EP1159765A1 - A method for the production of solar cells - Google Patents
A method for the production of solar cellsInfo
- Publication number
- EP1159765A1 EP1159765A1 EP00904935A EP00904935A EP1159765A1 EP 1159765 A1 EP1159765 A1 EP 1159765A1 EP 00904935 A EP00904935 A EP 00904935A EP 00904935 A EP00904935 A EP 00904935A EP 1159765 A1 EP1159765 A1 EP 1159765A1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- film
- plasma
- carrier
- coating
- thickness
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims abstract description 19
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title description 10
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 20
- 239000011248 coating agent Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 16
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 12
- 238000005496 tempering Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 12
- 239000012876 carrier material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 10
- 230000009477 glass transition Effects 0.000 claims abstract description 8
- 229910004613 CdTe Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 18
- 239000011112 polyethylene naphthalate Substances 0.000 claims description 4
- MARUHZGHZWCEQU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 5-phenyl-2h-tetrazole Chemical compound C1=CC=CC=C1C1=NNN=N1 MARUHZGHZWCEQU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000011368 organic material Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 229920003207 poly(ethylene-2,6-naphthalate) Polymers 0.000 claims description 3
- -1 polyethylene terephthalate Polymers 0.000 claims description 3
- 229920000139 polyethylene terephthalate Polymers 0.000 claims description 3
- 239000005020 polyethylene terephthalate Substances 0.000 claims description 3
- 229910052799 carbon Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 2
- 230000001681 protective effect Effects 0.000 claims description 2
- 239000010408 film Substances 0.000 description 13
- 239000011521 glass Substances 0.000 description 5
- CJOBVZJTOIVNNF-UHFFFAOYSA-N cadmium sulfide Chemical compound [Cd]=S CJOBVZJTOIVNNF-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 229910052980 cadmium sulfide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
- 238000005266 casting Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000002105 nanoparticle Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000002245 particle Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 3
- XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N Argon Chemical compound [Ar] XKRFYHLGVUSROY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N Atomic nitrogen Chemical compound N#N IJGRMHOSHXDMSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 230000002776 aggregation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000012298 atmosphere Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000007789 gas Substances 0.000 description 2
- AMGQUBHHOARCQH-UHFFFAOYSA-N indium;oxotin Chemical compound [In].[Sn]=O AMGQUBHHOARCQH-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 238000000859 sublimation Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000008022 sublimation Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000725 suspension Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000010409 thin film Substances 0.000 description 2
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- UFHFLCQGNIYNRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Hydrogen Chemical compound [H][H] UFHFLCQGNIYNRP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 238000005054 agglomeration Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000004220 aggregation Methods 0.000 description 1
- 229910052786 argon Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000003795 chemical substances by application Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000001816 cooling Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000001419 dependent effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002270 dispersing agent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000005684 electric field Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000012799 electrically-conductive coating Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000005357 flat glass Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910002804 graphite Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010439 graphite Substances 0.000 description 1
- SWQJXJOGLNCZEY-UHFFFAOYSA-N helium atom Chemical compound [He] SWQJXJOGLNCZEY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000001257 hydrogen Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052739 hydrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000011261 inert gas Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000005499 meniscus Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000007935 neutral effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 229910052757 nitrogen Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- QJGQUHMNIGDVPM-UHFFFAOYSA-N nitrogen(.) Chemical compound [N] QJGQUHMNIGDVPM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229920000642 polymer Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005245 sintering Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000007858 starting material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000007669 thermal treatment Methods 0.000 description 1
- XOLBLPGZBRYERU-UHFFFAOYSA-N tin dioxide Chemical compound O=[Sn]=O XOLBLPGZBRYERU-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910001887 tin oxide Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- TUQOTMZNTHZOKS-UHFFFAOYSA-N tributylphosphine Chemical compound CCCCP(CCCC)CCCC TUQOTMZNTHZOKS-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L31/18—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
- H01L31/1828—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof the active layers comprising only AIIBVI compounds, e.g. CdS, ZnS, CdTe
- H01L31/1836—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof the active layers comprising only AIIBVI compounds, e.g. CdS, ZnS, CdTe comprising a growth substrate not being an AIIBVI compound
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L31/0248—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies
- H01L31/036—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes
- H01L31/0392—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes including thin films deposited on metallic or insulating substrates ; characterised by specific substrate materials or substrate features or by the presence of intermediate layers, e.g. barrier layers, on the substrate
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L31/0248—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies
- H01L31/036—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes
- H01L31/0392—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes including thin films deposited on metallic or insulating substrates ; characterised by specific substrate materials or substrate features or by the presence of intermediate layers, e.g. barrier layers, on the substrate
- H01L31/03925—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes including thin films deposited on metallic or insulating substrates ; characterised by specific substrate materials or substrate features or by the presence of intermediate layers, e.g. barrier layers, on the substrate including AIIBVI compound materials, e.g. CdTe, CdS
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L31/18—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
- H01L31/186—Particular post-treatment for the devices, e.g. annealing, impurity gettering, short-circuit elimination, recrystallisation
- H01L31/1864—Annealing
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02P70/00—Climate change mitigation technologies in the production process for final industrial or consumer products
- Y02P70/50—Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
Definitions
- CdTe cadmium telluride
- CdTe serves merely as an example of all thin-film solar cells.
- CdTe- and CdTe/CdS solar cells can be produced in accordance with different methods (US 5 304499) commonly comprising a thermal treatment at a minimum of 575°C to ensure adequate efficiency. These temperatures only permit the use of expensive types of glass as carrier. Glass as a carrier has the disadvantage that the coating with CdTe can be performed only discontinuously on glass sheets, irrespectively of which coating method is selected.
- the glass firstly to be provided with a transparent, electrically conductive coating, consisting for example of doped tin oxide.
- a transparent, electrically conductive coating consisting for example of doped tin oxide.
- a thin coating of cadmium sulphide (CdS) then follows, to which the light-sensitive CdTe film is then applied by sublimation at 480 to 520°C.
- carrier material and CdTe source are accommodated by oppositely disposed graphite blocks heated to the required temperature, such that the CdTe source is arranged at a distance of only 2 to 3 mm from the carrier surface.
- the sublimation then takes place in a 0.1 mbar inert gas atmosphere, e.g. a nitrogen-, helium-, argon- or hydrogen atmosphere.
- a nitrogen-, helium-, argon- or hydrogen atmosphere Large surfaces of CdTe-coated material for the manufacture of solar cells cannot be produced cost-effectively in this way.
- the object of the invention was to produce a material for the manufacture of solar cells with a support and a photovoltaically active layer on said support, e.g. a CdTe layer, in a cost-effective manner.
- the method is also suitable for coating with other substances and tempering, for example for the production of transparent, conductive films of indium-tin oxide (ITO).
- ITO indium-tin oxide
- the invention relates to a method of coating organic-polymeric carrier materials with at least one substance, in particular at least one inorganic substance, preferably CdTe, and tempering of the film applied to the thus coated materials, characterised in that the carrier material has a thickness of at least 60 ⁇ m, in particular 90 to 120 ⁇ m, and consists of a polymeric material with a glass transition temperature of at least 90°C, the applied film has a thickness of a maximum of 30 ⁇ m, in particular 2 to 7 ⁇ m, the coating is performed at temperatures below the glass transition temperature and the tempering is performed at temperatures of at least 250°C, in particular 400 to 600°C, by means of a plasma.
- the carrier material has a thickness of at least 60 ⁇ m, in particular 90 to 120 ⁇ m, and consists of a polymeric material with a glass transition temperature of at least 90°C
- the applied film has a thickness of a maximum of 30 ⁇ m, in particular 2 to 7 ⁇ m
- the coating is performed at temperatures below the
- Plasma is to be understood as that aggregation state of the matter wherein a gas consist to equal parts of positive and negative charged particles and thereby is externally neutral.
- the production of a plasma at very high temperatures by separation of shell electrons from the atomic residue is known.
- the method according to the invention is performed by focusing a laser of sufficient strength that at the focal point the magnitude of the electric field strength becomes such that the electrons of the air molecules, preferably however a protective gas such as nitrogen or argon, break away from their atomic cores, whereby the plasma forms.
- This plasma is hot and expands. If the laser is pulsed, in focus with the pulse frequency of the laser one obtains a pulsating plasma with correspondingly frequent pressure surges to its environment. This pulsating plasma can be conducted over the film to be sintered, whereby three events then occur:
- the film absorbs the laser directly and is thereby heated, the film is additionally heated by the hot plasma sliding along its surface, the pulsating plasma produces pressure surges which mechanically compress the film.
- a suitable laser is, for example, a neodymium-YAG laser with 100 mJ pulse energy and 50 Hz pulse frequency.
- the layer to be sintered is irradiated with a continuous laser which heats the layer but does not damage it at the given transportation speed of material.
- the pulsing laser then sinters the heated zone of the material.
- the coating is performed, for example, using an aqueous or solvent-containing CdTe suspension.
- Suitable coating methods consist for example of casting and blade coating.
- the tempering can be performed several times; cooling phases are preferably provided between two tempering steps.
- Suitable polymers are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN).
- PET polyethylene terephthalate
- PEN polyethylene naphthalate
- the polymeric carrier material Prior to the coating the polymeric carrier material can be provided with a substrate layer, consisting for example of indium-tin oxide, which improves the adhesion of the CdTe film.
- the substrate layer is to be transparent and electrically conductive.
- Organic-polymeric carrier materials are flexible and thus permit continuous coating in accordance with a suitable coating method, for example a continuous coating method using a casting device, for example a meniscus or curtain casting device as known in association with the coating of photographic film.
- the CdTe particles may be especially fine- particled, and in particular to consist of so-called nano-particles, i.e. particles whose average diameter is in the nanometre range and amounts for example to 3 to 5 nm.
