Solar cell with delta doping layer

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9178098-B2
Application number	US-201213407924-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 29, 2012
Priority date	Feb 29, 2012
Publication date	Nov 3, 2015
Grant date	Nov 3, 2015

Abstract

A solar cell including a base region, a back surface field layer and a delta doping layer positioned between the base region and the back surface field layer.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar cell comprising:
a base region including an active junction, said base region comprising a first side and a second side opposed from said first side;
an intrinsic region directly contacting said first side of said base region;
an emitter region located on said first side of said base region and directly contacting said intrinsic region such that said intrinsic region is located between said base region and said emitter region;
a delta doping layer directly contacting said second side of said base region, said delta doping layer comprising a dopant selected from the group consisting of carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, lead and combinations thereof, wherein said delta doping layer comprises an average layer thickness ranging from about 5 nanometers to about 15 nanometers, wherein said delta doping layer comprises said dopant at a concentration of at least 1×10 19 atoms per cm 3 ; and
a back surface field layer comprising AlGaAs or AGaInP, said back surface field layer directly contacting a surface of said delta doping layer opposite said base region such that said delta doping layer is disposed directly contacting and between said base region and said back surface field layer.

2. The solar cell of claim 1 wherein said delta doping layer comprises dopant at a concentration of at least 1×10 20 atoms per cm 3 .

3. The solar cell of claim 1 formed as a multijunction solar cell.

4. The solar cell of claim 1 further comprising a window, wherein said emitter region is positioned between said base region and said window.

5. A solar cell comprising:
a base region including an active junction, said base region comprising a first side and a second side opposed from said first side;
an intrinsic region directly contacting said first side of said base region;
an emitter region located on said first side of said base region and directly contacting said intrinsic region such that said intrinsic region is located between said base region and said emitter region;
a first back surface field layer located on said second side of said base region, said first back surface field layer comprising AlGaAs or AlGaInP;
a second back surface field layer located on said second side of siade base region, said second back surface field layer comprising AlGaAs or AlGaInP; and
a delta doping layer positioned between and directly contacting said first back surface field layer and said second back surface field layer, said delta doping layer comprising a dopant selected from the group consisting of carbon, silicon, germanium, tin, lead, and combinations thereof, wherein said delta doping layer comprises and average layer thickness ranging from 5 nanometers to about 15 nanometers, wherein said delta doping layer comprises said dopant at a concentration of at least 1×10 19 atoms per cm 3 .

6. The solar cell of claim 5 , wherein said delta doping layer comprises dopant at a concentration of at least 1×10 20 atoms per cm 3 .

7. The solar cell of claim 5 formed as a multijunction solar cell.

8. The solar cell of claim 5 , further comprising a window, wherein said emitter region is positioned between said base region and said window.

Assignees

• Liu Xing-Quan
• Fetzer Christopher M
• Law Daniel C
• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Liu Xing-Quan
• Fetzer Christopher M
• Law Daniel C

Classifications

• Y02E10/544

  Solar cells from Group III-V materials · CPC title

• H10F77/1243

  characterised by the dopants · CPC title

• H10F77/124

  comprising only Group III-V materials, e.g. GaAs · CPC title

• H10F10/144

  comprising only Group III-V materials, e.g. GaAs,AlGaAs, or InP photovoltaic cells · CPC title

• H10F10/142

  comprising multiple PN homojunctions, e.g. tandem cells · CPC title