Manufacturing method for thin-film solar cells
US6635307B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Dec 12, 2001 |
| Grant date | Oct 21, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 18, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH10F71/00
- WIPO fieldSurface technology, coating
- WIPO sectorChemistry
Abstract
A method for depositing a coating onto a solid substrate for the fabrication of a functional layer in a solar cell device wherein the functional layer is used as an anti-reflection layer, an active layer for photon absorption and charge generation, a buffer layer, a window layer, or an electrode layer. The method includes: (a) providing an ionized arc nozzle that includes a consumable electrode, a non-consumable electrode, and a working gas flow to form an ionized arc between the two electrodes, wherein the consumable electrode provides a metal material vaporizable therefrom by the ionized arc; (b) operating the arc nozzle to heat and at least partially vaporize the metal material for providing a stream of nanometer-sized vapor clusters of the metal material into a coating chamber in which the substrate is disposed; (c) introducing a stream of a reactive gas into the coating chamber to impinge upon the stream of metal vapor clusters and exothermically react therewith to produce substantially nanometer-sized compound semiconductor or ceramic clusters; and (d) directing the compound semiconductor or ceramic clusters to deposit onto the substrate for forming the coating.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.