Low-cost solar cells and methods for their production
US7956283B2 · kind B2 · utility
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53References
18Claims
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Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 7, 2008 |
| Grant date | Jun 7, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 1, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02P70/50
Abstract
Methods for fabricating solar cells without the need to perform gasification of metallurgical-grade silicon are disclosed. Consequently, the costs and health and environmental hazards involved in fabricating the solar or silicon grade silicon are being avoided. A solar cell structure comprises a metallurgical grade doped silicon substrate and a thin-film structure formed over the substrate to form a p-i-n junction with the substrate. The substrate may be doped p-type, and the thin film structure may be an intrinsic amorphous layer formed over the substrate and an n-type amorphous layer formed over the intrinsic layer.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.