Photoelectric conversion element and method for manufacturing the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016285022-A1
Application number	US-201615070776-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 15, 2016
Priority date	Mar 25, 2015
Publication date	Sep 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to one embodiment, a photoelectric conversion element includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer and a first layer. The photoelectric conversion layer is provided between the first electrode and the second electrode. The first layer is provided between the first electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer. The first layer includes at least a first metal oxide. The first layer has a plurality of orientation planes. At least one of the orientation planes satisfies the relationship L1>L2, where L1 is a length of the one of the plurality of orientation planes, and L2 is a thickness of the first layer along a first direction. The first direction is from the first electrode toward the second electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A photoelectric conversion element, comprising:
a first electrode; a second electrode; a photoelectric conversion layer provided between the first electrode and the second electrode; and a first layer provided between the first electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer, the first layer including at least a first metal oxide, the first layer having a plurality of orientation planes, at least one of the orientation planes satisfying the relationship L 1 >L 2 , where L 1 is a length of the one of the plurality of orientation planes along a direction crossing a first direction, and L 2 is a thickness of the first layer along the first direction, the first direction being from the first electrode toward the second electrode.

2 . The element according to claim 1 , wherein
one end of the one of the orientation planes contacts a first adjacent layer adjacent to the first layer, and one other end of the one of the orientation planes contacts a second adjacent layer other than the first adjacent layer, the second adjacent layer being adjacent to the first layer.

3 . The element according to claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of orientation planes is tilted with respect to the first direction.

4 . The element according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first layer is not less than 2 nanometers and not more than 18 nanometers.

5 . The element according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first layer is not less than 2 nanometers and not more than 9 nanometers.

6 . The element according to claim 1 , wherein the first metal oxide includes at least zinc oxide.

7 . The element according to claim 1 , further comprising a second layer provided between the second electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer, the second layer including at least a second metal oxide.

8 . The element according to claim 7 , wherein the second metal oxide includes at least vanadium oxide.

9 . The element according to claim 7 , wherein a thickness along the first direction of the second layer is 10 nanometers or more.

10 . The element according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of orientation planes is arranged periodically.

11 . The element according to claim 6 , wherein the zinc oxide includes at least one selected from
a first partial structure of ZnO n1 R, a second partial structure of ZnO(H 2 O)R, and ZnO(OH) n2 R.

12 . A method for manufacturing a photoelectric conversion element, the element including a first electrode, a second electrode, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a first layer, the photoelectric conversion layer being provided between the first electrode and the second electrode, the first layer being provided between the first electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer and including at least a first metal oxide, the first layer having a plurality of orientation planes, at least one of the orientation planes satisfying the relationship L 1 >L 2 , where L 1 is a length of the one of the plurality of orientation planes along a direction crossing a first direction, and L 2 is a thickness of the first layer along the first direction, the first direction being from the first electrode toward the second electrode, the method comprising:
forming a first electrode film serving as the first electrode,
forming a film of a precursor solution by coating the precursor solution onto the first electrode film, the film of the precursor solution serving as the first layer.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein a weight percent concentration of zinc in the precursor solution is 2% or less.

14 . The method according to claim 12 , comprising heating at a temperature of not less than 100° C. and not more than 500° C. after the forming of the film of the precursor solution.

15 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the thickness of the first layer is not less than 2 nanometers and not more than 18 nanometers.

16 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein
the photoelectric conversion element further includes a second layer, and the second layer includes a metal oxide and is provided between the second electrode and the photoelectric conversion layer.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the second layer includes at least vanadium oxide.

18 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein a thickness along the first direction of the second layer is 10 nanometers or more.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk

Inventors

• Gotanda Takeshi
• Jung Hyangmi
• Iida Atsuko
• Saito Mitsunaga
• Nakano Yoshihiko

Classifications

• H10K30/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] devices · CPC title

• H01L51/4253

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L2031/0344

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L2251/303

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L51/0021

  Electricity · mapped topic