EP0189636A1
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EP
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Fluorinated p-doped microcrystalline semiconductor alloys and method of preparation
Assignee: Energy Conversion Devices Inc
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Filing: 1985-10-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2005-10-07
Abstract
Abstract A fluorinated, boron-doped p-type silicon-based semiconductor microcrystalline alloy containing a sufficient concentration of crystalline inclusions to improve material properties substantially and a method of preparing the alloy. Single and multiple cell photovoltaic devices including the alloy in at least one layer exposed to incoming light have improved fill factors and efficiencies.
Inventors
- 👤 Subhendu Guha
- 👤 James Kulman
- 👤 Stanford R. Ovshinsky
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 16:28
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/17; H10F10/172; C; C23; C23C; C23C16/00; C23C16/22; H10D; H10D62/00; H10D62/40; H10F71/00; H10F71/10; H10F71/103; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/16; H10F77/162; H10F77/164; H10F77/1642; H10F77/1648; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/24; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2922; H10P14/2923; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3204; H10P14/3211; H10P14/3242; H10P14/3244; H10P14/3251; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3404; H10P14/3411; H10P14/3438; H10P14/3441; H10P14/3444; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/548; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of fabricating a fluorinated, p-doped microcrystalline silicon-based semiconductor alloy characterized by depositing a semiconductor alloy film by establishing a glow discharge in a gaseous mixture containing less than one percent of a semiconductor precursor gas including silicon, less than one percent of a dopant precursor gas including boron, and more than ninety percent of a diluent gas, at least one of said gases including fluorine.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of fabricating a fluorinated, p-doped microcrystalline silicon-based semiconductor alloy characterized by depositing a semiconductor alloy film by establishing a glow discharge in a gaseous mixture containing less than one percent of a semiconductor precursor gas including silicon, less than one percent of a dopant precursor gas including boron, and more than ninety percent of a diluent gas, at least one of said gases including fluorine.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 1 characterized by selecting said semiconductor precursor gas from the group consisting essentially of silane, a mixture of silane and germane, silicon tetrafluoride, and a mixture of silicon tetrafluoride and germane.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 1 characterized by selecting said dopant precursor gas from the group consisting essentially of boron trifluoride and diborane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
116 words
A photovoltaic structure including a plurality of layers <16b', 18b', 20b') of amorphous semiconductor alloy material disposed one on top of the other in optical and electrical series relationship, including a p-type conductivity layer (16b'), an intrinsic type layer (18b') and an n-type layer (20b') for establishing an electric field region in said intrinsic type layer (18b') for collection of electron-hole pairs generated in said region by absorption of impinging light, characterized in that said p-type layer (16b l ) is a silicon-based, fluorinated, boron doped microcrystalline layer having an activation energy of less than 0.1 electron volts, a conductivity greater than 0.5 ohm -1 cm -1 and a band gap greater than 1.9 electron volts.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
116 words
A photovoltaic structure including a plurality of layers <16b', 18b', 20b') of amorphous semiconductor alloy material disposed one on top of the other in optical and electrical series relationship, including a p-type conductivity layer (16b'), an intrinsic type layer (18b') and an n-type layer (20b') for establishing an electric field region in said intrinsic type layer (18b') for collection of electron-hole pairs generated in said region by absorption of impinging light, characterized in that said p-type layer (16b l ) is a silicon-based, fluorinated, boron doped microcrystalline layer having an activation energy of less than 0.1 electron volts, a conductivity greater than 0.5 ohm -1 cm -1 and a band gap greater than 1.9 electron volts.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
122 words
A tandem photovoltaic structure (10') including a plurality of layers (16a', 18a', 20a', 16b', 18b', 20b') of amorphous semiconductor alloy material disposed one on top of the other in optical and electrical series relationship, including a plurality of oppositely doped layers (20a', 20b', 16a', 16b') for establishing a plurality of electric field regions (18a', 18b') for collection of electron-hole pairs generated in said electric field regions by absorption of impinging light, characterized in that at least one of said doped layers (20a', 20b', 16a', 16b') is a silicon-based, fluorinated, boron doped microcrystalline layer (16b') having an activation energy of less than 0.1 electron volts, a conductivity greater than 0.5 ohm -1 cm -1 and a band gap greater than 1.9 electron volts.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
122 words
A tandem photovoltaic structure (10') including a plurality of layers (16a', 18a', 20a', 16b', 18b', 20b') of amorphous semiconductor alloy material disposed one on top of the other in optical and electrical series relationship, including a plurality of oppositely doped layers (20a', 20b', 16a', 16b') for establishing a plurality of electric field regions (18a', 18b') for collection of electron-hole pairs generated in said electric field regions by absorption of impinging light, characterized in that at least one of said doped layers (20a', 20b', 16a', 16b') is a silicon-based, fluorinated, boron doped microcrystalline layer (16b') having an activation energy of less than 0.1 electron volts, a conductivity greater than 0.5 ohm -1 cm -1 and a band gap greater than 1.9 electron volts.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
24 words
An improved boron doped, p-type, fluorinated, silicon-based semiconductor alloy characterized in that said alloy contains microcrystalline inclusions of at least 80 percent by volume.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
24 words
An improved boron doped, p-type, fluorinated, silicon-based semiconductor alloy characterized in that said alloy contains microcrystalline inclusions of at least 80 percent by volume.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
18 words
The alloy of claim 6 characterized in that its activation energy is less than approximately 0.1 electron volts.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
22 words
The alloy of claim 6 characterized in that its - conductivity is greater than 0 . 5 ohm -1 cm -1 .
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The alloy of claim 6 characterized in that its band gap is greater than 1.9 electron volts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
24 words
The alloy of claim 6 characterized in that its absorption constant at 550 nanometers is less than 3 x 10 4 cm -1 .
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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