Patent · US Expired

Process for producing photovoltaic device

US6482668B2 · kind B2 · utility

6Cited by
6References
3Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMar 2, 1999
Grant dateNov 19, 2002
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 2, 2019

Classification

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

Abstract

In the step of forming a microcrystalline i-type semiconductor layer by high-frequency plasma CVD, wherein an area of the parallel-plate electrode is represented by S; a width of the discharge space in its direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the belt-like substrate, by Ws; a width of a region formed by the parallel-plate electrode together with its surrounding insulating region, in its direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the belt-like substrate, by Wc; a width of the belt-like substrate in the direction perpendicular to its transport, by Wk; a distance between the parallel-plate electrode and the belt-like substrate, by h; a power density at which crystal fraction begins to saturate at predetermined substrate temperature, material gas flow rate and pressure, by Pd; and a high-frequency power, by P,2h/(Ws−Wc)≧2.5, (Ws/h)×2(Ws−Wk)/[4h+(Ws−Wc) ]≧10, and P≧(10/8)×Pd×S.A microcrystalline semiconductor layer having lower characteristics distribution in the width direction of a belt-like substrate result, and photovoltaic devices having uniform photoelectric conversion efficiency can be mass-produced by a rol…

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