell utilizing a chalcopyrite semiconductor and reducing the density of defects on the junction interface of pn junctions is provided. This solar cell includes a substrate, a back electrode formed on the substrate, a p-type chalcopyrite semiconductor thin film formed on the back electrode, an n-type semiconductor thin film formed so as to constitute a pn junction with the p-type chalcopyrite semiconductor thin film, and a transparent electrode formed on the n-type semiconductor thin film. A material having a higher resistivity than the p-type chalcopyrite semiconductor is formed between the p-type chalcopyrite semiconductor thin film and the n-type semiconductor thin film. A thin film made of this material may be formed by deposition from a solution. For example, CuInS.sub.2 is formed on the surface of a p-type chalcopyrite based semiconductor such as CuInSe.sub.2 by contacting the surface of the semiconductor with a solution in which a salt containing group IIIb elements, an organic substance containing group VIb elements and acid are mixed.

A precursor for manufacturing a semiconductor thin film in which an oxide thin film comprising at least one element as a dopant, selected from a group which consists of Groups IA, IIA, IIB, VA, and VB elements, and Groups IB and IIIA elements which are main components of the semiconductor thin film are deposited on a substrate, or a precursor for manufacturing a semiconductor thin film which is formed by depositing a thin film of oxide comprising the Groups IB and IIIA elements on the substrate wherein the content of at least one of the Groups IB and IIIA elements is varied in the direction of film thickness, and a method for manufacturing a semiconductor thin film comprising the step of heat treating the precursor for manufacturing the semiconductor thin film in an atmosphere containing a Group VIA element. The present invention provides a precursor for manufacturing a semiconductor thin film and a method for manufacturing the semiconductor thin film using the precursor which are suitable for manufacturing a semiconductor thin film having a chalcopyrite structure that has a high and uniform energy conversion efficiency when the semiconductor thin film is used as a photoabsorptive layer of a solar cell.

Precursor for semiconductor thin films and method for producing

An apparatus for manufacturing an ABC.sub.2 chalcopyrite film (wherein A represents Cu or Ag, B represents In, Ga or Al, C represents S, Se or Te) includes a substrate holder, a substrate heater, a supply source for supplying elements A, B or C onto the substrate and for controlling the supply process, and a monitor for monitoring an electrical or optical property of the thin film layer deposited on the substrate. The electrical or optical property of the thin film layer abruptly changes at a first time point when the A/B ratio in the thin film layer changes from an element A-excessive state to the stoichiometric composition ratio of the ABC.sub.2. The electrical or optical property of the thin film layer demonstrates a stable value at a second time point when the A/B ratio becomes an element-B excessive state. Deposition is terminated at the second time point.

Growing community of inventors

Osaka, Japan

Takayuki Negami