CN102257628A - 光伏器件的集成 - Google Patents

光伏器件的集成 Download PDF

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CN102257628A
CN102257628A CN2009801509209A CN200980150920A CN102257628A CN 102257628 A CN102257628 A CN 102257628A CN 2009801509209 A CN2009801509209 A CN 2009801509209A CN 200980150920 A CN200980150920 A CN 200980150920A CN 102257628 A CN102257628 A CN 102257628A
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伊西克·C·奇吉尔亚里
美利莎·艾契尔
哈利·艾华特
汤玛士·J·吉密特
何甘
安德瑞斯·海吉杜斯
雷格·东克
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Awbscqemgk Inc
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Abstract

提供了用于以与常规太阳能电池相比时增大的效率将电磁辐射(例如太阳能)转化为电能的方法及装置。光伏(PV)单元可使所有的电接点定位于PV器件的后侧上以避免遮蔽并增加碰撞在PV单元的前侧上的光子的吸收。可将若干PV单元组合成PV组，且可连接PV组的阵列以形成PV模块，PV模块具有在低温下形成的金属或导电聚合物的薄条带。在与常规太阳能电池相比时，这样的创新可允许PV器件的较大的效率及可挠性。

Description

光伏器件的集成
技术领域
本发明的实施方式一般涉及具有增大的效率和较大的可挠性的光伏(PV)器件(例如太阳能电池)及用以制造其的方法。
相关技术的描述
因为化石燃料正以不断增加的速率耗尽，所以对替代能源的需要变得越来越明显。源自风、源自太阳及源自流水的能量提供对化石燃料(例如煤、油及天然气)的可再生的、环境友好的替代物。因为太阳能在地球上的几乎任何地方都容易得到，所以它可能有朝一日成为可行的替代物。
为了利用来自太阳的能量，太阳能电池的结吸收光子以产生电子空穴对，这些电子空穴对被结的内部电场分离以产生电压，从而将光能转化为电能。所产生的电压可通过串联连接太阳能电池而增加，且电流可通过并联连接太阳能电池而增加。太阳能电池可在太阳电池板上组合在一起。逆变器可耦合至若干太阳电池板以将直流功率转换为交流功率。
然而，生产太阳能电池的当前高成本相对于当代器件的低效率水平阻止太阳能电池成为主流能源，且限制太阳能电池可适用的应用。因此，需要适于大量应用的更有效的光伏器件。
发明概述
本发明的实施方式一般涉及用于以与常规太阳能电池相比时增大的效率将电磁辐射(例如太阳能)转化为电能的方法及装置。
本发明的一个实施方式提供一种光伏(PV)器件。该PV器件通常包括：多个PV单元，其中每个PV单元通常具有窗层；吸收层，其布置在窗层下方以使得在光子穿过窗层行进且由吸收层吸收时产生电子；及用于外部连接的多个接点，其耦接至吸收层，使得用于外部连接的所有这些接点布置在吸收层下方且不阻挡这些光子的任何一个经由窗层到达吸收层；及多个导电连接，其用于在所述多个PV单元之间连接所述多个接点。
本发明的另一实施方式提供一种PV器件。该PV器件通常包括：第一PV单元、第二PV单元、第三PV单元，其中第一PV单元、第二PV单元及第三PV单元中的每一个通常具有：窗层；n型掺杂基极层，其布置在窗层下方；p+型掺杂发射极层，其布置在n型掺杂基极层下方以形成p-n层，使得在光子由p-n层吸收时产生电能；多个n型接点，其耦接至基极层且布置在发射极层下方，使得多个n型接点不阻挡这些光子经由窗层到达p-n层；及多个p型接点，其耦接至发射极层且布置在发射极层下方，使得多个p型接点不阻挡这些光子经由窗层到达p-n层；第一多个导电连接，其用于将第一PV单元和第二PV单元的这些n型接点连接在一起；及第二多个导电连接，其用于将第二PV单元和第三PV单元的这些p型接点连接在一起。
附图的简要说明
因此，可详细理解本发明的上述特征结构的方式，即，上文简要概述的本发明的更特定的描述可参照实施方式进行，一些实施方式在附图中示出。然而，应注意，附图仅示出本发明的典型实施方式，且因此不应被视为其范围的限制，因为本发明可允许其它同等有效的实施方式。
图1以横截面示出根据本发明的一个实施方式的光伏(PV)单元的多个外延层。
图2示出根据本发明的一个实施方式的位于PV单元的背侧上的半导体层的接点。
图3A示出根据本发明的一个实施方式的PV单元的背侧。
图3B示出根据本发明的一个实施方式的图3A的PV单元的等效电路。
图4示出根据本发明的一个实施方式的用以形成PV组的多个PV单元之间的p型接点及n型接点的互连。
