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:
Apr. 30, 2002
Filed:
Mar. 21, 2001
Takuo Nakai, Osaka, JP;
Hiroyuki Taniguchi, Osaka, JP;
Teruhiko Ienaga, Hirakata, JP;
Yasuo Kadonaga, Osaka, JP;
Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd., Osaka, JP;
Abstract
A photovoltaic element which directly converts an optical energy such as solar light into an electric energy. After many uneven sections are formed on the surface of an n-type crystalline silicon substrate ( ), the surface of the substrate ( ) is isotropically etched. Then the bottoms (b) of the recessed sections are rounded and a p-type amorphous silicon layer ( ) is formed on the surface of the substrate ( ) through an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer ( ). The shape of the surface of the substrate ( ) after isotropic etching is such that the bottoms of the recessed sections are slightly rounded and therefore the amorphous silicon layer can be deposited in a uniform thickness.