EP0080342A2
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
A photosensitive element, a method of preparing the element and a photovoltaic cell comprising the element
Assignee: Eastman Kodak Co
•
Filing: 1982-11-19
•
Granted: —
•
Expires: 2002-11-19
Abstract
Abstract A photosensitive element comprises a support (12) bearing a low-resistance contact electrode and a layer of n-type or p-type CdTe (20) on the electrode. The electrode, the CdTe layer or both thereof comprise a dopant for the CdTe and the electrode further comprises an oxidized metal, the reduced form of the metal being capable of reducing the oxidized form of the dopant. The element may be produced in thin film format whereon the CdTe is vapor deposited. The element is particu- lady suitable for preparing photovoltaic cells.
Inventors
- 👤 Alice Wei-Lung Lee Lin
- 👤 Pranab Kumar Raychaudhuri
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 08:30
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F71/00; H10F71/125; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/18; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/543
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
109 words
A photosensitive element comprising a support(12) bearing an electrically conductive electrode and a layer of n-type or p-type CdTe(20) on the electrode, characterized in that said electrode, said CdTe layer(20) or both thereof comprise a) a material having an electronically active form capable of functioning as an n-type or p-type dopant for said n-type or p-type CdTe, respectively, and said electrode comprises b) an oxidized metal or reaction product thereof which, in reduced form, is capable of reducing the oxidized form of said material to said electronically active form, said electrode having, with said CdTe layer(20), a contact resistance that is no greater than about 20 ohm-cm 2 .
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
109 words
A photosensitive element comprising a support(12) bearing an electrically conductive electrode and a layer of n-type or p-type CdTe(20) on the electrode, characterized in that said electrode, said CdTe layer(20) or both thereof comprise a) a material having an electronically active form capable of functioning as an n-type or p-type dopant for said n-type or p-type CdTe, respectively, and said electrode comprises b) an oxidized metal or reaction product thereof which, in reduced form, is capable of reducing the oxidized form of said material to said electronically active form, said electrode having, with said CdTe layer(20), a contact resistance that is no greater than about 20 ohm-cm 2 .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
30 words
An element according to Claim 1, wherein said electrode further comprises at least one of 1) said reduced form of said metal and 2) said oxidized form of said material.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
An element according to Claim 1, wherein said electrode includes a first layer(14) comprising said oxidized form of said material and a second layer(16) comprising said reduced form of said metal, one of said layers being in contact with said CdTe layer(20), said layers including an interfacial regi p n(19) comprising said electronically active form of said material and said oxidized metal.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
An element according to Claim 3, wherein said first layer(14) comprises the oxide of said material.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
30 words
An element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said CdTe is n-type and said material is an element selected from In, Ga, B, Tl, Al, and Cd.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
26 words
An element according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said metal is an element selected from titanium, chromium, zirconium, aluminum, hafnium, tantalum, and magnesium.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
18 words
An element according to Claim 1, wherein said electrode comprises an admixture of indium, oxidized titanium, and titanium.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
66 words
A photovoltaic cell comprising a layer of n-type or p-type CdTe(20) sandwiched between an electrically conductive electrode on a support(12), and a barrier electrode(22) comprising a metal forming a photovoltaically active junction with said CdTe layer, characterized in that the layer of n-type or p-type CdTe(20) and the electrically conductive electrode on a support(12) form a photosensitive element according to any one of the preceding claims.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of producing a photosensitive element comprising a support(12) bearing an electrically conductive electrode and a layer of n-type or p-type CdTe(20) on the electrode, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of a) (i) forming two layers(14, 16) on a support, one of said layers(14) comprising an oxidized material which, in reduced form, is electronically active to function as an n-type or p-type dopant for said n-type or p-type CdTe, respectively; and the other layer(16) comprising a metal capable of reducing said oxidized material to said reduced form, or (ii) forming a layer(19b)on a support said layer comprising a mixture of said oxidized material and said metal, and b) forming on said layers(14, 16) or layer (19b), a layer of n-type or p-type CdTe(20).
Claim 11
Independent Claim
127 words
A method of producing a photosensitive element comprising a support(12) bearing an electrically conductive electrode and a layer of n-type or p-type CdTe(20) on the electrode, characterized in that the method comprises the steps of a) (i) forming two layers(14, 16) on a support, one of said layers(14) comprising an oxidized material which, in reduced form, is electronically active to function as an n-type or p-type dopant for said n-type or p-type CdTe, respectively; and the other layer(16) comprising a metal capable of reducing said oxidized material to said reduced form, or (ii) forming a layer(19b)on a support said layer comprising a mixture of said oxidized material and said metal, and b) forming on said layers(14, 16) or layer (19b), a layer of n-type or p-type CdTe(20).
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
60 words
A method according to Claim 9, wherein said steps include c) heating said layer (19b) or layers(l4, 16) and said CdTe layer(20) at a temperature and for a time sufficient to reduce at least some of said oxidized material to said reduced form and to diffuse at least some of said reduced form of said material into said CdTe layer(20).
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
Maintenance schedule is calculated for granted US utility patents.