Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

First Solar, Inc.

Wyatt Keith Metzger

James Michael Burst

David Scott Albin

Joel Nathan Duenow

Laura Anne Clark

Eric Michael Colegrove

Donald Franklin Foust

Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody

Hongbo Cao

Matthew O Reese

Roman Shuba

Yinghui Shan

Robert Andrew Garber

Timothy A Gessert

Teresa M Barnes

Tammy Jane Lucas

Mehran Sadeghi

Helio R Moutinho

Samuel H Demtsu

Craig L Perkins

David Joseph Dickerson

Laura Jean Wilson

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

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

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

Methods for treating a semiconductor layer including a semiconductor material are presented. A method includes contacting at least a portion of the semiconductor material with a passivating agent. The method further includes forming a first region in the semiconductor layer by introducing a dopant into the semiconductor material; and forming a chalcogen-rich region. The method further includes forming a second region in the semiconductor layer, the second region including a dopant, wherein an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the second region is greater than an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the first region. Photovoltaic devices are also presented.

Methods of treating a semiconductor layer

Photovoltaic devices are presented. A photovoltaic device includes a window layer and a semiconductor layer including a semiconductor material disposed on window layer. The semiconductor layer includes a first region and a second region, the first region disposed proximate to the window layer, and the second region including a chalcogen-rich region, wherein the first region and the second region include a dopant, and an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the second region is greater than an average atomic concentration of the dopant in the first region.

Photovoltaic devices

Methods for preparing an exposed surface of a p-type absorber layer of a p-n junction for coupling to a back contact in the manufacture of a thin film photovoltaic device are provided. The method can include: applying a treatment solution onto the exposed surface defined by the p-type absorber layer of cadmium telluride; and annealing the device with the p-type absorber layer in contact with the treatment solution to form a tellurium-enriched region in the p-type absorber layer at the exposed surface. The treatment solution comprises a chlorinated compound component that is substantially free from copper, a copper-containing metal salt, and a solvent.

Method of controlling the amount of Cu doping when forming a back contact of a photovoltaic cell

Growing community of inventors

Louisville, CO, United States of America

Wyatt Keith Metzger