图5示出根据本发明的一个实施方式的用以形成PV模块的多个PV组的互连。
详细描述
本发明的实施方式提供用于以与常规太阳能电池相比时增大的效率将电磁辐射(例如太阳能)转化为电能的技术及装置。
示范性光伏单元
图1以横截面示出光伏(PV)单元100的各种外延层。可使用用于半导体生长的任何适合的方法在基底(未示出)上形成各种层，这些方法例如是分子束外延法(MBE)或金属有机化学汽相沉积法(MOCVD)。
PV单元100可包括形成于基底上方的窗层106及任何下伏缓冲层。窗层106可包含砷化铝镓(AlGaAs)，例如Al0.3Ga0.7As。窗层106可以是未掺杂的。窗层106可为透明的以允许光子穿过PV单元的前侧上的窗层传递至其它下伏层。
基极层108可形成于窗层106上方。基极层108可包含任何适合的III-V族化合物半导体，例如GaAs。基极层108可为单晶体且可以是n型掺杂的。
如图1中所示的，发射极层(emitter layer)110可形成于基极层108上方。发射极层110可包含任何适合III-V族化合物半导体以用于与基极层108形成异质结。举例而言，如果基极层108包含GaAs，则发射极层110可包含不同的半导体材料，例如AlGaAs(例如，Al0.3Ga0.7As)。如果发射极层110与窗层106都包含AlGaAs，则发射极层110的AlxGa1-xAs组合物可与窗层的AlyGa1-yAs组合物相同或不同。发射极层110可为单晶体且可为p型重掺杂(即，p+型掺杂)的。基极层108与发射极层110的组合可形成用于吸收光子的吸收层。
n型掺杂基极层与p+型掺杂发射极层的接触形成p-n层112。当光在p-n层112附近被吸收以产生电子空穴对时，内建电场可将空穴推动至p+型掺杂侧且将电子推动至n型掺杂侧。自由电荷的此移位导致两个层108、110之间的电压差，使得电子电流在负载耦接至这些层的端子两端时可流动。
常规光伏半导体器件通常具有p型掺杂基极层及n+型掺杂发射极层，而非上文所描述的n型掺杂基极层108及p+型掺杂发射极层110。由于载流子的漫射长度，基极层通常在常规器件中为p型掺杂的。
一旦形成发射极层110，空腔(cavity)或凹槽(recess)114就可足够深地形成于发射极层中以到达下伏基极层108。可例如通过使用光刻术将掩模应用于发射极层110且使用任何适合技术(例如湿式或干式蚀刻)移除发射极层110中未由掩模覆盖的半导体材料来形成这些凹槽114。以此方式，可经由PV单元100的背侧接近(access)基极层108。
对于一些实施例，界面层116可形成于发射极层110上方。界面层116可包含任何适合的III-V族化合物半导体，例如GaAs。界面层116可以是p+型掺杂的。
一旦形成外延层，在外延层剥离(ELO，epitaxial lift-off)工艺期间，PV单元100的功能层(例如，窗层106、基极层108及发射极层110)可与缓冲层及基底分离。
示范性电接点
电接点可用以将PV单元100的半导体层耦接至导线以用于连接至其它PV单元及用于到负载的外部连接。常规太阳能电池通常在电池的前侧与背侧上都具有接点。前侧接点(尤其是较厚的接点)形成阴影，此处光不可到达下伏吸收层以被转换为电能。因此，无法获得太阳能电池的效率潜能(efficiency potential)。因此，需要用于接触PV单元的半导体层而不引入阴影的技术及装置。
图2示出根据本发明的实施方式的在PV单元100的背侧上的半导体层的所有电接点。举例而言，n型接点602可形成于凹槽114中以提供与n型掺杂基极层108的界面，且p型接点604可形成于界面层116上方以耦接至p+型掺杂发射极层110。p+型掺杂界面层116中的重掺杂可促进产生欧姆接触。以此方式，通过在PV单元的前侧上具有电接点以阻挡光及形成太阳阴影而无需牺牲效率。
发射极层110中的凹槽114的图案及接点602、604的界面层116的剩余部分可基于期望的薄层电阻。与单个PV单元100的尺寸(例如，面积)相比，接点602、604的尺寸(例如，面积)可极小。而且，接点602、604的图案可提供对局部缺陷及阴影的内建容差(built-in tolerance)。
接点602、604可包含任何适合的导电材料，例如金属或金属合金。优选地，接点的材料在制造期间不应穿透(punch)半导体层。包含金(Au)的传统接点常常具有此刺穿(spiking)问题。此外，背侧接点的材料可优选地能够在相对低金属化处理温度(例如在150℃与200℃之间)下被涂覆。举例而言，接点602、604可包含钯/锗(Pd/Ge)以满足这些设计目标。钯不与GaAs反应。
无论选择何种材料，均可通过任何适合的方法，例如经由光致抗蚀剂的真空蒸发、光刻术、丝网印刷或仅沉积于已由石蜡或另一保护性材料部分地覆盖的PV单元的暴露部分上而在PV单元100上制造接点602、604。这些方法均涉及一种系统，在该系统中，不需要接点的PV单元的部分被保护，而PV单元的其余部分则暴露于金属。在这些方法中，丝网印刷可能是最有成本效益的，其有助于降低所得到的PV器件的成本。
