US4396793A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Compensated amorphous silicon solar cell
Assignee: Chevron USA Inc
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Filing: 1982-04-12
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Granted: 1983-08-02
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Expires: 2002-04-12
Abstract
Abstract A hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cell incorporating a compensated photoactive intrinsic region containing N-type and P-type dopants.
Inventors
- 👤 Arun Madan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 21:39
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/17; H10F71/00; H10F71/10; H10F71/103; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/548; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/914; Y10S438/919
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
140 words
In a hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cell which comprises an electrically conductive substrate, a layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon having regions of differing conductivity with at least one region of photoactive intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon, said layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon having opposed first and second major surfaces where said first major surface contacts said electrically conductive substrate, and means for electrically contacting said second major surface, the improvement wherein the photoactive intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon region is compensated with suitable N-type and P-type dopants to reduce the bandgap energy of the material to less than about 1.6 eV, said doping concentration adjusted such that the recombination lifetime of the photoactive intrinsic region is greater than the transit time for the holes and electrons generated in said photoactive intrinsic region out of said region during illumination of the solar cell.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
140 words
In a hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cell which comprises an electrically conductive substrate, a layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon having regions of differing conductivity with at least one region of photoactive intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon, said layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon having opposed first and second major surfaces where said first major surface contacts said electrically conductive substrate, and means for electrically contacting said second major surface, the improvement wherein the photoactive intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon region is compensated with suitable N-type and P-type dopants to reduce the bandgap energy of the material to less than about 1.6 eV, said doping concentration adjusted such that the recombination lifetime of the photoactive intrinsic region is greater than the transit time for the holes and electrons generated in said photoactive intrinsic region out of said region during illumination of the solar cell.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
28 words
The solar cell according to claim 1 wherein the P-type and N-type dopant concentrations in said compensated intrinsic region are from about 500 to about 1500 vol. ppm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The solar cell according to claim 2 wherein the photoactive intrinsic region has a bandgap energy of about 1.5 eV.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
The solar cell according to claim 1 wherein the cell is a P-I-N solar cell.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The solar cell according to claim 1 wherein the solar cell is an NIP solar cell.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
50 words
The solar cell according to claim 1 wherein said cell comprises an N + -type region contacting the electrically conductive substrate, a photoactive compensated intrinsic region contacting said N + -type region and a Schottky barrier metal layer contacting the photoactive intrinsic region to form a Schottky barrier solar cell.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
The solar cell according to claim 1, 3, 4 or 5 wherein said layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon includes a P-type layer fabricated from an atmosphere comprising silane and diborane; silane, ammonia and diborane; silane, methane and diborane; or silane, nitrous oxide and diborane.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
25 words
The solar cell according to claim 1 or 3 wherein the photoactive compensated intrinsic region is fabricated from an atmosphere comprising silane, diborane, and phosphine.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
16 words
The solar cell according to claim 8 wherein the hydrogenated amorphous silicon further incorporates a halogen.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
20 words
The solar cell according to claim 1 wherein the photoactive compensated intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon region further includes a halogen.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of reducing the bandgap energy of a photoactive intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon region incorporated into a hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cell, said method comprising: incorporating a suitable P-type and N-type dopants during the growth of said layer in amounts sufficient to reduce the bandgap energy of the photoactive intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon region to less than about 1.6 eV, said concentrations of said N-type and P-type dopants also being sufficient to fabricate a photoactive intrinsic region wherein the recombination lifetime is greater than the transit time of holes and electrons out of said photoactive region during illumination.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
99 words
A method of reducing the bandgap energy of a photoactive intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon region incorporated into a hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cell, said method comprising: incorporating a suitable P-type and N-type dopants during the growth of said layer in amounts sufficient to reduce the bandgap energy of the photoactive intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon region to less than about 1.6 eV, said concentrations of said N-type and P-type dopants also being sufficient to fabricate a photoactive intrinsic region wherein the recombination lifetime is greater than the transit time of holes and electrons out of said photoactive region during illumination.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method according to claim 11 wherein the N-type and P-type dopants are incorporated in an amount sufficient to fabricate an intrinsic region containing N-type and P-type dopant concentrations on the order of 500 to about 1500 vol. ppm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method according to claim 12 wherein the substrate temperature is from about 250° C. to about 350° C. during the deposition.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method according to claim 13 wherein the growth atmosphere for hydrogenated amorphous silicon comprises silicon-hydrogen-halogen gases.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method according to claim 14 wherein the atmosphere is SiF 4 and H 2 plus dopant gases.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4217148A
Cited
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| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-08-01 | 1987-01-31 | 1987-08-02 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-08-01 | 1991-01-31 | 1991-08-02 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-08-01 | 1995-01-31 | 1995-08-02 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |