SOLAR CELL WITH DIELECTRIC LAYER

1 . A solar cell, comprising:

a back contact layer;

an absorber layer above the back contact layer;

a dielectric layer above the absorber layer; and

a front contact layer above the dielectric layer.

2 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer is formed directly on the absorber layer, and the front contact layer is formed directly on the dielectric layer.

3 . The solar cell of claim 2 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises one of the group consisting of a silicon oxide, an aluminum oxide and a hafnium oxide.

4 . The solar cell of claim 2 wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness from about 0.1 nm to about 10 nm.

5 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises a material having a band gap greater than 3 eV.

6 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises a material having a dielectric constant in a range from about 3 to about 11.

7 . The solar cell of claim 1 , further comprising a buffer layer between the absorber layer and the dielectric layer.

8 . The solar cell of claim 7 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises one of the group consisting of a silicon oxide, an aluminum oxide and a hafnium oxide.

9 . The solar cell of claim 6 , wherein the buffer layer comprises one of the group consisting of cadmium sulfide and zinc sulfide.

10 . The solar cell of claim 8 wherein the dielectric layer has a thickness from about 0.1 nm to about 10 nm.

11 . The solar cell of claim 10 wherein the buffer layer has a non-zero thickness less than 90 nm.

12 . The solar cell of claim 9 wherein the buffer layer has a thickness in a range from about 3 nm to about 50 nm.

13 . The solar cell of claim 1 , wherein:

the dielectric layer is formed directly on the absorber layer, and the front contact layer is formed directly on the dielectric layer;

the dielectric layer has a thickness from about 0.1 nm to about 10 nm;

the dielectric layer comprises a material having a band gap greater than 3 eV; and

the dielectric layer comprises a material having a dielectric constant in a range from about 3 to about 11

14 . A solar cell comprising:

a back contact layer;

an absorber layer above the back contact layer;

a buffer layer on the absorber layer;

a dielectric layer on the buffer layer; and

a front contact layer on the dielectric layer.

15 . The solar cell of claim 14 , wherein:

the dielectric layer comprises one of the group consisting of a silicon oxide, an aluminum oxide and a hafnium oxide; and

the buffer layer comprises one of the group consisting of cadmium sulfide and zinc sulfide.

16 . The solar cell of claim 15 wherein

the buffer layer has a thickness in a range from about 3 nm to about 50 nm; and

the dielectric layer has a thickness from about 1 nm to about 5 nm.

17 . A method of fabricating a solar cell, comprising:

forming a back contact layer over a substrate;

forming an absorber layer above the back contact layer;

forming a dielectric layer above the absorber layer; and

forming a front contact layer above the dielectric layer.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the dielectric layer is formed directly on the absorber layer, and the front contact layer is formed directly on the dielectric layer.

19 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising forming a buffer layer on the absorber layer, wherein the dielectric layer is formed on the buffer layer.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the dielectric layer comprises one of the group consisting of a silicon oxide, an aluminum oxide and a hafnium oxide.