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US4644638A
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Photovoltaic device prepared by electroless deposition
Assignee: Union Oil Company of California
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Filing: 1984-09-24
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Granted: 1987-02-24
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Expires: 2004-09-24
Abstract
Abstract A heterojunction photovoltaic device, containing a highly conductive coating material having a band gap greater than 0 to about 3.0 e.V. on a substrate containing a semiconductor material, is utilized in highly efficient photovoltaic cells and radiometric detection cells.
Inventors
- 👤 Jay A. Switzer
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 11:35
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/16; H10F10/164; H10F19/00; H10F19/20; H10F77/00; H10F77/95; H10F77/953; H10F77/955; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y10; Y10S; Y10S204/00; Y10S204/03; Y10S205/00; Y10S205/923
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 39
Claim 1
Independent Claim
53 words
A method for the preparation of a photovoltaic device comprising the step of electroless deposition of a coating material which forms a heterojunction with a substrate consisting essentially of a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of n-type, p-type, and intrinsic semiconductors, said coating material having a band gap greater than 3.0 e.V.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
53 words
A method for the preparation of a photovoltaic device comprising the step of electroless deposition of a coating material which forms a heterojunction with a substrate consisting essentially of a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of n-type, p-type, and intrinsic semiconductors, said coating material having a band gap greater than 3.0 e.V.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said electroless deposition comprises photoelectroless deposition.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method defined in claim 1 wherein said coating material has a band gap less than about 4.0 e.V.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method defined in claim 1 further comprising electrochemical deposition.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 4 further comprising an external source of electrical energy.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
52 words
A method for the preparation of a photovoltaic device comprising the step of electroless deposition of a conductive solid coating material containing a degenerate n-type semiconductor having a band gap from about 0.5 to about 2.35 e.V. which forms a heterojunction with a solid substrate consisting essentially of an n-type semiconductor material.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
52 words
A method for the preparation of a photovoltaic device comprising the step of electroless deposition of a conductive solid coating material containing a degenerate n-type semiconductor having a band gap from about 0.5 to about 2.35 e.V. which forms a heterojunction with a solid substrate consisting essentially of an n-type semiconductor material.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method defined in claim 6 wherein said electroless deposition comprises photoelectroless deposition.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method defined in claim 6 further comprising potentiostatic electrochemical deposition.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method defined in claim 6 wherein said coating material comprises thallium (III) oxide and said substrate consists essentially of n-type silicon.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 6 further comprising an external source of electrical energy.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
17 words
The device defined in claim 6 wherein said coating material has a resistivity less than said substrate.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method defined in claim 6 wherein said coating material has a resistivity less than about 10 -2 ohm-cm, measured at room temperature.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method defined in claim 6 wherein said semiconductor contained in said substrate is selected from the group consisting of GaAs, InP, CdSe, and Si.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method defined in claim 6 further comprising attaching a front ohmic electrode having a grid configuration to said coating material.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method defined in claim 6 wherein said coating material is selected from the group consisting of Tl 2 O 3 , CdO, Bi 2 O 3 , PbO 2 , Cu 2 O, Cr 2 O 3 , Ag 2 O, RuS 2 , PtCoO 2 , PdCoO 2 , PdRhO 2 , and PdCrO 2 .
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method defined in claim 6 further comprising a thin layer of a material having a band gap greater than about 3.0 e.V. between said semiconductor material in said substrate and said coating material.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method defined in claim 6 wherein said semiconductor contained in said substrate has a band gap from about 0.5 to about 3.0 e.V.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
41 words
A method for the preparation of a photovoltaic device comprising a coating material containing degenerate n-type thallium (III) oxide on a substrate containing an n-type semiconductor, said method comprising the step of electroless deposition of said coating material onto said substrate.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
41 words
A method for the preparation of a photovoltaic device comprising a coating material containing degenerate n-type thallium (III) oxide on a substrate containing an n-type semiconductor, said method comprising the step of electroless deposition of said coating material onto said substrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
17 words
The method defined in claim 18 wherein said substrate forms a heterojunction with said thallium (III) oxide.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method defined in claim 18 wherein said thallium (III) oxide is contained on at least a portion of an outermost layer on a front surface of said device.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method defined in claim 19 wherein a material having a band gap greater than about 4.0 e.V. comprises a thin layer at said heterojunction.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method defined in claim 18 wherein said semiconductor contained in said substrate has a band gap from about 0.7 to about 2.5 e.V.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method defined in claim 18 wherein said semiconductor contained in said substrate comprises n-type silicon.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method defined in claim 23 further comprising a layer comprising silicon dioxide having an average thickness of about one to about 50 angstroms and located at said heterojunction between said n-type silicon and said thallium (III) oxide.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method defined in claim 18 wherein said thallium (III) oxide is dispersed on said substrate to an average thickness of less than 10 5 angstroms.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
30 words
The device defined in claim 18 wherein said semiconductor contained in said substrate has a band gap equal to or less than the band gap of said thallium (III) oxide.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method defined in claim 18 wherein said electroless deposition comprises photoelectroless deposition.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
11 words
The method defined in claim 18 further comprising potentiostatic electrochemical deposition.
Claim 32
Independent Claim
42 words
A method for the preparation of a photovoltaic device comprising the step of photoelectroless deposition of a coating material which forms a heterojunction with a substrate consisting essentially of a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of n-type, p-type and intrinsic semiconductors.
Claim 33
Independent Claim
42 words
A method for the preparation of a photovoltaic device comprising the step of photoelectroless deposition of a coating material which forms a heterojunction with a substrate consisting essentially of a semiconductor selected from the group consisting of n-type, p-type and intrinsic semiconductors.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method defined in claim 29 wherein said coating material comprises at least one metal.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method defined in claim 29 wherein said coating material comprises at least one semiconductor.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method defined in claim 29 wherein said semiconductor contained in said substrate is selected from the group consisting of elemental semiconductors, Group III-V semiconductors, Group II-VI semiconductors, metal-containing chalcogenides and Group I-III-VI semiconductors.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method defined in claim 29 further comprising a thin layer of a material having a band gap greater than about 3.0 e.V. between said semiconductor material in said substrate and said coating material.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
10 words
The method defined in claim 29 further comprising electrochemical deposition.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method defined in claim 29 further comprising an external source of electrical energy.
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