US4499331A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Amorphous semiconductor and amorphous silicon photovoltaic device
Assignee: Kanegafuchi Chemical Industry Co Ltd
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Filing: 1983-11-17
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Granted: 1985-02-12
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Expires: 2003-11-17
Abstract
Abstract An amorphous silicon semiconductor of the general formula: a-Si.sub.(1-x-y) C x N y containing hydrogen and/or fluorine, which provides an amorphous silicon PIN junction photovoltaic device having an improved conversion efficiency when it is used as a P-type or N-type layer on the light impinging side of the PIN junction photovoltaic device. Also, the conversion efficiency of an amorphous silicon PIN junction photovoltaic device is improved by using a two-layer film structure of ITO and SnO 2 as a transparent electrode for the photovoltaic device, with the SnO 2 layer contacting the P or N layer. The improvement is particularly marked in the case of heterojunction photovoltaic devices.
Inventors
- 👤 Yoshihiro Hamakawa
- 👤 Yoshihisa Tawada
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 07:13
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F71/00; H10F71/10; H10F71/103; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/17; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/16; H10F77/162; H10F77/166; H10F77/20; H10F77/244; H10F77/247; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/548; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50; Y10; Y10S; Y10S420/00; Y10S420/903
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
26 words
An amorphous semiconductor having the general formula: a-Si.sub.(1-x-y) C x N y and having an electric conductivity of not less than 10 -8 (Ω·cm) -1 .
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
26 words
An amorphous semiconductor having the general formula: a-Si.sub.(1-x-y) C x N y and having an electric conductivity of not less than 10 -8 (Ω·cm) -1 .
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
15 words
The amorphous semiconductor of claim 1, which is doped with a P-type or N-type impurity.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
24 words
The amorphous semiconductor of claim 1, wherein the values, x and y, in the general formula satisfy the following equations: 0.05≦x≦0.75; 0.05≦y≦0.75; and 0.05≦x+y≦0.80.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
In an amorphous silicon derivative PIN junction photovoltaic device, the improvement wherein at least one of the P-type and N-type amorphous silicon semiconductors is an amorphous semiconductor having the general formula: a-Si.sub.(1-x-y) C x N y and an electric conductivity of not less than 10-8(Ω·cm) -1 .
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
In an amorphous silicon derivative PIN junction photovoltaic device, the improvement wherein at least one of the P-type and N-type amorphous silicon semiconductors is an amorphous semiconductor having the general formula: a-Si.sub.(1-x-y) C x N y and an electric conductivity of not less than 10-8(Ω·cm) -1 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
24 words
The photovoltaic device of claim 4, wherein the values, x and y, in the general formula satisfy the following equations: 0.05≦x≦0.75; 0.05≦y≦0.75; and 0.05≦x+y≦0.80.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
JPS5529154A
Cited
US4388482A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1988-02-12 | 1988-08-13 | 1989-02-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1992-02-12 | 1992-08-13 | 1993-02-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1996-02-12 | 1996-08-13 | 1997-02-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |