Process for fabricating polycrystalline semiconductor thin-film solar cells, and cells produced thereby
December 22, 2018. Estimated Expiration Date is calculated based on simple USPTO term provisions. It does not account for terminal disclaimers, term adjustments, failure to pay maintenance fees, or other factors which might affect the term of a patent.Patent ReferencesThin film photovoltaic cell and a method of manufacturing the same Method for making thin film cadmium telluride and related semiconductors for solar cells Method of making current collector grid and materials therefor Thin-film photovoltaic devices incorporating current collector grid and method of making Reactively-sputtered zinc semiconductor films of high conductivity for heterojunction devices Stable front contact current collector for photovoltaic devices and method of making same Process for fabricating thin film photovoltaic solar cells Method for producing transparent conductive films Photovoltaic cell and method Method of producing epoxy resin film InventorsApplicationNo. 218206 filed on 12/22/1998US Classes:136/260, Cadmium containing136/256, Contact, coating, or surface geometry136/265, Copper, lead, or zinc containing438/487Utilizing wave energy (e.g., laser, electron beam, etc.)ExaminersPrimary: Chapman, MarkAttorney, Agent or FirmInternational ClassH01L 031/00AbstractA novel, simplified method for fabricating a thin-film semiconductor heterojunction photovoltaic device includes initial steps of depositing a layer of cadmium stannate and a layer of zinc stannate on a transparent substrate, both by radio frequency sputtering at ambient temperature, followed by the depositing of dissimilar layers of semiconductors such as cadmium sulfide and cadmium telluride, and heat treatment to convert the cadmium stannate to a substantially single-phase material of a spinel crystal structure. Preferably, the cadmium sulfide layer is also deposited by radio frequency sputtering at ambient temperature, and the cadmium telluride layer is deposited by close space sublimation at an elevated temperature effective to convert the amorphous cadmium stannate to the polycrystalline cadmium stannate with single-phase spinel structure.Other References
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