Solar cell

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9941424-B2
Application number	US-201113878307-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 27, 2011
Priority date	Oct 6, 2010
Publication date	Apr 10, 2018
Grant date	Apr 10, 2018

Abstract

A solar cell according to the embodiment includes a substrate; a first electrode layer on a substrate; a light absorbing layer on the first electrode layer; a second electrode layer including a transmissive conductive material on the light absorbing layer; and a grid electrode including a transmissive conductive material on the second electrode layer.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A solar cell comprising:
a substrate;
a first electrode layer on the substrate;
a light absorbing layer on the first electrode layer;
a second electrode layer including a transmissive conductive material on the light absorbing layer,
wherein the second electrode layer includes a bottom surface and a top surface opposite from the bottom surface; and
a grid electrode protruded from the top surface of the second electrode layer,
wherein the grid electrode includes a top surface and a bottom portion adjacent to the top surface of the second electrode layer;
wherein a width of the bottom portion of the grid electrode is greater than a width of the top surface of the grid electrode;
wherein the grid electrode comprises the same material as that of the second electrode layer;
wherein the grid electrode is integrally formed with the second electrode layer;
wherein the first electrode comprises Mo, Cu, Ni, or Al;
wherein the first electrode is in direct physical contact with the substrate;
wherein the light absorbing layer comprises Cu—In—Ga—Se (CIGS) compounds, Cu—In—Se— (CIS) compounds, or Cu—Ga—Se (CGS) compounds;
wherein the second electrode layer has a thickness in a range of from 0.5 mm to 1 mm;
wherein a thickness of the grid electrode is greater than a thickness of the second electrode layer; and
wherein a ratio of a thickness of the grid electrode to a thickness of the second electrode layer is in a range of from 1.5 to 3.

2. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the grid electrode includes a transparent conductive material.

3. The solar cell of claim 2 , wherein the grid electrode includes at least one selected from the group consisting of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO), fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO), gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO), and boron-doped zinc oxide (BZO).

4. The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the second electrode layer has the characteristics of an N type semiconductor.

Assignees

• Bae Do Won
• Pak Hisun
• Lg Innotek Co Ltd

Inventors

• Bae Do Won
• Pak Hisun

Classifications

• H01L31/022466

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/0468

  Electricity · mapped topic

• Y02E10/541

  CuInSe2 material PV cells · CPC title

• H01L31/022433 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic

• H01L31/022425

  Electricity · mapped topic