US5137835A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Method for manufacturing a chalcopyrite solar cell
Assignee: Siemens AG
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Filing: 1991-04-15
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Granted: 1992-08-11
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Expires: 2011-04-15
Abstract
Abstract A method for producing a solar cell having a semiconductor layer of copper gallium diselenide covered with a window layer of copper aluminum diselenide by first producing a semiconductor material of one type of conductivity by forming either a copper gallium diselenide or a copper aluminum diselenide and then exchanging metal ions in the upper portion of the layer to provide an opposite type of conductivity by exchanging metal ions of the layer for another type. The exchange can include exchanging both the copper and gallium ions with the zinc ion to form a zinc diselenide window or replacing the gallium ions with aluminum ions to form a copper aluminum diselenide window or, if a copper aluminum diselenide layer had been provided, forming an absorbing layer by replacing the aluminum ions with the gallium ions to form the absorbing layer.
Inventors
- 👤 Franz Karg
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 20:22
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/16; H10F10/167; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/12; H10F77/126; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/541; Y10; Y10S; Y10S438/00; Y10S438/93
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for manufacturing a chalcopyrite solar cell having a p-conductive copper gallium diselenide layer as an absorber and having an n-conductive window layer, said method comprising the steps of producing a first electrode layer on an electrically insulating substrate; producing a semiconductor layer of a chalcopyrite material that is selected from a group consisting of copper gallium diselenide and copper aluminum diselenide and having a first conductivity type; treating the semiconductor layer with an aqueous solution that contains metal ions, wherein a semiconductor material of an opposite, second conductivity type is produced by an ion exchange in an upper layer region and a hetereojunction occurs between one layer region forming the copper gallium diselenide absorber layer and the other region forming a window layer; and producing a second electrode layer on the surface of the semiconductor layer.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
138 words
A method for manufacturing a chalcopyrite solar cell having a p-conductive copper gallium diselenide layer as an absorber and having an n-conductive window layer, said method comprising the steps of producing a first electrode layer on an electrically insulating substrate; producing a semiconductor layer of a chalcopyrite material that is selected from a group consisting of copper gallium diselenide and copper aluminum diselenide and having a first conductivity type; treating the semiconductor layer with an aqueous solution that contains metal ions, wherein a semiconductor material of an opposite, second conductivity type is produced by an ion exchange in an upper layer region and a hetereojunction occurs between one layer region forming the copper gallium diselenide absorber layer and the other region forming a window layer; and producing a second electrode layer on the surface of the semiconductor layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
49 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of producing a semiconductor layer produces a layer of copper gallium diselenide and said step of treating a semiconductor layer converts an upper portion of the semiconductor layer into a copper aluminum diselinide window layer having a relatively thin region.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
48 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein, during the step of treating the semiconductor layer, a trivalent metal ion selected from a group consisting of gallium and aluminum is exchanged and the copper is protected against the exchange by a buffering in the solution containing the metal ions.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
55 words
A method according to claim 3, wherein a glass plate is provided as a substrate having a thin layer of a transparent, conductive oxide as a first electrode layer, a copper aluminum diselenide layer is produced thereon and the upper layer region becomes the absorber layer by replacing the aluminum ions with the gallium ions.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
47 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of producing the semiconductor layer produces a layer of copper gallium diselenide and the step of treating replaces the copper and gallium ions with zinc ions in an ion exchange so that zinc selenide window layer will occur.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
54 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of producing the semiconductor layer includes sputtering metallic copper and an element selected from a group consisting of aluminum and gallium onto the first electrode layer for producing a semiconductor layer and subsequently treating this sputtering layer with a hydrogen selenide at an elevated temperature.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
52 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein, during the ion exchange in the upper layer region of the semiconductor layer, a trivalent metal ion selected from a group consisting of gallium and aluminum is exchanged and the copper is protected against the exchange fy buffering in a solution containing the metal ion.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
73 words
A method according to claim 7, wherein the step of producing the first electrocd layer provides a glass plate as the substrate and applies a thin layer of a transparent, conductive oxide as the first elecytrode layer, said step of producing a semiconductor layer produces a semiconductor layer of copper aluminum diselenide and said step of treating the semiconductor layer replaces aluminum ions in the upper region of the layer with gallium ions.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
20 words
A method according to claim 6, wherein the elevated temperature is in a range of 400° C. to 500° C.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
A method according to claim 9, wherein, during the step of treating, a trivalent metal ion selected from a gropu consisting of gallium and aluminum in the upper layer region of the semiconductor layer is replaced and the copper is protected agains an exchange by buffering in the solution containing the metal ion.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
82 words
A method according to claim 1, wherein the step of producing the semiconductor layer includes sputtering metallic coppera and gallium onto the first electrode layer to produce the semiconductor layer and subsequently selenizing the sputtered layer by subjecting it to a hydrogen selenide atmosphere at an elevated temperature, and the step of treating the semiconductor layer includes replacing both the copper and gallium ions in the upper layer with zinc ions by an ion exchange to produce a zinc selenide window layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
23 words
A method according to claim 11, wherein the temperature during the selenizing step is in a range of 400° C. to 500° C.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1995-08-11 | 1996-02-10 | 1996-08-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1999-08-11 | 2000-02-10 | 2000-08-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2003-08-11 | 2004-02-10 | 2004-08-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |