Patent · US Expired

Method of manufacturing thin-film solar cells

US5994163A · kind A · utility

45Cited by
6References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateApr 17, 1997
Grant dateNov 30, 1999
Priority date
Expiry dateApr 17, 2017

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02P70/50
  • WIPO fieldSemiconductors
  • WIPO sectorElectrical engineering

Abstract

A method of manufacturing thin-film solar cells that include a layer of copper indium selenide (CuInSe.sub.2) that is applied in one manufacturing step onto a substrate that includes a metal layer that defines an electrical back contact layer of the solar cell. A layer that contains an alkali metal, such as sodium, is formed on the cell structure before the CuInSe.sub.2 layer is applied.

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