Technique and apparatus for depositing layers of semiconductors for solar cell and module fabrication
US7736940B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 2, 2005 |
| Grant date | Jun 15, 2010 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Dec 7, 2028 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E10/541
- WIPO fieldSemiconductors
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
The present invention advantageously provides for, in different embodiments, low-cost deposition techniques to form high-quality, dense, well-adhering Group IBIIIAVIA compound thin films with macro-scale as well as micro-scale compositional uniformities. It also provides methods to monolithically integrate solar cells made on such compound thin films to form modules. In one embodiment, there is provided a method of growing a Group IBIIIAVIA semiconductor layer on a base, and includes the steps of depositing on the base a nucleation and/or a seed layer and electroplating over the nucleation and/or the seed layer a precursor film comprising a Group IB material and at least one Group IIIA material, and reacting the electroplated precursor film with a Group VIA material. Other embodiments are also described.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.