Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

Midwest Research Institute

Timothy A Gessert

Timothy J Coutts

Teresa M Barnes

Matthew O Reese

James Michael Burst

Joel Nathan Duenow

Xiaonan Li

Yuki Yoshida

Mark W Wanlass

David Scott Albin

Rommel Noufi

Wyatt Keith Metzger

Yanfa Yan

James Scott Ward

Ramesh G Dhere

Craig L Perkins

Clay M Dehart

Disclosed embodiments include CdS/CdTe PV devices () having a back contact () with oxygen gettering capacity. Also disclosed are back contact structures () and methods of forming a back contact in a CdS/CdTe PV device (). The described contacts and methods feature a contact having a contact interface layer () comprising a contact interface material, a p-type dopant and a gettering metal.

Devices and methods featuring the addition of refractory metals to contact interface layers

In one embodiment, a method for surface passivation for CdTe devices is provided. The method includes adjusting a stoichiometry of a surface of a CdTe material layer such that the surface becomes at least one of stoichiometric or Cd-rich; and reconstructing a crystalline lattice at the surface of the CdTe material layer by annealing the adjusted surface.

Surface passivation for CdTe devices

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

Transparent conducting oxides and production thereof are disclosed. An exemplary method of producing a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) material may comprise: providing a TCO target doped with either a high-permittivity oxide or a low-permittivity oxide in a process chamber. The method may also comprise depositing a metal oxide on the target in the process chamber to form a thin film having enhanced optical properties without substantially decreasing electrical quality.

Transparent conducting oxides and production thereof

Transparent conducting oxides and production thereof are disclosed. An exemplary method of producing a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) material may comprise: providing a TCO target () doped with either a high-permittivity oxide or a low-permittivity oxide in a process chamber (). The method may also comprise depositing a metal oxide on the target () to form a thin film having enhanced optical properties without substantially decreasing electrical quality.

A tin-cadmium oxide film having an amorphous structure and a ratio of tin atoms to cadmium atoms of between 1:1 and 3:1. The tin-cadmium oxide film may have an optical band gap of between 2.7 eV and 3.35 eV. The film may also have a charge carrier concentration of between 1&#xd7;10cmand 2&#xd7;10cm. The tin cadmium oxide film may also exhibit a Hall mobility of between 40 cmVsand 60 cmVs. Also disclosed is a method of producing an amorphous tin-cadmium oxide film as described and devices using same.

Amorphous tin-cadmium oxide films and the production thereof

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.

High quality transparent conducting oxide thin films

A method for producing transparent p-type conducting oxide films without co-doping plasma enhancement or high temperature comprising: a) introducing a dialkyl metal at ambient temperature and a saturated pressure in a carrier gas into a low pressure deposition chamber, and b) introducing NO alone or with an oxidizer into the chamber under an environment sufficient to produce a metal-rich condition to enable NO decomposition and atomic nitrogen incorporation into the formed transparent metal conducting oxide.

Method for producing high carrier concentration p-Type transparent conducting oxides

Plasma & reactive ion etching to prepare ohmic contacts

Ion-beam treatment to prepare surfaces of p-CdTe films

A method of improving electrical contact to a thin film of a p-type tellurium-containing II-VI semiconductor comprising:

Use of separate ZnTe interface layers to form OHMIC contacts to p-CdTe

A photovoltaic power conversion device has a top surface adapted to receive impinging radiation. The device includes at least two adjacent, serially connected cells. Each cell includes a semi-insulating substrate and a lateral conductivity layer of a first doped electrical conductivity disposed on the substrate. A base layer is disposed on the lateral conductivity layer and has the same electrical charge conductivity thereof. An emitter layer of a second doped electrical conductivity of opposite electrical charge is disposed on the base layer and forms a p-n junction therebetween. A plurality of spaced channels are formed in the emitter and base layers to expose the lateral conductivity layer at the bottoms thereof. A front contact grid is positioned on the top surface of the emitter layer of each cell. A first current collector is positioned along one outside edge of at least one first cell. A back contact grid is positioned in the channels at the top surface of the device for engagement with the lateral conductivity layer. A second current collector is positioned along at least one outside edge of at least one oppositely disposed second cell. Finally, an interdigitation mechanism is provided for serially connecting the front contact grid of one cell to the back contact grid of an adjacent cell at the top surface of the device.

Growing community of inventors

Conifer, CO, United States of America

Timothy A Gessert