US4213798A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tellurium schottky barrier contact for amorphous silicon solar cells
Assignee: RCA Corp
•
Filing: 1979-04-27
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Granted: 1980-07-22
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Expires: 1999-04-27
Abstract
Abstract A Schottky barrier amorphous silicon solar cell incorporates a tellurium layer as the Schottky barrier.
Inventors
- 👤 Richard Williams
- 👤 Yehuda Arie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 21:49
CPC Classifications
H; H10; H10F; H10F10/00; H10F10/10; H10F10/18; H10F77/00; H10F77/10; H10F77/16; H10F77/169; H10F77/1692; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E10/00; Y02E10/50
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
78 words
In a Schottky barrier solar cell which comprises an electrically conductive substrate, a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon having regions of differing conductivity, said body having opposed major surfaces wherein one of said major surfaces ohmically contacts said substrate, and a layer of material forming a Schottky barrier with said body contiguous to a major surface of said body opposite to said substrate, the improvement wherein the material which forms the Schottky barrier is a layer of tellurium.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
78 words
In a Schottky barrier solar cell which comprises an electrically conductive substrate, a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon having regions of differing conductivity, said body having opposed major surfaces wherein one of said major surfaces ohmically contacts said substrate, and a layer of material forming a Schottky barrier with said body contiguous to a major surface of said body opposite to said substrate, the improvement wherein the material which forms the Schottky barrier is a layer of tellurium.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
22 words
The solar cell according to claim 1 wherein said tellurium layer has a thickness of from about 5 to about 25 nanometers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
20 words
The solar cell according to claim 1 wherein said body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon has two regions of differing conductivity.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
The solar cell according to claim 3 wherein said body comprises a region of N + -type conductivity hydrogenated amorphous silicon which contacts said substrate and a region of intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon which contacts said N + -type region and said tellurium layer.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The solar cell according to claim 4 wherein the tellurium layer has a thickness of from about 5 to about 25 nanometers.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The solar cell according to claim 1 wherein a metal or transparent conductor layer overlies said tellurium layer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The solar cell according to claim 6 wherein said metal or transparent conductor layer is selected from the group consisting of platinum, aluminum, indium, gold, PtSiO 2 , and indium tin oxide.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
In a Schottky barrier hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cell which comprises an electrically conductive substrate, a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon ohmically contacting said substrate, and a material forming a Schottky barrier with said body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon, the improvement wherein the material which forms the Schottky barrier is tellurium.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
In a Schottky barrier hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cell which comprises an electrically conductive substrate, a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon ohmically contacting said substrate, and a material forming a Schottky barrier with said body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon, the improvement wherein the material which forms the Schottky barrier is tellurium.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
The solar cell according to claim 8 wherein said tellurium is in the form of a layer from about 5 to about 25 nanometers thick.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
20 words
The solar cell according to claim 9 wherein a transparent metal or transparent conductor layer overlies said layer of tellurium.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of increasing the open circuit voltage of a platinum Schottky barrier hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cell which comprises an electrically conductive substrate, a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon ohmically contacting said substrate, and a platinum Schottky barrier layer contacting said body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon, comprising interposing a layer of tellurium between said body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon and said platinum Schottky barrier metal layer.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
67 words
A method of increasing the open circuit voltage of a platinum Schottky barrier hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cell which comprises an electrically conductive substrate, a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon ohmically contacting said substrate, and a platinum Schottky barrier layer contacting said body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon, comprising interposing a layer of tellurium between said body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon and said platinum Schottky barrier metal layer.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
21 words
The method according to claim 11 wherein said tellurium layer has a thickness of from about 5 to about 25 nanometers.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
42 words
The method according to claim 12 wherein said tellurium is evaporated onto said body by heating the tellurium to a temperature of from about 500° to about 600° C. at a pressure of from about 10 -4 to about 10 -5 Torr.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-07-22 | 1984-01-21 | 1984-07-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-07-22 | 1988-01-21 | 1988-07-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-07-22 | 1992-01-21 | 1992-07-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |