Solar cell having electrochromic portion inserted thereinto and method of fabricating the same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019006538-A1
Application number	US-201816013939-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 21, 2018
Priority date	Jun 30, 2017
Publication date	Jan 3, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a solar cell having an electrochromic portion inserted thereinto and a method of fabricating the same. The solar cell includes a light-transmitting portion formed on a substrate and an electrochromic portion formed at the light-transmitting portion and having an electrochromic property, so that beauty may be improved through the color implementation, light transmittance may also be adjusted according to an external environment, and thus it is possible to flexibly cope with a change in external environment.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A solar cell having an electrochromic portion inserted thereinto, the solar cell comprising:
a back electrode layer disposed on a substrate; a light-absorbing layer disposed on the back electrode layer; a front electrode layer and a buffer layer disposed on the light-absorbing layer; a light-transmitting portion including a light-transmitting region dividing the back electrode layer into multiple portions; an electrochromic portion provided in the light-transmitting portion and including a color adjustment region formed so as to implement a variety of colors according to applied voltage; a first pattern portion disposed at one side of the electrochromic portion and partially exposing the back electrode layer through an opening in the light-absorbing layer and the buffer layer; and a second pattern portion partially exposing the back electrode layer through an opening in the front electrode layer in the presence of a connection wiring formed of a transparent conductive material inserted into the inside of the first pattern portion during a formation of the front electrode layer in the first pattern portion.

2 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrochromic portion changes a color by changing transparency according to voltage applied to the portion between the back electrode layers.

3 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrochromic portion is formed to have the same height as that of the light-absorbing layer.

4 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrochromic portion is formed higher than an upper surface of the back electrode layer and lower than an upper surface of the light-absorbing layer.

5 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrochromic portion has a structure capable of changing a color through an electrochemical oxidation-reduction reaction and includes an electrochromic component and an electrolyte layer.

6 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the electrochromic portion is formed to partially overlap the back electrode layer.

7 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein a barrier for blocking an electric current flow is formed from an upper surface of the back electrode layer to an upper surface of the buffer layer in a way that it contacts the electrochromic portion from a side.

8 . A method of fabricating a solar cell having an electrochromic portion inserted thereinto, the method comprising:
forming back electrode layers on a substrate so as to be spaced apart from each other at an interval; disposing a mask on the back electrode layers and depositing a light-transmitting portion in a light-transmitting region on a substrate on which the mask is not formed; inserting, into the light-transmitting portion, an electrochromic portion including a color adjustment region formed so as to implement a variety of colors according to applied voltage; forming a buffer layer and a light-absorbing layer, on the back electrode layer and the electrochromic portion; forming a first pattern portion at one side of the electrochromic portion so as to partially expose the back electrode layer; forming a front electrode layer on the buffer layer and in the first pattern portion and forming a connection wiring by inserting a transparent conductive material into the inside of the first pattern portion during the formation of the front electrode layer in the first pattern portion; and forming, in the first pattern portion, a second pattern portion partially exposing the back electrode layer through an opening in the front electrode layer.

9 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrochromic portion changes a color by changing transparency according to voltage applied to the portion between the back electrode layers.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrochromic portion is formed to have the same height as that of the light-absorbing layer.

11 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrochromic portion is formed higher than an upper surface of the back electrode layer and lower than an upper surface of the light-absorbing layer.

12 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrochromic portion has a structure capable of changing a color through an electrochemical oxidation-reduction reaction and includes an electrochromic component and an electrolyte layer.

13 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the electrochromic portion is formed to partially overlap the back electrode layer.

14 . The method of claim 8 , wherein after the formation of the first pattern portion, a barrier for blocking an electric current flow is formed from an upper surface of the back electrode layer to an upper surface of the buffer layer in a way that it contacts the electrochromic portion from a side.

Assignees

• Korea Inst Energy Res

Inventors

• Cho Ara
• Cho Junsik
• Yun Jaeho
• Ahn Sejin
• Gwak Jihye
• Yoo Jinsu
• Ahn Seungkyu
• Park Joohyung
• Eo Youngjoo
• Kim Kihwan

Classifications

• H01L31/022425 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G02F1/1533

  structural features not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• G02F1/163

  Operation of electrochromic cells, e.g. electrodeposition cells; Circuit arrangements therefor · CPC title

• H01L31/055

  Electricity · mapped topic

• G02F1/157

  Structural association of cells with optical devices, e.g. reflectors or illuminating devices · CPC title