The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 02, 2018
Filed:
Mar. 12, 2014
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ (US);
Zimeng Cheng, Kearny, NJ (US);
Ken K. Chin, Pine Brook, NJ (US);
Alan E. Delahoy, Rocky Hill, NJ (US);
New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ (US);
Abstract
The present disclosure provides improved thin film photovoltaic devices and related methods of fabrication. More particularly, the present disclosure provides improved CdTe photovoltaic devices and related fabrication methods. Disclosed is a novel thin film photovoltaic device and means for its fabrication. An exemplary device includes a metal oxide layer between the absorber layer and the rear electrode, resulting in an ohmic back contact and having improved device stability. The metal oxide layer can include at least one of silver oxide or copper oxide, and may additionally contain nickel oxide, molybdenum oxide, and/or vanadium oxide. The present disclosure is directed towards formation of a ohmic back contact for solar cells, the back contact having improved stability. In certain embodiments, the present disclosure provides for an ohmic contact to p-type II-VI semiconductors, and to the fabrication of solar cells having improved stability, and to solar panels incorporating such back contact schemes.