IP Library Patent Application 12760633
Patent Application
App. No. 12/760,633

SOLAR CELL AND METHOD OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US None
App. No.
12/760,633
Abstract

A solar cell including: a semiconductor substrate including a p-type layer and an n-type layer; a dielectric layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate and including a silicate represented by the following Chemical Formula 1 x M 2 O 3 .y SiO 2   Chemical Formula 1 wherein M is a Group 13 element and x and y are real numbers wherein 0<2 x <y and x+y=1; a first electrode in electrical communication with the p-type layer of the semiconductor substrate; and a second electrode in electrical communication with the n-type layer of the semiconductor substrate.

Claims (34)

1 . A solar cell comprising:

a semiconductor substrate including a p-type layer and an n-type layer;

a dielectric layer disposed on the semiconductor substrate and including a silicate represented by the following Chemical Formula 1:

x M 2 O 3 .y SiO 2   Chemical Formula 1

wherein M is a Group 13 element and x and y are real numbers wherein 0<2x<y and x+y=1;

a first electrode in electrical communication with the p-type layer of the semiconductor substrate; and

a second electrode in electrical communication with the n-type layer of the semiconductor substrate.

2 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein M comprises boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, thallium, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

3 . The solar cell of claim 2 , wherein M comprises boron or aluminum.

4 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness of about 1 nanometer to about 100 nanometers.

5 . The solar cell of claim 1 , further comprising a protective layer disposed on a surface of the dielectric layer, wherein the protective layer has a refractive index which is lower than a refractive index of the dielectric layer.

6 . The solar cell of claim 5 , wherein the protective layer comprises silicon nitride, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

7 . The solar cell of claim 5 , wherein the protective layer has a thickness of about 100 nanometers to about 700 nanometers.

8 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor substrate further comprises a first side and an opposite second side, the dielectric layer is disposed on the first side of semiconductor substrate, and

the solar cell further comprises an anti-reflection coating disposed on the second side of the semiconductor substrate.

9 . The solar cell of claim 8 , wherein the n-type layer is adjacent to the first side of the semiconductor substrate and the p-type layer is adjacent to the second side of the semiconductor substrate.

10 . The solar cell of claim 8 , wherein the p-type layer is adjacent to the first side of the semiconductor substrate and the n-type layer is adjacent to the second side of the semiconductor substrate.

11 . A method of manufacturing a solar cell, the method comprising:

disposing a semiconductor substrate including a p-type layer and an n-type layer;

disposing a dielectric layer including a silicate represented by the following Chemical Formula 1 on a side of the semiconductor substrate:

x M 2 O 3 .y SiO 2   Chemical Formula 1

wherein M is a Group 13 element and x and y are real numbers wherein 0<2x<y and x+y=1;

disposing a first electrode in electrical communication with the p-type layer of the semiconductor substrate; and

disposing a second electrode in electrical communication with the n-type layer of the semiconductor substrate to form the solar cell.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein M comprises boron, aluminum, gallium, indium, thallium, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein M comprises boron or aluminum.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the disposing of the dielectric layer comprises disposing a silicon source, an M source, and an oxygen-containing gas.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the silicon source comprises a compound including silicon, the compound including silicon having a moiety covalently bonded to the silicon, the moiety being hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C30 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C3 to C30 cycloalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C6 to C30 aromatic group, a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C30 alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted amide group, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the silicon source comprises tetraethoxysilane.

17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the M source comprises a compound including a Group 13 element, the compound including the Group 13 element having a moiety covalently bonded to the Group 13 element, the moiety being hydrogen, a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C30 alkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C3 to C30 cycloalkyl group, a substituted or unsubstituted C6 to C30 aromatic group, a substituted or unsubstituted C1 to C30 alkoxy group, a substituted or unsubstituted amide group, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the Group 13 element is boron or aluminum.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the M source comprises trimethylaluminum, trimethylboron, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the oxygen-containing gas comprises oxygen, ozone, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing.

21 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the disposing of the dielectric layer comprises atomic layer deposition or plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition.

Assignments (2)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 21, 2011
From: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.; SAMSUNG SDI CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 026627/0129 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 15, 2010
From: LEE, JUNG-HYUN; LEE, CHANG-SOO; MA, DONG-JOON
To: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 024237/0047 →