IP Library Granted Patent US 8,916,771
Granted Patent B2
US 8,916,771 · App. 12/872,891 · Granted Dec 23, 2014

Photovoltaic device and method for manufacturing the same

Inventor: Seung-Yeop Myong (Seoul, KR)
Assignee: Intellectual Discovery Co., Ltd.
H01L31/076H01L27/1423Y02E10/52Y02E10/548H01L31/02168H01L31/0527
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 8,916,771
App. No.
12/872,891
Granted
Dec 23, 2014
Kind
B2
Abstract

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device. The method includes: forming a first electrode on a substrate; forming a first unit cell converting light into electricity on the first electrode; forming an intermediate reflector on the first unit cell, the intermediate reflector including metallic nanoparticles arranged therein; and forming a second unit cell converting light into electricity on the intermediate reflector.

Claims (40)

1. A photovoltaic device comprising:

a first electrode disposed on a substrate;

a first unit cell disposed on the first electrode and configured to convert light into electricity;

an intermediate reflector disposed on the first unit cell, the intermediate reflector comprising embedded metallic nanoparticles; and

a second unit cell disposed on the intermediate reflector and configured to convert light into electricity,

wherein a diameter of the metallic nanoparticles is equal to or greater than 5 nm and equal to or less than 100 nm,

wherein a plane fill factor of the metallic nanoparticles is equal to or greater than 0.1% and equal to or less than 10%, and

wherein surfaces of the metallic nanoparticles are covered by an oxide film or a nitride film, and a number of the metallic nanoparticles disposed at a center portion of the intermediate reflector is greater than a number of the metallic nanoparticles disposed at a surface of the intermediate reflector.

2. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the first unit cell and the second unit cell comprise a p-type semiconductor layer, an intrinsic semiconductor layer and an n-type semiconductor layer.

3. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate reflector comprises a metal oxide film, an oxide film, a nitride film or a carbon alloy which has the embedded metallic nanoparticles.

4. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise at least one of Au, Ag, Al, Pt, Cu, Ni, Cr, Zn, Ti and Sn.

5. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein a refractive index of the intermediate reflector is equal to or more than 1.7 and equal to or less than 2.2 in a wavelength range from 500 nm to 700 nm.

6. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate reflector is doped with impurities.

7. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate reflector includes a hydrogenated n-type silicon oxide, a hydrogenated n-type silicon carbide or a hydrogenated n-type silicon nitride.

8. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate reflector includes a hydrogenated n-type nanocrystalline silicon oxide, a hydrogenated n-type nanocrystalline silicon carbide or a hydrogenated n-type nanocrystalline silicon nitride.

9. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein a thickness of the intermediate reflector is equal to or more than 30 nm and equal to or less than 2000 nm.

10. The photovoltaic device according to claim 1 , wherein a short circuit current of one unit cell which is closest to the light incident side between the first unit cell and the second unit cell is equal to or less than that of the other unit cell.

11. The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein a short circuit current of one unit cell which is closest to the light incident side between the first unit cell and the second unit cell is equal to or more than that of the other unit cell.

12. A photovoltaic device comprising:

a first electrode disposed on a substrate;

a first unit cell disposed on the first electrode and configured to convert light into electricity;

an intermediate reflector disposed on the first unit cell, the intermediate reflector comprising embedded metallic nanoparticles such that surface plasmon resonance occurs and so light intensity can be enhanced when light is incident on the metallic nanoparticles; and

a second unit cell disposed on the intermediate reflector and configured to convert light into electricity,

wherein a diameter of the metallic nanoparticles is equal to or greater than 5 nm and equal to or less than 100 nm,

wherein a plane fill factor of the metallic nanoparticles is equal to or greater than 0.1% and equal to or less than 10%, and

wherein surfaces of the metallic nanoparticles are covered by an oxide film or a nitride film, and a number of the metallic nanoparticles disposed at a center portion of the intermediate reflector is greater than a number of the metallic nanoparticles disposed at a surface of the intermediate reflector.

13. The photovoltaic device according to claim 12 wherein the intermediate reflector is formed of a metal oxide film, an oxide film, a nitride film, or a carbon alloy which has the embedded metallic nanoparticles.

14. The photovoltaic device according to claim 12 , wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise at least one of Au, Ag, Al, Pt, Cu, Ni, Cr, Zn, Ti and Sn.

15. The photovoltaic device according to claim 12 , wherein a refractive index of the intermediate reflector is equal to or more than 1.7 and equal to or less than 2.2 in a wavelength range from 500 nm to 700 nm.

16. The photovoltaic device according to claim 12 , wherein the first unit cell and the second unit cell comprises a conversion layer, and each conversion layer is configured with a thickness and an optical band gap such that the short circuit current of one of the first unit cell and the second unit cell is different than that of the other.

17. A photovoltaic device comprising:

a first electrode disposed on a substrate;

a first unit cell disposed on the first electrode and configured to convert light into electricity;

an intermediate reflector disposed on the first unit cell, the intermediate reflector comprising embedded metallic nanoparticles; and

a second unit cell disposed on the intermediate reflector and configured to convert light into electricity,

wherein a diameter of the metallic nanoparticles is equal to or greater than 5 nm and equal to or less than 100 nm,

wherein the metallic nanoparticles comprise platinum, and

wherein surfaces of the metallic nanoparticles are covered by an oxide film or a nitride film, and a number of the metallic nanoparticles disposed at a center portion of the intermediate reflector is greater than a number of the metallic nanoparticles disposed at a surface of the intermediate reflector.

18. The photovoltaic device of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate reflector is doped with one of n-type or p-type impurities.

19. The photovoltaic device of claim 12 , wherein the intermediate reflector is doped with one of n-type or p-type impurities.

Assignments (4)
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INVENTORS NAME AND THE ASSIGNEES ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 024996, FRAME 0612. ASSIGNORS HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 25, 2013
From: MYONG, SEUNG-YEOP
To: KISCO
Reel/Frame 031284/0231 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE INVENTORS NAME AND THE ASSGNEES ADDRESS PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 024996, FRAME 0612 ASSIGNORS HEREBY CONFIRMS THE ASSIGNMENT. Recorded Sep 25, 2013
From: MYONG, SEUNG-YEOP
To: KISCO
Reel/Frame 031284/0308 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 3, 2013
From: KISCO
To: INTELLECTUAL DISCOVERY CO., LTD.
Reel/Frame 030735/0841 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 16, 2010
From: MYONG, SEUNG-YOEP
To: KISCO
Reel/Frame 024996/0612 →
Priority Claims (1)
KR 10-2009-0083299 · Sep 4, 2009 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20110056538A1 · Mar 10, 2011