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.

Date of Patent:
Mar. 01, 2016

Filed:

Aug. 31, 2012
Applicants:

Donald Franklin Foust, Glenville, NY (US);

Hongbo Cao, Cohoes, NY (US);

Laura Anne Clark, Brighton, CO (US);

Robert Andrew Garber, Denver, CO (US);

Scott Daniel Feldman-peabody, Golden, CO (US);

Wyatt Keith Metzger, Louisville, CO (US);

Yinghui Shan, Cohoes, NY (US);

Roman Shuba, Albany, CA (US);

Inventors:

Donald Franklin Foust, Glenville, NY (US);

Hongbo Cao, Cohoes, NY (US);

Laura Anne Clark, Brighton, CO (US);

Robert Andrew Garber, Denver, CO (US);

Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, Golden, CO (US);

Wyatt Keith Metzger, Louisville, CO (US);

Yinghui Shan, Cohoes, NY (US);

Roman Shuba, Albany, CA (US);

Assignee:

First Solar, Inc., Tempe, AZ (US);

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 21/00 (2006.01); H01L 31/073 (2012.01); H01L 21/02 (2006.01); H01L 31/0224 (2006.01); H01L 31/0392 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
H01L 31/073 (2013.01); H01L 21/02052 (2013.01); H01L 31/022425 (2013.01); H01L 31/03925 (2013.01); Y02E 10/50 (2013.01);
Abstract

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.


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