Substrate-free thin-film flexible photovoltaic device and fabrication method

US10580928B2 · US · B2

Patent metadata
FieldValue
Publication numberUS-10580928-B2
Application numberUS-201715671573-A
CountryUS
Kind codeB2
Filing dateAug 8, 2017
Priority dateJan 14, 2015
Publication dateMar 3, 2020
Grant dateMar 3, 2020

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  1. Title

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  2. Abstract

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  3. Assignees and inventors

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  4. Key dates

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  5. First independent claim

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  6. CPC / IPC classifications

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  7. Citations and related patents

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Abstract

Official abstract text for this publication.

A method for thermal exfoliation includes providing a target layer on a substrate to form a structure. A stressor layer is deposited on the target layer. The structure is placed in a temperature controlled environment to induce differential thermal expansion between the target layer and the substrate. The target layer is exfoliated from the substrate when a critical temperature is achieved such that the target layer is separated from the substrate to produce a standalone, thin film device.

First claim

Opening claim text (preview).

What is claimed is: 1. A photovoltaic device, comprising: an absorber layer having a back contact formed on the absorber layer, the back contact having an exposed surface free from a substrate; a transparent conductive layer formed on the absorber layer opposite the back contact; a top contact formed in contact with the transparent conductive layer; and a stressor layer formed over the top contact, wherein the stressor layer forms a superstrate. 2. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the top contact extends to a back surface of the photovoltaic device. 3. The device as recited in claim 2 , wherein the stressor layer includes an antireflection coating. 4. The device as recited in claim 2 , wherein the stressor layer includes an insulation layer. 5. The device as recited in claim 2 , wherein the stressor layer includes an encapsulation layer to encapsulate at least a portion of the device. 6. The device as recited in claim 2 , wherein the stressor layer is formed over the top contact and is opened to expose the top contact. 7. The device as recited in claim 1 , wherein the top contact extends perpendicularly to the absorber layer. 8. The device as recited claim 1 , wherein the stressor layer includes a metal. 9. The device as recited claim 1 , wherein the stressor layer includes an inorganic layer. 10. The device as recited claim 1 , wherein the stressor layer includes an adhesive film. 11. A photovoltaic device, comprising: an absorber layer having a back contact formed on the absorber layer, the back contact having an exposed surface free from a substrate; a transparent conductive layer formed on the absorber layer opposite the back contact; a top contact formed in contact with a portion of the transparent conductive layer; and a stressor layer formed over the top contact and a portion of the transparent conductive layer, wherein the stressor layer forms a superstrate. 12. The device as recited in claim 11 , wherein the top contact extends to a back surface of the photovoltaic device. 13. The device as recited in claim 12 , wherein the stressor layer includes an antireflection coating. 14. The device as recited in claim 12 , wherein the stressor layer includes an insulation layer. 15. The device as recited in claim 12 , wherein the stressor layer includes an encapsulation layer to encapsulate at least a portion of the device. 16. The device as recited in claim 12 , wherein the stressor layer is formed over the top contact and is opened to expose the top contact. 17. The device as recited in claim 11 , wherein the top contact extends perpendicularly to the absorber layer. 18. The device as recited claim 11 , wherein the stressor layer includes a metal. 19. The device as recited claim 11 , wherein the stressor layer includes an inorganic layer. 20. The device as recited claim 11 , wherein the stressor layer includes an adhesive film.

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What does patent US10580928B2 cover?
A method for thermal exfoliation includes providing a target layer on a substrate to form a structure. A stressor layer is deposited on the target layer. The structure is placed in a temperature controlled environment to induce differential thermal expansion between the target layer and the substrate. The target layer is exfoliated from the substrate when a critical temperature is achieved such…
Who is the assignee on this patent?
IBM, Solar Frontier Kk
What technology area does this patent fall under?
Primary CPC classification H01L31/1896. Mapped technology areas include Electricity.
When was this patent published?
Publication date Tue Mar 03 2020 00:00:00 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time) (B2). Legal status and post-grant events are not shown on this page.
What related patents are in patentsdb?
We list 1 related publication on this page (citations in our corpus or others sharing the same primary CPC).