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Photovoltaic devices with an interfacial band-gap modifying structure and methods for forming the same

a photovoltaic device and interfacial bandgap technology, applied in the direction of semiconductor/solid-state device manufacturing, semiconductor devices, electrical apparatus, etc., can solve the problems of irradiation material overheating, and achieve the effect of reducing contact resistance, reducing series resistance, and great work function

Inactive Publication Date: 2012-02-09
IBM CORP +1
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  • Summary
  • Abstract
  • Description
  • Claims
  • Application Information

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0007]A Schottky-barrier-reducing layer is provided between a p-doped semiconductor layer and a transparent conductive material layer of a photovoltaic device. The Schottky-barrier-reducing layer can be a conductive material layer having a work function that is greater than the work function of the transparent conductive material layer. The conductive material layer can be a carbon-material layer such as a carbon nanotube layer or a graphene layer. Alternately, the conductive material layer can be another transparent conductive material layer having a greater work function than the transparent conductive material layer. The reduction of the Schottky barrier reduces the contact resistance across the transparent material layer and the p-doped semiconductor layer, thereby reducing the series resistance and increasing the efficiency of the photovoltaic device.

Problems solved by technology

Thus, in the absence of any electrical bias, photogeneration of electron-hole pairs merely results in heating of the irradiated material.

Method used

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  • Photovoltaic devices with an interfacial band-gap modifying structure and methods for forming the same
  • Photovoltaic devices with an interfacial band-gap modifying structure and methods for forming the same
  • Photovoltaic devices with an interfacial band-gap modifying structure and methods for forming the same

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first embodiment

[0047] the Schottky-barrier inducing layer 22 is an optically transparent layer including an allotrope of carbon. In this embodiment, the exemplary photovoltaic device structure is referred to as a first exemplary photovoltaic device structure. In one case, the Schottky-barrier-reducing layer 22 can be a single wall carbon nanotube layer. A carbon nanotube is an allotrope of carbon with a cylindrical nanostructure. A single wall carbon nanotube is a carbon nanotube that does not contain any other carbon nanotube therein, and is not contained in another carbon nanotube. Thus, a single wall carbon nanotube is a single strand of carbon nanotube that stands alone by itself without including, or being included in, another carbon nanotube. The cylindrical arrangement of carbon atoms in a single wall carbon nanotube provides novel properties that make the carbon nanotube potentially useful in many applications. The diameter of a single wall carbon nanotube is on the order of a few nanomete...

second embodiment

[0049] the Schottky-barrier-reducing layer 22 includes a same material as the transparent conductive material layer 20. However, the Schottky-barrier-reducing layer 22 has a different doping than the transparent conductive material layer. The difference in the doping between the transparent conductive material layer 20 and the Schottky-barrier-reducing layer 22 is set such that the presence of the Schottky-barrier-reducing layer 22 reduces the Schottky barrier between the transparent conductive material layer 20 and the p-doped semiconductor layer 30. In this embodiment, the exemplary photovoltaic device structure is referred to as a second exemplary photovoltaic device structure.

[0050]In one case, the transparent conductive material layer 20 includes an aluminum-doped zinc oxide having an aluminum doping at a first dopant concentration, and the Schottky-barrier-reducing layer 22 includes an aluminum-doped zinc oxide having an aluminum doping at a second dopant concentration. In thi...

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Abstract

A Schottky-barrier-reducing layer is provided between a p-doped semiconductor layer and a transparent conductive material layer of a photovoltaic device. The Schottky-barrier-reducing layer can be a conductive material layer having a work function that is greater than the work function of the transparent conductive material layer. The conductive material layer can be a carbon-material layer such as a carbon nanotube layer or a graphene layer. Alternately, the conductive material layer can be another transparent conductive material layer having a greater work function than the transparent conductive material layer. The reduction of the Schottky barrier reduces the contact resistance across the transparent material layer and the p-doped semiconductor layer, thereby reducing the series resistance and increasing the efficiency of the photovoltaic device.

Description

BACKGROUND[0001]The present disclosure relates to photovoltaic devices, and more particularly to photovoltaic devices including an interfacial band-gap modifying structure and methods of forming the same.[0002]A photovoltaic device is a device that converts the energy of incident photons to electromotive force (e.m.f.). Typical photovoltaic devices include solar cells, which are configured to convert the energy in the electromagnetic radiation from the Sun to electric energy. Each photon has an energy given by the formula E=hν, in which the energy E is equal to the product of the Plank constant h and the frequency ν of the electromagnetic radiation associated with the photon.[0003]A photon having energy greater than the electron binding energy of a matter can interact with the matter and free an electron from the matter. While the probability of interaction of each photon with each atom is probabilistic, a structure can be built with a sufficient thickness to cause interaction of ph...

Claims

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Application Information

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IPC IPC(8): H01L31/108H01L31/18
CPCH01L31/022466H01L31/075H01L31/1884H01L31/02327H01L31/07Y02E10/548H01L31/022483H01L31/028H01L31/056H01L31/20H01L2031/0344Y02E10/52
Inventor FOGEL, KEITH E.KIM, JEE H.SADANA, DEVENDRA K.TULEVSKI, GEORGE S.ABOU-KANDIL, AHMEDMOHAMED, HISHAM S.SAAD, MOHAMEDTOBAIL, OSAMA
Owner IBM CORP