尽管所有的接点602、604在PV单元100的背侧上以减少太阳阴影，但在设计有效的PV单元时，暗电流及其随时间及温度的稳定性可能仍受关注。经暴露的p-n层112可能为暗电流的源，且较大的凹槽114可能造成暗电流的增加。因此，较小的凹槽114可能是期望的。然而，在减小凹槽114的大小以减少暗电流与在凹槽114中制造n型接点602而不接触侧壁的可能性之间存在取舍。
示范性集成
图3A示出PV单元100的背侧，其中所有接点602、604都布置在背侧上。如上所述，n型接点602可位于发射极层110内的凹槽114内。PV单元100的宽度w可为约2至3cm，且长度l可为约10cm。
图3B示出图3A的PV单元100的等效电路1500。可认为PV单元100在每个n型接点602与p型接点604之间具有有效的微型太阳能电池1502。在PV单元100内，将所有n型接点602耦接至同一基极层108，且将所有p型接点604耦接至同一发射极层110。因此，等效电路1500的开路电压(Voc)可被模型化为在串联的微型太阳能电池1502两端的开路电压的总和，且短路电流(Isc)可被模型化为在并联的微型太阳能电池1502两端的短路电流的总和。本质上，PV单元100的等效电路1500可被视为单个太阳能电池，其与构成该单个太阳能电池的那些微型太阳能电池1502相比，具有较大的Voc及较大的Isc。
图4示出根据本发明的一个实施方式的用以形成PV组1600的多个PV单元100之间的p型接点604及n型接点的互连。对于一些实施方式，PV组1600可包含具有约10个并联布置的PV单元100的一列。以此方式，PV组1600的短路电流(Isc)可大于单个PV单元100的短路电流约十倍。
根据某种图案，经由在PV单元100之间放置的薄条带1602、1604来完成互连。举例而言，条带1604可将第一PV单元1001的p型接点604连接至第二PV单元1002的p型接点604。如图4中所示出的，对于n型接点，条带1602可将第二PV单元1002的n型接点602连接至第三PV单元1003的n型接点602，而不是将第一PV单元1001连接至第二PV单元1002。在PV组1600内，可选择该互连图案以提供相当大的可挠性。
条带1602、1604可包含诸如金属或金属合金的任何适合的导电材料。举例而言，条带1602、1604可包含镀锡铜。对于一些实施方式，与用于p型接点604的条带1604相比，用于n型接点的条带1602可包含不同的材料。举例而言，为了形成由金属或金属合金制成的条带，可经由丝网印刷，横跨接点602、604的“点几何形状”将条带应用于PV单元100的背侧。
对金属或金属合金进行丝网印刷可暗示高工艺温度。因此，对于一些实施方式，条带1602、1604可能包含导电聚合物以替代金属或金属合金。可在比丝网印制金属所建议的温度低的温度下经由丝网印刷来形成导电聚合物条带。
在PV组1600上，在相邻的PV单元100之间的间隔可为约1至2mm。该相对紧密的间隔也可允许在PV组1600内的较大可挠性，尤其是当与为此目的选择的互连图案(例如，如上所述的互连图案)组合时。
图5示出根据本发明的一个实施方式以阵列布置以形成PV模块1700的多个PV组1600的互连。在一行中的相邻的PV组1600可由联接器1702连接在一起。联接器1702可将一个PV组的n型接点602连接至在该行内的一个相邻的PV组的p型接点604，以使得一行中的PV组1600(及等效电路)串联连接，从而合并PV组1600的开路电压(Voc)能力。联接器1702可包含金属、金属合金或导电聚合物的丝线或条带，其类似于PV组1600内的条带1602、1604。
联接器1702也可将在PV组1600的每行上的p型接点604连接至PV模块1700的一侧上的p侧汇流条1704，且将PV组1600的每行上的n型接点602连接至PV模块1700的另一侧上的n侧汇流条1706。以此方式，可并联连接数行串接的PV组1600，从而合并PV组1600的短路电流(Isc)能力。汇流条1704、1706可以是相对厚的，以便将PV组1600产生的相当大的电流传送至负载(未示出)。对于一些实施方式，可将模块1700的DC输出电压(Voc)耦接至逆变器以便产生AC电压。
可封装所完成的PV模块1700。PV模块1700的前侧可由包含例如玻璃或塑料的透明薄片覆盖。模块的长度L可约为1m，如图16中所示出的，其具有PV组1600的4×4阵列。
通过使用条带1602、1604连接PV单元100以形成PV组1600且通过使PV组1600与联接器1702集成以形成PV模块1700，PV模块1700可具有与局部缺陷相抵的内建容差。换言之，对PV单元100局部化的缺陷(例如，在n型接点602与p型接点604之间的分路)不需导致模块1700失效。此外，可添加宏观和/或微观级别的保护装置。换言之，可将诸如保险丝的保护添加至一个或多个PV组1600和/或添加至PV模块1700。对于一些实施方式，保护电路可以在晶片级建于PV单元100内。
尽管上文针对本发明的实施方式，但是可设计本发明的其它及另外的实施方式而不偏离其基本范围，且其范围由随后的权利要求确定。

