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. 21, 2014
Filed:
Aug. 30, 2012
Solar cell employing an enhanced free hole density p-doped material and methods for forming the same
Ahmed Abou-kandil, Elmsford, NY (US);
Keith E. Fogel, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Jee H. Kim, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Mohamed Saad, White Plains, NY (US);
Devendra K. Sadana, Pleasantville, NY (US);
Ahmed Abou-Kandil, Elmsford, NY (US);
Keith E. Fogel, Hopewell Junction, NY (US);
Jee H. Kim, Los Angeles, CA (US);
Mohamed Saad, White Plains, NY (US);
Devendra K. Sadana, Pleasantville, NY (US);
International Business Machines Corporation, Armonk, NY (US);
Abstract
A p-doped semiconductor layer of a photovoltaic device is formed employing an inert gas within a carrier gas. The presence of the inert gas within the carrier gas increases free hole density within the p-doped semiconductor layer. This decreases the Schottky barrier at an interface with a transparent conductive material layer, thereby significantly reducing the series resistance of the photovoltaic device. The reduction of the series resistance increases the open-circuit voltage, the fill factor, and the efficiency of the photovoltaic device. This effect is more prominent if the p-doped semiconductor layer is also doped with carbon, and has a band gap greater than 1.85V. The p-doped semiconductor material of the p-doped semiconductor layer can be hydrogenated if the carrier gas includes a mix of Hand the inert gas.