US5252140A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Solar cell substrate and process for its production
Assignee: AMOROPHOUS SILICON Inc A CORP OF OHIO
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Filing: 1990-03-29
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Granted: 1993-10-12
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Expires: 2010-03-29
Abstract
Abstract A solar cell substrate comprising a glass plate, and a transparent electrically conductive layer formed thereon, wherein said glass plate is tempered.
Inventors
- 👤 Shigeyoshi Kobayashi
- 👤 Susumu Yaba
- 👤 Shinya Kikugawa
- 👤 Stephen Muhl
- 👤 Arun Madan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 01:11
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/16; H10F77/169; H10F77/1692; H10F71/00; H10F71/10; H10F71/107; H10F77/20; H10F77/244; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/548; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
In a solar cell having a semiconductor layer disposed on a solar cell substrate, said solar cell substrate comprising: a thermally glass plane having an incident and an opposing surface; a thin film coating deposited on said incident surface of said glass plate producing first surface forces on said incident surface; a transparent electrically conductive layer formed on said opposing surface of said glass plate, said electrically conductive layer producing second surface forces on said opposing surface counterbalanced by said first surface forces to prevent warping of said glass plate during thermal tempering; and a semiconductor layer formed on said electrically conductive layer.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
In a solar cell having a semiconductor layer disposed on a solar cell substrate, said solar cell substrate comprising: a thermally glass plane having an incident and an opposing surface; a thin film coating deposited on said incident surface of said glass plate producing first surface forces on said incident surface; a transparent electrically conductive layer formed on said opposing surface of said glass plate, said electrically conductive layer producing second surface forces on said opposing surface counterbalanced by said first surface forces to prevent warping of said glass plate during thermal tempering; and a semiconductor layer formed on said electrically conductive layer.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
35 words
The solar cell substrate as in claim 1 wherein said thin film coating is selected from the group of thin film coatings comprising ZnO, SnO, In 2 O 3 , SiN, and SiO 2 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
25 words
The solar cell substrate as in claim 1, wherein said tempered glass plate has a surface compression stress of at least 250 kg/cm 2 .
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The solar cell substrate as in claim 1, wherein said transparent electrically conductive layer is an electrically conductive tin oxide layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
37 words
The solar cell substrate as in claim 1, wherein said semiconductor layer comprises: a P-type amorphous silicon layer, an I-type amorphous silicon layer, and an N-type amorphous silicon layer sequentially deposited on said transparent electrically conductive layer.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for manufacturing a solar cell substrate, comprising the steps of: forming a transparent electrically conductive layer on one surface of a glass plate, said transparent electrically conductive layer producing first surface forces on said one surface; depositing a thin film coating on the surface of said glass plate opposite said one surface, said thin film coating producing second surface forces counter-balancing said first surface forces; heating said glass plate to a predetermined temperature; and rapidly cooling to temper said glass plate.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
83 words
A method for manufacturing a solar cell substrate, comprising the steps of: forming a transparent electrically conductive layer on one surface of a glass plate, said transparent electrically conductive layer producing first surface forces on said one surface; depositing a thin film coating on the surface of said glass plate opposite said one surface, said thin film coating producing second surface forces counter-balancing said first surface forces; heating said glass plate to a predetermined temperature; and rapidly cooling to temper said glass plate.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as in claim 6, wherein the step of forming a transparent electrically conductive layer is formed by chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method as in claim 6, wherein the steps of forming a transparent electrically conductive layer, depositing a thin film coating, heating said glass plate, and rapidly cooling said glass plate are sequentially and continuously performed while said glass plate is transported horizontally.
Claim 11
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for manufacturing a solar cell on a glass plate having an incident surface and an opposing surface, comprising the steps of: depositing a thin film coating on said incident surface of said glass plate to produce first surface forces on said incident surface; forming a transparent electrically conductive layer on said opposing surface of said glass plate to produce second surface forces on said opposing surface counterbalancing said first surface forces; heating said glass plate to a predetermined temperature below its softening temperature; rapidly cooling to temper said glass plate; and forming a semiconductor layer on said transparent conductive layer.
Claim 12
Independent Claim
102 words
A method for manufacturing a solar cell on a glass plate having an incident surface and an opposing surface, comprising the steps of: depositing a thin film coating on said incident surface of said glass plate to produce first surface forces on said incident surface; forming a transparent electrically conductive layer on said opposing surface of said glass plate to produce second surface forces on said opposing surface counterbalancing said first surface forces; heating said glass plate to a predetermined temperature below its softening temperature; rapidly cooling to temper said glass plate; and forming a semiconductor layer on said transparent conductive layer.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method as in claim 9, wherein the step of forming said transparent electrically conductive layer is performed by chemical vapor deposition.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method as in claim 9, wherein the steps of depositing a thin film coating, forming a transparent electrically conductive layer, heating said glass plate, and rapidly cooling are sequentially and continuously performed while said glass plate is transported horizontally.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1996-10-11 | 1997-04-12 | 1997-10-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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