Photovoltaic cell having a substrate glass made of aluminosilicate glass

US9023745B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Schott AG · DE

Inventors

• Jorg Fechner · Mainz, DE
• Christof Kass · Tirschenreuth, DE
• Franz Ott · Mitterteich, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 27, 2012
• Grant date: May 5, 2015
• Expiry date: Apr 3, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E10/541
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A photovoltaic cell, for example a thin-film photovoltaic cell, having a substrate glass made of aluminosilicate glass, has a glass composition which has SiO2 and Al2O3 as well as the alkali metal oxide Na2O and the alkaline earth oxides CaO, MgO, and BaO, and optionally further components. The glass composition includes 10 to 16 wt.-% Na2O, >0 to <5 wt.-% CaO, and >1 to 10 wt.-% BaO, and the ratio of CaO:MgO is in the range of 0.5 to 1.7. The aluminosilicate glass used is crystallization stable because of the selected quotient of CaO/MgO and has a transformation temperature >580° C. and a processing temperature <1200° C. Therefore, it represents a more thermally stable alternative to soda-lime glass. The aluminosilicate glass is used as a substrate glass, superstrate glass, and/or cover glass for a photovoltaic cells, for example for thin-film photovoltaic cells, in particular those based on semiconductor composite material, such as CdTe, CIS, or CIGS.