Buffer Layers for Photovoltaic Devices with Group V Doping

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2021376177-A1
Application number	US-201917287988-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 23, 2019
Priority date	Oct 24, 2018
Publication date	Dec 2, 2021
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to the embodiments provided herein, a photovoltaic device can include a buffer layer adjacent to an absorber layer doped p-type with a group V dopant. The buffer layer can have a plurality of layers compatible with group V dopants.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A photovoltaic device comprising an absorber layer disposed over a buffer layer, wherein:
the absorber layer has a first surface and a second surface; the absorber layer comprises cadmium and tellurium; the absorber layer is doped with a group V dopant; and the buffer layer comprises a layer of MnO x .

2 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the layer of MnO x is adjacent to the first surface of the absorber layer.

3 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the layer of MnO x has a thickness of between 1 nm to 3 nm.

4 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein a peak concentration of the group V dopant within the absorber layer is at least 1×10 16 atoms/cm 3 .

5 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein:
the buffer layer has a first surface and a second surface adjacent to the absorber layer; the buffer layer comprises a base layer disposed at the first surface of the buffer layer, and an interface layer that is disposed at the second surface of the buffer layer; the base layer of the buffer layer comprises tin oxide; and the interface layer of the buffer layer is composed of a different material than the base layer of the buffer layer.

6 . The photovoltaic device of claim 5 , wherein the interface layer of the buffer layer comprises magnesium oxide.

7 . The photovoltaic device of claim 5 , wherein the interface layer of the buffer layer comprises zinc magnesium oxide.

8 . The photovoltaic device of claim 5 , wherein the interface layer of the buffer layer comprises silicon dioxide.

9 . The photovoltaic device of claim 5 , wherein the interface layer of the buffer layer is the layer of MnO x .

10 . The photovoltaic device of claim 5 , wherein the interface layer of the buffer layer comprises silicon nitride.

11 . The photovoltaic device of claim 5 , wherein the base layer of the buffer layer is thicker than the interface layer of the buffer layer.

12 . The photovoltaic device of claim 5 , wherein:
the buffer layer comprises an intermediate layers disposed between the base layer of the buffer layer and the interface layer of the buffer layer; and the intermediate layers of the buffer layer is composed of a different material than the base layer of the buffer layer and the interface layer of the buffer layer.

13 . The photovoltaic device of claim 12 , wherein the base layer of the buffer layer is thicker than the intermediate layer of the buffer layer.

14 . The photovoltaic device of claim 12 , wherein the intermediate layer of the buffer layer comprises zinc magnesium oxide.

15 . The photovoltaic device of claim 14 , wherein the interface layer of the buffer layer comprises silicon dioxide.

16 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the layer of MnO x is within 200 nm of the first surface of the absorber layer.

17 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the layer of MnO x is discontinuous.

18 . The photovoltaic device of claim 17 , wherein the layer of MnO x has a dosage of Mn that is at least 0.05 μg/cm 2 .

19 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the layer of MnO x comprises MnO 2 .

20 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the layer of MnO x comprises Mn 2 O 3 .

21 - 65 . (canceled)

Assignees

• First Solar Inc

Inventors

• Chen Le
• Grover Sachit
• Kephart Jason
• Kniajanski Sergei
• Lee Chungho
• Li Xiaoping
• Liao Feng
• Lu Dingyuan
• Mallick Rajni
• Wang Wenming
• Xiong Gang
• Zhang Wei

Classifications

• H10F77/1233

  characterised by the dopants · CPC title

• H10F10/162

  comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS/CdTe photovoltaic cells · CPC title

• H10F77/1696

  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

• H10F77/311 Primary

  for photovoltaic cells · CPC title