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. 05, 2016
Filed:
Jul. 31, 2013
First Solar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Kulim, MY;
Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, Golden, CO (US);
Mark Jeffrey Pavol, Arvada, CO (US);
Robert Dwayne Gossman, Aurora, CO (US);
Bogdan Lita, Boulder, CO (US);
Nathan John Kruse, Arvada, CO (US);
John Milton Flood, III, Monument, CO (US);
Valerie Pflumio Hill, Denver, CO (US);
First Solar Malaysia Sdn. Bhd., Kulim, Kodah Darul Aman, MY;
Abstract
Thin film photovoltaic devices that include a transparent substrate; a transparent conductive oxide layer on the transparent substrate; a n-type window layer on the transparent conductive oxide layer; a p-type absorber layer on the n-type window layer; and, a back contact on the p-type absorber layer are provided. The p-type absorber layer comprises cadmium telluride, and forms a photovoltaic junction with the n-type window layer. Generally, the p-type absorber layer defines a plurality of finger structures protruding from the p-type absorber layer into the back contact. The finger structures can have an aspect ratio of about 1 or greater and/or can have a height that is about 20% to about 200% of the thickness of the p-type absorber layer. Methods of forming such finger structures protruding from a back surface of the p-type absorber layer are also provided.