Patent · US Expired

Solar cells with low cost substrates and process of making same

US4482780A · kind A · utility

40Cited by
1References
15Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateNov 30, 1982
Grant dateNov 13, 1984
Priority date
Expiry dateNov 30, 2002

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P70/50

Abstract

A solar cell having a substrate and an intermediate recrystallized film and a semiconductor material capable of absorbing light with the substrate being selected from one of a synthetic organic resin, graphite, glass and a crystalline material having a grain size less than about 1 micron.sup.2. The intermediate recrystallized film has a grain size in the range of from about 10 microns.sup.2 to about 10,000 microns.sup.2 and a lattice mismatch with the semiconductor material not greater than about 4%. The semiconductor material has a grain size not less than about 10 microns.sup.2. An anti-reflective layer and electrical contact means are provided. Also disclosed is a subcombination of substrate, intermediate recrystallized film and semiconductor material. Also, methods of formulating the solar cell and subcombination are disclosed.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.