Method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device
US6365431B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 28, 2000 |
| Grant date | Apr 2, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 28, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F77/334
Abstract
This invention manufactures a photovoltaic device by the following process steps: a step to form a first electrode layer and a light-active semiconductor layer on an insulating surface of the substrate; a step to form a transparent conducting film over most of the insulating surface including the light-active semiconductor layer; a step to establish a patterned transparent protective layer on the transparent conducting film over power generating regions; and a step to irradiate ultraviolet laser light over most of the substrate to remove exposed portions of the transparent conducting film not masked by the pattered transparent protective layer and form a transparent conducting layer corresponding to the pattered transparent protective layer. The patterned transparent protective layer serves a dual purpose as masking material for removing the specified areas of the transparent conducting film by ultraviolet laser and as a transparent protective layer. Accordingly, material that is passed by visible light but not passed by ultraviolet light is used as the patterned transparent protective layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.