IP Library Granted Patent US 8,513,044
Granted Patent B2
US 8,513,044 · App. 13/319,356 · Granted Aug 20, 2013

Method for the manufacturing of thin film photovoltaic converter device

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,513,044
App. No.
13/319,356
Granted
Aug 20, 2013
Kind
B2
Abstract

So as to improve efficiency of a thin-film photovoltaic converter device, during manufacturing of which an intermediate product module is manufactured, which comprises deposition of at least one positively doped, at least one intrinsic and at least one negatively doped silicon-based layer, the addressed intermediate product module is subjected to an annealing step during which the module is subjected to a temperature of between 100° C. to 200° C. during a time span of half an hour to four hours.

Claims (26)

1. A method for manufacturing a thin film photovoltaic converter device, comprising:

manufacturing an intermediate product module comprising the steps of:

depositing at least one positively doped, at least one intrinsic, and at least one negatively doped silicon based layer, and

subjecting said intermediate product module to annealing step comprising subjecting said module to a temperature of between 100° C. to 200° C. during a time span of half an hour to four hours,

wherein manufacturing said intermediate product module further comprises, after said depositing of said silicon based layers, depositing a back contact and a reflector, or a back contact/reflector, by sputtering, said annealing step being performed during said depositing by sputtering.

2. A method for manufacturing a thin film photovoltaic converter device, comprising:

manufacturing an intermediate product module comprising the steps of:

depositing at least one positively doped, at least one intrinsic, and at least one negatively doped silicon based layer, and

subjecting said intermediate product module to one of a plurality of annealing steps, each of the annealing steps comprising subjecting said module to a temperature of between 100° C. to 200° C. during a time span of half an hour to four hours,

wherein said manufacturing said intermediate product module further comprises, after said depositing of said silicon based layers, repeatedly depositing a back contact and a reflector, or a back contact/reflector, one of the annealing steps being performed after each of the repeated depositions.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

depositing said back reflector of white paint.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said annealing step is performed in a vacuum atmosphere.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein said annealing step is performed in an atmosphere containing selected gaseous species.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein said gaseous species comprises at least one of Ar and N.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said manufacturing of said intermediate product module further comprises depositing at least one of an intrinsic hydrogenated microcrystalline Silicon layer and of at least one intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon layer.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said manufacturing of said intermediate product module further comprises patterning all layers except said front contact by laser scribing and further comprises contacting.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said manufacturing of said intermediate product module further comprises applying a front contact to a substrate of one or more than one layer of transparent conductive materials and patterning said front contact.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the transparent conductive materials comprise one or more doped conductive oxides, and

wherein said patterning is performed by laser scribing.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein said manufacturing of said intermediate product module further comprises depositing of one of said positively doped or of one of said negatively doped layers after applying and patterning said front contact, thereupon one of said intrinsic layers substantially of amorphous silicon, and thereupon one of said negatively doped or of one of said positively doped layers.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein said manufacturing of said intermediate product module further comprises applying an intermediate layer.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein said manufacturing of said intermediate product module further comprises depositing of one further of said negatively doped or of one further of said positively doped layers, thereupon one of said intrinsic layers substantially of microcrystalline silicon, and thereupon, respectively, one further of said positively doped or of one further of said negatively doped layers.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said manufacturing of said intermediate product module further comprises patterning subsequently all layers except said front contact by further laser scribing.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said manufacturing of said intermediate product module further comprises performing patterning of all layers except said front contact after the repeated depositions of the back contact and the reflector or the back contact/reflector.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein said manufacturing of said intermediate product module further comprises deposition of a back contact, then performing patterning all layers except said front contact by laser scribing, contacting and then applying at least a part of a reflector.

Assignments (3)
LICENSE Recorded Aug 1, 2014
From: TEL SOLAR AG
To: OERLIKON TRADING AG
Reel/Frame 033460/0606 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jun 10, 2013
From: OERLIKON SOLAR AG, TRUBBACH
To: TEL SOLAR AG
Reel/Frame 030578/0289 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 5, 2012
From: KUPICH, MARKUS
To: OERLIKON SOLAR AG, TRUEBBACH
Reel/Frame 027484/0576 →