Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric – Photoelectric – Cells
Patent
1981-10-20
1983-07-26
Weisstuch, Aaron
Batteries: thermoelectric and photoelectric
Photoelectric
Cells
136259, 357 30, 357 52, 357 65, 357 67, 357 71, H01L 3106
Patent
active
043955835
ABSTRACT:
The surface recombination velocity at the back portion of a solar cell is reduced in a first embodiment by reducing the back surface metal contact area without increasing series resistance. The back surface is provided with a p.sup.+ layer deposited on the solar cell p layer in order to further reduce the surface recombination velocity and therefore the diffusion current generated in the back layer of the cell. The p.sup.+ layer is provided with an oxide coating. Micro holes are etched through the oxide layer, and a thin layer of metal is evaporated over the entire surface. In a second embodiment the surface recombination velocity at the back portion of the cell is reduced by depositing a thin non-conductive coating on the p.sup.+ layer. A selected metal coating is then deposited on the non-conductive coating to thereby form a Mott-Schottky barrier, the metal coating retarding the transport of minority carriers through the non-conductive coating without impeding the flow of majority carriers through the non-conductive coating. In a third embodiment, the surface recombination velocity is reduced by depositing a conductive oxide on the p.sup.+ layer, and a metal coating is further deposited on the conductive oxide coating. The conductive oxide coating reduces surface recombination at the interface of the p.sup.+ and conductive oxide layers, and provides majority carriers to the p.sup.+ layer.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3888698 (1975-06-01), Lindmayer et al.
patent: 3907595 (1975-09-01), Lindmayer
patent: 3988167 (1976-10-01), Kressel et al.
patent: 4072541 (1978-02-01), Meulenberg, Jr. et al.
patent: 4166919 (1979-09-01), Carlson
M. A. Green et al., "The MIS & MISIM Solar Cells," Proceedings, Int'l Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conf., Luxembourg, 1977, Reidel Pub. Co., (1978), pp. 299-307.
J. C. C. Fan et al., "Proposed Design of a-Si:H Solar Cells Using Ultrathin Active Layer to Increase Conversion Efficiency," Conf. Record, 14th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conf. (1980), pp. 1070-1073.
Communications Satellite Corporation
Weisstuch Aaron
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