Photovoltaic device back contact
A photovoltaic device back contact is disclosed. The back contact can include an indium nitride.
1 . A photovoltaic device comprising:
a substrate;
a transparent conductive oxide layer adjacent to the substrate;
a semiconductor layer adjacent to the transparent conductive oxide layer, the semiconductor layer comprising a semiconductor absorber layer and a semiconductor window layer; and
a back contact layer adjacent to the semiconductor layer, wherein the back contact layer comprises an indium nitride.
2 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the device has a reduced back-contact barrier effect compared to a metal back contact.
3 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , further comprising a back support adjacent to the back contact.
4 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a glass.
5 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor window layer comprises a cadmium sulfide.
6 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor absorber layer comprises a cadmium telluride.
7 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the transparent conductive oxide layer comprises a zinc oxide.
8 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the transparent conductive oxide layer comprises a tin oxide.
9 . The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the transparent conductive oxide layer comprises a cadmium stannate.
10 . A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device comprising the steps of:
depositing a transparent conductive oxide layer adjacent to a substrate;
depositing a semiconductor window layer adjacent to the transparent conductive oxide layer;
depositing a semiconductor absorber layer adjacent to the semiconductor window layer; and
depositing a back contact layer adjacent to the semiconductor absorber layer, wherein the back contact layer includes an indium nitride.
11 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the device has a reduced back-contact barrier effect compared to metal back contact.
12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising attaching a back support adjacent to the back contact layer.
13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of depositing the back contact layer comprises evaporation.
14 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of depositing the back contact layer comprises activation reactive evaporation.
15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of depositing the back contact layer comprises chemical vapor deposition.
16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of depositing the back contact layer comprises low-pressure organometallic chemical vapor deposition.
17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of depositing the back contact layer comprises sputtering.
18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the step of depositing the back contact layer comprises reactive sputtering.
19 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the semiconductor window layer comprises a cadmium sulfide and the semiconductor absorber layer comprises a cadmium telluride.
20 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the transparent conductive oxide layer comprises a zinc oxide, a tin oxide, or a cadmium stannate.