Claims (23)

1.一种光伏(PV)器件，包括：
多个PV单元，其中每个PV单元包括：
窗层；
吸收层，其布置在所述窗层下方，使得在光子穿过所述窗层行进且由所述吸收层吸收时产生电子；以及
用于外部连接的多个接点，其耦接至所述吸收层，使得用于外部连接的所有所述接点布置在所述吸收层下方且不阻挡所述光子的任何一个经由所述窗层到达所述吸收层；以及
多个导电连接，其用于在所述多个PV单元之间连接所述多个接点。
2.如权利要求1所述的PV器件，其中所述吸收层包括III-V族半导体。
3.如权利要求2所述的PV器件，其中所述III-V族半导体为单晶体。
4.如权利要求1所述的PV器件，其中所述吸收层包括：
基极层，其邻近于所述窗层；以及
发射极层，其布置在所述基极层下方。
5.如权利要求4所述的PV器件，其中所述基极层是n型掺杂的。
6.如权利要求5所述的PV器件，其中所述基极层包含n型GaAs。
7.如权利要求4所述的PV器件，其中所述发射极层是p+型掺杂的。
8.如权利要求7所述的PV器件，其中所述发射极层包含p+型A1GaAs。
9.如权利要求4所述的PV器件，其中所述多个接点包括：
多个n型接点，其耦接至所述基极层；以及
多个p型接点，其耦接至所述发射极层。
10.如权利要求9所述的PV器件，其中所述多个导电连接包括：
第一多个导电连接，其用于在所述PV单元之间连接所述多个n型接点；以及
第二多个导电连接，其用于在所述PV单元之间连接所述多个p型接点。
11.如权利要求10所述的PV器件，其中所述第一多个导电连接包含与所述第二多个导电连接不同的材料。
12.如权利要求1所述的PV器件，其中所述多个导电连接包含导电聚合物。
13.如权利要求12所述的PV器件，其中所述导电聚合物在低于150℃的温度下涂覆。
14.如权利要求1所述的PV器件，其中所述多个导电连接包含金属或金属合金。
15.一种光伏(PV)器件，包括：
第一PV单元；
第二PV单元；
第三PV单元，其中所述第一PV单元、所述第二PV单元及所述第三PV单元中的每个包括：
窗层；
n型掺杂基极层，其布置在所述窗层下方；
p+型掺杂发射极层，其布置在所述n型掺杂基极层下方以形成p-n层，使得在光子被所述p-n层吸收时产生电能；
多个n型接点，其耦接至所述基极层且布置在所述发射极层下方以使得所述多个n型接点不阻挡所述光子经由所述窗层到达所述p-n层；以及
多个p型接点，其耦接至所述发射极层且布置在所述发射极层下方以使得所述多个p型接点不阻挡所述光子经由所述窗层到达所述p-n层；
第一多个导电连接，其用于将所述第一PV单元的所述n型接点与所述第二PV单元的所述n型接点连接在一起；以及
第二多个导电连接，其用于将所述第二PV单元的所述p型接点与所述第三PV单元的所述p型接点连接在一起。
16.如权利要求15所述的PV器件，其中所述基极层或所述发射极层包含III-V族半导体。
17.如权利要求16所述的PV器件，其中所述III-V族半导体为单晶体。
18.如权利要求15所述的PV器件，其中所述基极层包含n型GaAs。
19.如权利要求15所述的PV器件，其中所述发射极层包含p+型AlGaAs。
20.如权利要求15所述的PV器件，其中所述第一多个导电连接包含与所述第二多个导电连接不同的材料。
21.如权利要求15所述的PV器件，其中所述第一多个导电连接或所述第二多个导电连接包含导电聚合物。
22.如权利要求21所述的PV器件，其中所述导电聚合物在低于150℃的温度下涂覆。
23.如权利要求15所述的PV器件，其中所述第一多个导电连接或所述第二多个导电连接包含金属或金属合金。
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