US5284525A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Solar cell
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1991-12-13
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Granted: 1994-02-08
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Expires: 2011-12-13
Abstract
Abstract A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and semiconductor layers laminated on the conductive substrate, said laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a non-single crystal Si material, an i-type layer serving as an active layer and an n-type layer, wherein a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between the conductive substrate and the semiconductor layers.
Inventors
- 👤 Keishi Saito
- 👤 Tatsuyuki Aoike
- 👤 Yasushi Fujioka
- 👤 Mitsuyuki Niwa
- 👤 Toshimitsu Kariya
- 👤 Yuzo Kohda
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 15:32
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/16; H10F77/169; H10F77/1692; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/17; H10F77/70; H10F77/707; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/548
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
103 words
A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and a semiconductor laminate on said conductive substrate, said semiconductor laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a non-single crystal Si material, an wherein a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between said conductive substrate and said semiconductor laminate, said diamond layer having polycrystallinity with a smooth polyhedral surface having an average radius of 0.05 to 5 μm, a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, surface uneveness of 0.05 to 1S, 1-5 atomic % hydrogen content and a dark conductivity of 0.15/cm or more.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
103 words
A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and a semiconductor laminate on said conductive substrate, said semiconductor laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a non-single crystal Si material, an wherein a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between said conductive substrate and said semiconductor laminate, said diamond layer having polycrystallinity with a smooth polyhedral surface having an average radius of 0.05 to 5 μm, a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, surface uneveness of 0.05 to 1S, 1-5 atomic % hydrogen content and a dark conductivity of 0.15/cm or more.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
130 words
A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and a semiconductor laminate on said conductive substrate, said semiconductor laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-single crystal material, an i-type layer composed of a Si, Ge-containing non-single crystal material and serving as an active layer, and an n-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-single crystal material, wherein a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between said conductive substrate and said semiconductor laminate, said diamond layer having polycrystallinity with a smooth polyhedral surface having an average radius of 0.05 to 5 μm, a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, surface uneveness of 0.05 to 1S, 1-5 atomic % hydrogen content and a dark conductivity of 0.15/cm or more.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
130 words
A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and a semiconductor laminate on said conductive substrate, said semiconductor laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-single crystal material, an i-type layer composed of a Si, Ge-containing non-single crystal material and serving as an active layer, and an n-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-single crystal material, wherein a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between said conductive substrate and said semiconductor laminate, said diamond layer having polycrystallinity with a smooth polyhedral surface having an average radius of 0.05 to 5 μm, a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, surface uneveness of 0.05 to 1S, 1-5 atomic % hydrogen content and a dark conductivity of 0.15/cm or more.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
129 words
A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and a semiconductor laminate on said conductive substrate, said semiconductor laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a non-single crystal Si material, an i-type layer serving as an active layer, and an n-type layer, wherein at least one of said p-type layer and said n-type layer contains carbon atoms, and a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between said conductive substrate and said semiconductor laminate, said diamond layer having polycrystallinity with a smooth polyhedral surface having an average radius of 0.05 to 5 μm, a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, surface uneveness of 0.05 to 1S, 1-5 atomic % hydrogen content and a dark conductivity of 0.15/cm or more.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
129 words
A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and a semiconductor laminate on said conductive substrate, said semiconductor laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a non-single crystal Si material, an i-type layer serving as an active layer, and an n-type layer, wherein at least one of said p-type layer and said n-type layer contains carbon atoms, and a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between said conductive substrate and said semiconductor laminate, said diamond layer having polycrystallinity with a smooth polyhedral surface having an average radius of 0.05 to 5 μm, a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, surface uneveness of 0.05 to 1S, 1-5 atomic % hydrogen content and a dark conductivity of 0.15/cm or more.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
135 words
A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and a semiconductor laminate on said conductive substrate, said semiconductor laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a non-single crystal Si material, an i-type layer serving as an active layer, and an n-type layer, wherein at least one of said p-type layer and said n-type layer contains carbon atoms, said i-type layer contains germanium atoms, and a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between said conductive substrate and said semiconductor laminate, said diamond layer having polycrystallinity with a smooth polyhedral surface having an average radius of 0.05 to 5 μm, a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, surface uneveness of 0.05 to 1S, 1-5 atomic % hydrogen content and a dark conductivity of 0.15/cm or more.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
135 words
A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and a semiconductor laminate on said conductive substrate, said semiconductor laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a non-single crystal Si material, an i-type layer serving as an active layer, and an n-type layer, wherein at least one of said p-type layer and said n-type layer contains carbon atoms, said i-type layer contains germanium atoms, and a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between said conductive substrate and said semiconductor laminate, said diamond layer having polycrystallinity with a smooth polyhedral surface having an average radius of 0.05 to 5 μm, a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, surface uneveness of 0.05 to 1S, 1-5 atomic % hydrogen content and a dark conductivity of 0.15/cm or more.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
162 words
A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and a semiconductor laminate on said conductive substrate, said semiconductor laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-single crystal material, an i-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-crystal single crystal material and serving as an active layer, and an n-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-single crystal material, wherein at least one of said p-type layer and said n-type layer contains carbon atoms, said i-type layer contains germanium atoms with a concentration variation in the direction of the thickness thereof, and a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between said conductive substrate and said semiconductor laminate, said diamond layer having polycrystallinity with a smooth polyhedral surface having an average radius of 0.05 to 5 μm, a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, surface uneveness of 0.05 to 1S, 1-5 atomic % hydrogen content and a dark conductivity of 0.15/cm or more.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
162 words
A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and a semiconductor laminate on said conductive substrate, said semiconductor laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-single crystal material, an i-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-crystal single crystal material and serving as an active layer, and an n-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-single crystal material, wherein at least one of said p-type layer and said n-type layer contains carbon atoms, said i-type layer contains germanium atoms with a concentration variation in the direction of the thickness thereof, and a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between said conductive substrate and said semiconductor laminate, said diamond layer having polycrystallinity with a smooth polyhedral surface having an average radius of 0.05 to 5 μm, a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, surface uneveness of 0.05 to 1S, 1-5 atomic % hydrogen content and a dark conductivity of 0.15/cm or more.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
146 words
A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and a semiconductor laminate on said conductive substrate, said semiconductor laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-single crystal material, an i-type layer composed of a Si, Ge-containing non-single crystal material and serving as an active layer, and an n-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-single crystal material, wherein the Ge content in said i-type layer varies in the direction of the thickness thereof, and a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between said conductive substrate and said semiconductor laminate, said diamond layer having polycrystallinity with a smooth polyhedral surface having an average radius of 0.05 to 5 μm, a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, surface uneveness of 0.05 to 1S, 1-5 atomic % hydrogen content and a dark conductivity of 0.15/cm or more.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
146 words
A solar cell comprising a conductive substrate and a semiconductor laminate on said conductive substrate, said semiconductor laminate comprising a p-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-single crystal material, an i-type layer composed of a Si, Ge-containing non-single crystal material and serving as an active layer, and an n-type layer composed of a Si-containing non-single crystal material, wherein the Ge content in said i-type layer varies in the direction of the thickness thereof, and a diamond layer having an uneven surface and containing a valence electron controlling agent is interposed between said conductive substrate and said semiconductor laminate, said diamond layer having polycrystallinity with a smooth polyhedral surface having an average radius of 0.05 to 5 μm, a thickness in the range of 0.1 to 5 μm, surface uneveness of 0.05 to 1S, 1-5 atomic % hydrogen content and a dark conductivity of 0.15/cm or more.
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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) | 1997-02-07 | 1997-08-09 | 1998-02-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2001-02-07 | 2001-08-09 | 2002-02-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
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