EP0091998A1
Expired / Lapsed
EP
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Cadmium sulphide solar cells
Assignee: Prutec Ltd
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Filing: 1982-03-08
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2002-03-08
Abstract
Abstract The invention relates to the manufacture of cadmium sulphide solar cells. A cell is formed of a glass substrate (10), a front contact (12) made, for example, of tin oxide, a cadmium sulphide layer (14) and a copper sulphide layer (16). The junction between the layers (14) and (16) is photovoltaic. In order to form a contact on the copper sulphide layer, the invention proposes vapour depositing a mixed layer of copper and copper oxide onto the sulphide layer. The invention also describes a method of heat treatment following the formation of the rear contact in order to optimise the electrical performance of the cell.
Inventors
- 👤 Peter John Bassett
- 👤 Augustinus Wilhelmus Verheijen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 21:49
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/16; H10F10/169; H10F71/00; H10F77/00; H10F77/20; H10F77/206; H10F77/211; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
38 words
A method of establishing electrical contact with the copper sulphide layer of a cadmium sulphide - copper sulphide solar cell, characterised in that a thick copper and copper oxide layer (18) is deposited onto the copper sulphide layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
38 words
A method of establishing electrical contact with the copper sulphide layer of a cadmium sulphide - copper sulphide solar cell, characterised in that a thick copper and copper oxide layer (18) is deposited onto the copper sulphide layer.
Claim 3
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of manufacturing a cadmium sulphide solar cell, comprising the steps of forming a front contact by coating a substrate with an electrically conductive material, forming over the front contact a layer of cadmium sulphide, forming a copper sulphide layer over the cadmium sulphide layer to produce a photovoltaic juntion and forming a rear contact on the copper sulphide layer, characterised in that the rear contact is formed by depositing onto the copper sulphide layer 16 a mixed layer of copper and copper oxide 18.
Claim 4
Independent Claim
86 words
A method of manufacturing a cadmium sulphide solar cell, comprising the steps of forming a front contact by coating a substrate with an electrically conductive material, forming over the front contact a layer of cadmium sulphide, forming a copper sulphide layer over the cadmium sulphide layer to produce a photovoltaic juntion and forming a rear contact on the copper sulphide layer, characterised in that the rear contact is formed by depositing onto the copper sulphide layer 16 a mixed layer of copper and copper oxide 18.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
42 words
A method as claimed in claim 2, in which following deposition of the copper and copper oxide layer the cell is subjected to a heat treatment to cause migration of copper ions in order to improve the electrical performance of the cell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
28 words
A method as claimed in claim 3, characterised in that the heat treatment comprises heating the cell at a temperature of 150 degrees for 10 minutes in air.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
25 words
A method as claimed in any of claims 2, 3 and 4, in which following the formation of the rear contract, the cell is encapsulated.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4104420A
Cited
US4267398A
Cited
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