Iron pyrite nanocrystal film as a copper-free back contact for polycrystalline CdTe thin film solar cells

The invention discloses nanocrystalline (NC) FeS2 thin films as the back contact for CdTe solar cells. In one example, the FeS2 NC layer is prepared from a solution directly on the CdTe surface using spin-casting and chemical treatment at ambient temperature and pressure, without a thermal treatment step. Solar cells prepared by applying the NC FeS2 back contact onto CdTe yield efficiencies of about 95% to 100% that of standard Cu/Au back contact devices. In another example, FeS2 is interposed between Cu and Au to form a Cu/FeS2 NC/Au back contact configuration yielding an efficiency improvement of 5 to 9 percent higher than standard Cu/Au devices.
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Abstract/Description: The invention discloses nanocrystalline (NC) FeS2 thin films as the back contact for CdTe solar cells. In one example, the FeS2 NC layer is prepared from a solution directly on the CdTe surface using spin-casting and chemical treatment at ambient temperature and pressure, without a thermal treatment step. Solar cells prepared by applying the NC FeS2 back contact onto CdTe yield efficiencies of about 95% to 100% that of standard Cu/Au back contact devices. In another example, FeS2 is interposed between Cu and Au to form a Cu/FeS2 NC/Au back contact configuration yielding an efficiency improvement of 5 to 9 percent higher than standard Cu/Au devices.
Subject(s): H01L31/0296
H01L31/02
H01L31/032
H01L31/0392
H01L31/073
H01L31/0224
Date Issued: 2019-07-16
Title: Iron pyrite nanocrystal film as a copper-free back contact for polycrystalline CdTe thin film solar cells.
Name(s): Bhandari, Khagendra, inventor
Ellingson, Randy J., inventor
Khanal, Rajendra R., inventor
The University of Toledo, assignee
Type of Resource: text
Genre: patent
Date Issued: 2019-07-16
Other Date: Date Filed: 2015-02-10
Publisher: United States Patent and Trademark Office
Physical Form: application/pdf
Extent: 26
Abstract/Description: The invention discloses nanocrystalline (NC) FeS2 thin films as the back contact for CdTe solar cells. In one example, the FeS2 NC layer is prepared from a solution directly on the CdTe surface using spin-casting and chemical treatment at ambient temperature and pressure, without a thermal treatment step. Solar cells prepared by applying the NC FeS2 back contact onto CdTe yield efficiencies of about 95% to 100% that of standard Cu/Au back contact devices. In another example, FeS2 is interposed between Cu and Au to form a Cu/FeS2 NC/Au back contact configuration yielding an efficiency improvement of 5 to 9 percent higher than standard Cu/Au devices.
Identifier(s): utpatents-US10355148 (IID)
Patent No.: US10355148 (patno)
Appl. No.: 15/116629 (appno)
Subject(s): H01L31/0296
H01L31/02
H01L31/032
H01L31/0392
H01L31/073
H01L31/0224
Held by: United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Public Search Facility
Location: University of Toledo Digital Repository
Rights Statement: No Copyright - United States
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