Method for producing a CdTe solar cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11081616-B2
Application number	US-201916422008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 24, 2019
Priority date	Jun 4, 2018
Publication date	Aug 3, 2021
Grant date	Aug 3, 2021

Abstract

A method for producing a CdTe solar cell is provided, wherein at least the following layers are deposited on a glass substrate within a vacuum chamber: a TCO layer acting as a frontal contact; at least one CdTe layer; a thin layer of a chlorine-containing compound, and an electrically conductive layer acting as a return contact. Here, a maximally 20 nm thick passivation layer made from CdS, in which chemically non-bound oxygen is embedded, is deposited on the TCO layer prior to deposition of at least one CdTe-layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for producing a CdTe solar cell, the method comprising:
depositing at least the following layers on a glass substrate: a TCO layer acting as a front contact; at least one CdTe layer; a thin layer of a chlorine-containing compound; and an electrically conductive layer acting as back contact, wherein before the deposition of the at least one CdTe layer, a passivation layer with a maximum thickness of 20 nm is deposited by sublimation of CdS, wherein the CdS used for depositing the passivation layer is thermally heated until it sublimates, and the passivation layer is deposited in the presence of an oxygen plasma, the passivation layer comprising CdS in which chemically non-bound oxygen is embedded.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxygen plasma is generated by means of a glow discharge or arc discharge.

Assignees

• Fraunhofer Ges Forschung

Inventors

• Hirsch Daniel
• Zywitzki Olaf
• Modes Thomas
• Werner Torsten
• Kopte Torsten
• Metzner Christoph

Classifications

• H10F77/1696 Primary

  the films including Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdTe or CdS · CPC title

• H10F77/123

  comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS, ZnS or HgCdTe · CPC title

• H10F71/1257 Primary

  comprising growth substrates not made of Group II-VI materials · CPC title

• H10F71/125

  The active layers comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS, ZnS or CdTe · CPC title

• H10F71/00

  Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) · CPC title