| Patent application number | Description | Published |
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| 20120103406 | METALLIC CONTACTS FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES AND LOW TEMPERATURE FABRICATION PROCESSES THEREOF - Embodiments of the invention generally relate to photovoltaic devices and more specifically, to the metallic contacts disposed on photovoltaic devices, such as photovoltaic cells, and to the fabrication processes for forming such metallic contacts. The metallic contacts contain a palladium germanium alloy formed at low temperatures during an anneal process. In some embodiments, the photovoltaic cell may be heated to a temperature within a range from about 20° C. to about 275° C. during the anneal process, for example, at about 150° C. for about 30 minutes. In other embodiments, the photovoltaic cell may be heated to a temperature within a range from about 150° C. to about 275° C. for a time period of at least about 0.5 minutes during the anneal process. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120104460 | OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES INCLUDING HETEROJUNCTION - Embodiments of the invention generally relate to optoelectronic semiconductor devices such as photovoltaic devices including solar cells. In one aspect, an optoelectronic semiconductor device includes an absorber layer made of gallium arsenide (GaAs) and having only one type of doping. An emitter layer is located closer than the absorber layer to a back side of the device, the emitter layer made of a different material than the absorber layer and having a higher bandgap than the absorber layer. A heterojunction formed between the emitter layer and the absorber layer, and a p-n junction is formed between the emitter layer and the absorber layer and at least partially within the different material at a location offset from the heterojunction. The p-n junction causes a voltage to be generated in the device in response to the device being exposed to light at a front side of the device. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120199184 | SELF-BYPASS DIODE FUNCTION FOR GALLIUM ARSENIDE PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES - Embodiments of the invention generally relate to photovoltaic devices. In one embodiment, a method for forming a gallium arsenide based photovoltaic device includes providing a semiconductor structure, the structure including an absorber layer comprising gallium arsenide. A bypass function is provided in a p-n junction of the semiconductor structure, where under reverse-bias conditions the p-n junction breaks down in a controlled manner by a Zener breakdown effect. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20120199188 | METAL CONTACT FORMATION AND WINDOW ETCH STOP FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES - Embodiments of the invention generally relate to photovoltaic devices and more specifically, to metallic contacts disposed on photovoltaic devices and to the fabrication processes for forming such metallic contacts. In one aspect, a method for contact patterning on a photovoltaic device includes providing a semiconductor structure that includes a front contact layer and a window layer underneath the front contact layer, where the window layer also acts as an etch stop layer. At least one metal layer is deposited on the front contact layer, and a resist is applied on portions of the at least one metal layer. The at least one metal layer and the front contact layer are etched through to achieve the desired metallization. | 08-09-2012 |
| 20120204942 | OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES INCLUDING HETEROJUNCTION AND INTERMEDIATE LAYER - Embodiments generally relate to optoelectronic semiconductor devices such as solar cells. In one aspect, a device includes an absorber layer made of gallium arsenide (GaAs) and having only one type of doping. An emitter layer is located closer than the absorber layer to a back side of the device and is made of a different material and having a higher bandgap than the absorber layer. A heterojunction is formed between the emitter layer and the absorber layer, and a p-n junction is formed between the emitter layer and the absorber layer and at least partially within the different material at a location offset from the heterojunction. An intermediate layer is located between the absorber layer and the emitter layer and provides the offset of the p-n junction from the heterojunction, and includes a graded layer and an ungraded back window layer. | 08-16-2012 |
| 20120252159 | METHODS FOR FORMING OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICES INCLUDING HETEROJUNCTION - Embodiments generally relate to optoelectronic semiconductor devices such as photovoltaic cells. In one aspect, a method for forming a device includes forming an absorber layer made of gallium arsenide (GaAs) and having one type of doping, and forming an emitter layer made of a different material and having a higher bandgap than the absorber layer. An intermediate layer can be formed between emitter and absorber layers. A heterojunction and p-n junction are formed between the emitter layer and the absorber layer, where the p-n junction is formed at least partially within the different material at a location offset from the heterojunction. A majority of the absorber layer can be outside of a depletion region formed by the p-n junction. The p-n junction causes a voltage to be generated in the cell in response to the cell being exposed to light at a front side. | 10-04-2012 |
| 20120305059 | PHOTON RECYCLING IN AN OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICE - An optoelectronic semiconductor device includes an absorber layer made of a direct bandgap semiconductor and having only one type of doping. An emitter layer is located closer than the absorber layer to a back side of the device, the emitter layer made of a different material than the absorber layer and having a higher bandgap than the absorber layer. A heterojunction is formed between the emitter layer and the absorber layer, and a p-n junction is formed between the emitter layer and the absorber layer at a location offset from the heterojunction. The p-n junction causes a voltage to be generated in the device in response to the device being exposed to light at a front side of the device. The device also includes an n-metal contact disposed on a front side of the device and a p-metal contact disposed on the back side of the device. | 12-06-2012 |
| 20130270589 | OPTOELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH NON-CONTINUOUS BACK CONTACTS - An optoelectronic device is disclosed. The optoelectronic device comprises a semiconductor structure; a plurality of contacts on the front side of the semiconductor structure; and a plurality of non-continuous metal contacts on a back side of the semiconductor structure. In an embodiment, a plurality of non-continuous back contacts on an optoelectronic device improve the reflectivity and reduce the losses associated with the back surface of the device. | 10-17-2013 |
