US4657603A
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Method for the manufacture of gallium arsenide thin film solar cells
Assignee: Siemens AG
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Filing: 1985-09-20
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Granted: 1987-04-14
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Expires: 2005-09-20
Abstract
Abstract A method for the manufacture of gallium arsenide thin film solar cells on inexpensive substrate material whereby an intermediate layer of highly doped, amorphous germanium is employed in order to promote the growth of the gallium arsenide layers. A high-energy radiation is directed to specific, prescribed points on the highly doped, amorphous germanium layer thereby generating centers having a defined crystal orientation, so that the epitaxial layer spreads laterally from these centers in a surface-covering fashion during the epitaxial vapor phase deposition. The solar cells produced by designational grain growth can be manufactured with high purity in a simple way and have an efficiency (greater than 20%) comparable to known mono-crystalline solar cells.
Inventors
- 👤 Wolfgang Kruehler
- 👤 Josef Grabmaier
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 13:38
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/12; H10F77/124; C; C30; C30B; C30B25/00; C30B25/02; C30B25/18; H10F71/00; H10F71/127; H10F71/1272; H10P; H10P14/00; H10P14/20; H10P14/24; H10P14/29; H10P14/2901; H10P14/2902; H10P14/2905; H10P14/2922; H10P14/32; H10P14/3202; H10P14/3214; H10P14/3221; H10P14/3258; H10P14/34; H10P14/3402; H10P14/3414; H10P14/3421; H10P14/38; H10P14/3802; H10P14/3808; H10P14/3818; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/544; Y10; Y10S; Y10S148/00; Y10S148/048; Y10S148/056; Y10S148/09; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/933
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
48 words
A method for the manufacture of gallium arsenide thin film solar cells comprising: depositing a highly doped amorphous germanium layer on a substrate; dividing said germanium layer into zones at prescribed points, said zones having a defined crystal orientation; and performing a vapor phase epitaxy of gallium arsenide.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
48 words
A method for the manufacture of gallium arsenide thin film solar cells comprising: depositing a highly doped amorphous germanium layer on a substrate; dividing said germanium layer into zones at prescribed points, said zones having a defined crystal orientation; and performing a vapor phase epitaxy of gallium arsenide.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said substrate is selected from the group consisting of metallized glass and planar silicon.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said germanium layer comprises germanium and at least 1% phosphorus.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 3 wherein said germanium layer is generated by decomposing a gas mixture comprising GeH 4 and PH 3 in a low pressure glow discharge reactor.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
The method of claim 4 wherein said germanium layer has a layer thickness of 0.2-0.5 um.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a means of high-energy radiation used to generate said zones is electron radiation.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a means of high-energy radiation used to generate said zones is a pulsed or continuous wave laser having a wavelength lying in the region of 1 um.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said defined crystal orientation of said zones includes <001> and <111> orientations.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said zones are spaced 20-1000 um apart.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1 wherein the parameters of said epitaxy are set such that the epitaxial layer laterally spreads over the surface until the crystallization fronts of neighboring zones meet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1 where, in said gallium arsenide epitaxy, the reaction gas used includes a mixture of arsine (AsH 3 ) and a gallium containing material.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method of claim 11 wherein said gallium containing material is trimethyl gallium.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said gallium arsenide epitaxy is executed at a temperature of 700°-800° C.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 1 wherein a plurality of layers are deposited by said epitaxy.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14 wherein a first gallium arsenide layer is doped with zinc and is n-type conductive.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 15 wherein said first gallium arsenide layer is deposited in a layer thickness of 3-5 um.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 14 wherein a second gallium arsenide layer is doped with tin and is p-type conductive.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 17 wherein said second gallium arsenide layer is deposited in a layer thickness of 0.2-1 um.
Claim 20
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for the manufacture of gallium arsenide thin film solar cells, comprising: depositing a highly doped germanium layer in its amorphous state, and having at least a 1% phosphorous content, on a substrate; dividing said germanium layer into zones having a defined crystal orientation at prescribed points by means of high-energy radiation, and performing a vapor phase epitaxy of gallium arsenide at said prescribed points to deposit gallium arsenide layers, and a gallium aluminum arsenic mixed crystal layer.
Claim 21
Independent Claim
79 words
A method for the manufacture of gallium arsenide thin film solar cells, comprising: depositing a highly doped germanium layer in its amorphous state, and having at least a 1% phosphorous content, on a substrate; dividing said germanium layer into zones having a defined crystal orientation at prescribed points by means of high-energy radiation, and performing a vapor phase epitaxy of gallium arsenide at said prescribed points to deposit gallium arsenide layers, and a gallium aluminum arsenic mixed crystal layer.
Claim 22
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for the manufacture of gallium arsenide thin film solar cells comprising: forming a highly doped germanium layer by decomposing a gas mixture of GeH 4 and PH 3 in a low pressure discharge reactor; depositing said germanium layer in its amorphous state on a substrate; crystallizing said germanium layer into zones of preferred crystal orientations by applying high-energy radiation at specific, prescribed points; performing a gallium arsenide epitaxy on said germanium layer wherein the accretion is performed at said prescribed points; said epitaxy creating an n-type conductive first gallium arsenide layer doped with zinc; a p-type conductive second gallium arsenide layer doped with tin; and a p-type conductive gallium aluminum arsenic mixed crystal layer.
Claim 23
Independent Claim
116 words
A method for the manufacture of gallium arsenide thin film solar cells comprising: forming a highly doped germanium layer by decomposing a gas mixture of GeH 4 and PH 3 in a low pressure discharge reactor; depositing said germanium layer in its amorphous state on a substrate; crystallizing said germanium layer into zones of preferred crystal orientations by applying high-energy radiation at specific, prescribed points; performing a gallium arsenide epitaxy on said germanium layer wherein the accretion is performed at said prescribed points; said epitaxy creating an n-type conductive first gallium arsenide layer doped with zinc; a p-type conductive second gallium arsenide layer doped with tin; and a p-type conductive gallium aluminum arsenic mixed crystal layer.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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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) | 1990-04-13 | 1990-10-13 | 1991-04-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1994-04-13 | 1994-10-13 | 1995-04-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1998-04-13 | 1998-10-13 | 1999-04-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |