US5676765A
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Pin junction photovoltaic device having a multi-layered I-type semiconductor layer with a specific non-single crystal I-type layer formed by a microwave plasma CVD process
Assignee: Canon Inc
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Filing: 1995-03-27
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Granted: 1997-10-14
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Expires: 2015-03-27
Abstract
Abstract A photovoltaic element comprising a substrate and a multi-layered semiconductor active layer having a pin junction structure disposed on said substrate, said multi-layered semiconductor layer comprising a non-single crystal semiconductor layer of n- or p-type, a non-single crystal i-type semiconductor layer and a non-single crystal semiconductor layer of p- or n-type being stacked in this order from the substrate side, characterized in that said i-type semiconductor layer comprises a three-layered structure comprising a non-single crystal layer (b) formed by means of a microwave plasma CVD process interposed between a pair of non-single crystal layers (a) and (c) each formed by means of a RF plasma CVD process, and said i-type layer (b) is a non-single crystal i-type layer formed by means of the microwave plasma process from a mixture of a silane series gas not containing chlorine atom(s), a chlorine-containing raw material gas in an amount of 10% or less of the total amount of the chlorine-free silane series gas and the chlorine-containing raw material gas, and hydrogen gas.
Inventors
- 👤 Keishi Saito
- 👤 Koichi Matsuda
- 👤 Hiroshi Shimoda
- 👤 Yusuke Miyamoto
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 00:20
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/17; H10F10/172; H10F71/00; H10F71/10; H10F71/103; H10F71/107; H10F77/00; H10F77/40; H10F77/42; H10F77/48; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50; Y02E10/52; Y02E10/548; Y02P; Y02P70/00; Y02P70/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
169 words
A photovoltaic element comprising a substrate and a multi-layered semiconductor active layer having a pin junction structure disposed on said substrate, said multi-layered semiconductor layer comprising a non-single crystal semiconductor layer of n- or p-type, a non-single crystal i-type semiconductor layer and a non-single crystal semiconductor layer of p- or n-type being stacked in this order from the substrate side, characterized in that said i-type semiconductor layer comprises a three-layered structure comprising a non-single crystal layer (b) formed by means of a microwave plasma CVD process interposed between a pair of non-single crystal layers (a) and (c) each formed by means of a RF plasma CVD process, and said i-type layer (b) is a non-single crystal i-type layer formed by means of the microwave plasma process from a mixture comprising a silane series gas not containing chlorine atom(s), a chlorine-containing raw material gas in an amount of 10% or less of the total amount of the chlorine-free silane series gas and the chlorine-containing raw material gas, and hydrogen gas.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
169 words
A photovoltaic element comprising a substrate and a multi-layered semiconductor active layer having a pin junction structure disposed on said substrate, said multi-layered semiconductor layer comprising a non-single crystal semiconductor layer of n- or p-type, a non-single crystal i-type semiconductor layer and a non-single crystal semiconductor layer of p- or n-type being stacked in this order from the substrate side, characterized in that said i-type semiconductor layer comprises a three-layered structure comprising a non-single crystal layer (b) formed by means of a microwave plasma CVD process interposed between a pair of non-single crystal layers (a) and (c) each formed by means of a RF plasma CVD process, and said i-type layer (b) is a non-single crystal i-type layer formed by means of the microwave plasma process from a mixture comprising a silane series gas not containing chlorine atom(s), a chlorine-containing raw material gas in an amount of 10% or less of the total amount of the chlorine-free silane series gas and the chlorine-containing raw material gas, and hydrogen gas.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein the chlorine-containing raw material gas is SiH 2 Cl 2 .
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
23 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein the i-type layer (b) contains an element belonging to group IIIA of the periodic table.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
23 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 3, wherein the element is selected from the group consisting of B, Al, Ga, In, and Tl.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein the i-type layer (b) contains an element belonging to group VA of the periodic table.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 5, wherein the element is selected from the group consisting of P, AS, Sb, and Pb.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein in the formation of the i-type layer (b), the amount of the chlorine-containing raw material gas is graded so as to decrease in the thickness direction toward the n-type semiconductor layer or the p-type semiconductor layer.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
46 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein in the formation of the i-type layer (b), the amount of the chlorine-containing raw material gas is graded so as to decrease in the thickness direction toward the n-type semiconductor layer and also toward the p-type semiconductor layer.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein the i-type layer (D) contains a band gap decreasing element.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 9, wherein the band gap decreasing element is selected from the group consisting of Ge and Sn.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein the formation of the i-type layer (b) is conducted under a vacuum of 20 mTorr or less.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein each of the i-type layers (a) and (c) is formed at a lower substrate temperature than that at which the i-type layer (b) is formed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
27 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein the i-type layer (b) contains one or more elements selected from the group consisting of C, O, and N.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
18 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 1, wherein the non-single crystal layer (b) contains silicon and germanium atoms.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
176 words
A photovoltaic element comprising a substrate and a plurality of multi-layered semiconductor active layers each having a pin junction structure disposed on said substrate, each of said plurality of multi-layered semiconductor layers comprising a non-single crystal semiconductor layer of n- or p-type, a non-single crystal i-type semiconductor layer and a non-single crystal semiconductor layer of p- or n-type being stacked in this order from the substrate side, characterized in that each said i-type semiconductor layer comprises a three-layered structure comprising a non-single crystal layer (b) formed by means of a microwave plasma CVD process interposed between a pair of non-single crystal layers (a) and (c) each formed by means of a RF plasma CVD process, and each said i-type layer (b) is a non-single crystal i-type layer formed by means of the microwave plasma process from a mixture comprising a silane series gas not containing chlorine atom(s), a chlorine-containing raw material gas in an amount of 10% of the total amount of the chlorine-free silane series gas and the chlorine-containing raw material gas, and hydrogen gas.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
176 words
A photovoltaic element comprising a substrate and a plurality of multi-layered semiconductor active layers each having a pin junction structure disposed on said substrate, each of said plurality of multi-layered semiconductor layers comprising a non-single crystal semiconductor layer of n- or p-type, a non-single crystal i-type semiconductor layer and a non-single crystal semiconductor layer of p- or n-type being stacked in this order from the substrate side, characterized in that each said i-type semiconductor layer comprises a three-layered structure comprising a non-single crystal layer (b) formed by means of a microwave plasma CVD process interposed between a pair of non-single crystal layers (a) and (c) each formed by means of a RF plasma CVD process, and each said i-type layer (b) is a non-single crystal i-type layer formed by means of the microwave plasma process from a mixture comprising a silane series gas not containing chlorine atom(s), a chlorine-containing raw material gas in an amount of 10% of the total amount of the chlorine-free silane series gas and the chlorine-containing raw material gas, and hydrogen gas.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
A photovoltaic element according to claim 14, wherein the non-single crystal layer (b) contains silicon and germanium atoms.
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) | 2000-10-13 | 2001-04-14 | 2001-10-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2004-10-13 | 2005-04-14 | 2005-10-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2008-10-13 | 2009-04-14 | 2009-10-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |