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:
Mar. 17, 1998
Filed:
May. 15, 1996
Takayuki Negami, Osaka, JP;
Masaharu Terauchi, Osaka, JP;
Mikihiko Nishitani, Nara, JP;
Takahiro Wada, Osaka, JP;
Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
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.