Granted Patent B1

US 9,136,422 · App. 13/354,175 · Granted Sep 15, 2015

Abstract

Claims (28)

1. A method for providing a textured layer in a photovoltaic device, the method comprising:

sequentially performing the steps of:

depositing a first layer of a first material on a substrate;

then depositing an island layer of a second material on the first layer, the depositing of the island layer including:

forming one or more islands of the second material to provide at least one textured surface of the island layer, wherein the at least one textured surface is operative to cause scattering of light;

then depositing a third layer of a third material, wherein the third layer further comprises any of a dielectric layer, a semiconductor contact layer, a transparent conductive oxide layer and a combination thereof; and

then lifting the device off the substrate, such that after the lift off the first layer is closer than the island layer to a light facing side of the device; wherein the device comprises the first layer, the island layer and the third layer.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more islands are formed using a Stranski-Krastanov process.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more islands are formed using a Volmer-Weber process.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the second material is transparent.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising depositing a metal reflective layer over the third layer.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the dielectric layer is provided with apertures allowing a conductive contact between the metal reflective layer and the semiconductor contact layer or the island layer.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the textured layer is a back reflector layer positioned further from the front of the photovoltaic device than a p-n junction of the photovoltaic device.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising depositing an anti-reflective coating on the island layer.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the formation of the one or more islands is controlled at least in part by a lattice mismatch between the first material and the second material.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the one or more islands include a plurality of islands, and wherein the plurality of islands have variable dimensions relative to each other, such that the textured surface causes light photons to scatter at randomized angles.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the second material is a semiconductor and includes at least one of the group consisting of: gallium, aluminum, indium, phosphorus, nitrogen, and arsenic.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the second material has a larger band gap than the first material.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein depositing the third layer of a third material further comprises:

sequentially depositing a semiconductor contact layer over the island layer; and depositing a dielectric layer over the semiconductor contact layer.

14. A textured layer in a photovoltaic device, the textured layer fabricated using the process of claim 1 .

15. A method for providing an photovoltaic device, the method comprising:

sequentially depositing an absorber layer;

then depositing an emitter layer;

then depositing a first layer of a first material over the emitter layer and the absorber layer;

then depositing an island layer of a second material on the first layer, including forming one or more islands of the second material during the deposition of the island layer to provide at least one textured surface operative to cause scattering of light; depositing a dielectric layer over the island layer; and

then depositing a metal layer over the dielectric layer; and

then lifting the device off the substrate, such that after the lift off the first layer is closer than the island layer to a light facing side of the device; wherein the device comprises the first layer, the island layer and the third layer.

Assignments (11)