Thin film photovoltaic cell system and method of manufacture

US10297707B1 · kind B1 · utility

Inventors

• Tatiana Globus · Charlottesville, US
• Pineas Paxton Marshall · Charlottesville, US
• Boris Gelmont · Charlottesville, US
• Lloyd R. Harriott · Gillette, US
• Naser Alijabbari · Elkridge, US
• John C. Bean · New Providence, US
• Joe C. Campbell · Charlottesville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Sep 30, 2013
• Grant date: May 21, 2019
• Expiry date: Nov 17, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/50

Abstract

A photovoltaic structure for absorption from the solar spectrum, includes a light transmitting substrate layer, a transparent electrode layer on the substrate layer, a direct band-gap, wide band-gap, nanocrystalline or microcrystalline, think film semiconducting first layer on the transparent electrode layer, a second think film layer comprising a narrow band-gap semiconductor on the first layer a second electrode layer on the second think film layer, and a protective layer on the second electrode layer. The structure has a hetero-structure at the boundary between the wide-band-gap layer and the second thin film layer. The second layer can be chalcogenide salt having an average thickness of 0.4 to 1.2 μm, and preferably an average thickness of 0.5 to 0.6 μm. The chalcogenide salt layer is a lead chalcogenide, such as a nanocrystaline lead sulfide, nanocrystalline lead selenide, or a nanocrystalline lead telluride.