- the invention further relates to a solar cell with at least one CdTe film having a thickness of a maximum of 30 ⁇ m on a carrier, characterised in that the carrier is a polymeric organic material having a thickness of at least 60 ⁇ m and a glass transition temperature of at least 90°C.
- a 100 ⁇ m thick sheet of PEN with a width of 100 cm is continuously coated with a suspension containing a dispersant and, per litre, 31 g cadmium telluride. Then the coated sheet is dried and has a dry layer thickness of the applied film of 5 ⁇ m.
- the sheet is tempered as follows:
- a neodymium-YAG-laser with lOO mJ pulse energy and 50 Hz pulse frequency is focused such that a pulsating plasma forms closely above the sheet.
- the sheet is moved in grid-like manner under this plasma so that the entire surface to be sintered is heated successively, yet sufficiently briefly that the sheet is not damaged.
- a sheet of PEN according to Example 1 is coated and dried according to Example 1. Then the sheet is continuously heated by a diode laser with a power of 8 kW/cm 2 and a duration of exposition of each square element of 100 ms, and thereafter a pulsating plasma with 100 mJ pulse energy and 50 Hz pulse frequency is produced closely above the surface of the layer to be sintered by a neodymium-YAG-laser.
- the sheet After tempering the sheet is suitable for the production of a photovoltaic cell.
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
- Electromagnetism (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
- Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
- Power Engineering (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Photovoltaic Devices (AREA)
Abstract
An economical method of coating organic-polymeric carrier materials with at least one film and tempering the thus coated materials, wherein the carrier material has a thickness of at least 60 νm and consists of a polymeric material with a glass transition temperature of at least 90 °C, the applied film has a thickness of a maximum of 30 νm, the coating is performed at temperatures below the glass transition temperature and the tempering is performed at temperatures of at least 250 °C by means of a plasma.
Description
A Method for the Production of Solar Cells
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an economically improved method for the production of thin- film solar cells, e.g. CdTe solar cells (CdTe = cadmium telluride). In the following CdTe serves merely as an example of all thin-film solar cells.
CdTe- and CdTe/CdS solar cells can be produced in accordance with different methods (US 5 304499) commonly comprising a thermal treatment at a minimum of 575°C to ensure adequate efficiency. These temperatures only permit the use of expensive types of glass as carrier. Glass as a carrier has the disadvantage that the coating with CdTe can be performed only discontinuously on glass sheets, irrespectively of which coating method is selected.
US 5 304499 describes a method wherein the coating temperatures amount only to 480 to 520°C and thus permit the use of cheap types of glass ("window glass").
For this, it is necessary for the glass firstly to be provided with a transparent, electrically conductive coating, consisting for example of doped tin oxide. A thin coating of cadmium sulphide (CdS) then follows, to which the light-sensitive CdTe film is then applied by sublimation at 480 to 520°C.
The apparatus required to apply the CdTe film is complicated and costly: carrier material and CdTe source are accommodated by oppositely disposed graphite blocks heated to the required temperature, such that the CdTe source is arranged at a distance of only 2 to 3 mm from the carrier surface. The sublimation then takes place in a 0.1 mbar inert gas atmosphere, e.g. a nitrogen-, helium-, argon- or hydrogen atmosphere. Large surfaces of CdTe-coated material for the manufacture of solar cells cannot be produced cost-effectively in this way.
This method and the other known methods do not permit the use of carrier sheets as polymeric organic materials.
The object of the invention was to produce a material for the manufacture of solar cells with a support and a photovoltaically active layer on said support, e.g. a CdTe layer, in a cost-effective manner.
A method has now been found which permits the use of flexible polymeric sheets for coating with CdTe and tempering without the polymeric carrier material undergoing damage due to the high temperatures. In this way a starting material for solar cells of high efficiency is obtained.
The method is also suitable for coating with other substances and tempering, for example for the production of transparent, conductive films of indium-tin oxide (ITO).
Therefore the invention relates to a method of coating organic-polymeric carrier materials with at least one substance, in particular at least one inorganic substance, preferably CdTe, and tempering of the film applied to the thus coated materials, characterised in that the carrier material has a thickness of at least 60 μm, in particular 90 to 120 μm, and consists of a polymeric material with a glass transition temperature of at least 90°C, the applied film has a thickness of a maximum of 30 μm, in particular 2 to 7 μm, the coating is performed at temperatures below the glass transition temperature and the tempering is performed at temperatures of at least 250°C, in particular 400 to 600°C, by means of a plasma.
Plasma is to be understood as that aggregation state of the matter wherein a gas consist to equal parts of positive and negative charged particles and thereby is externally neutral. The production of a plasma at very high temperatures by separation of shell electrons from the atomic residue is known.
The method according to the invention, known as plasma sintering, is performed by focusing a laser of sufficient strength that at the focal point the magnitude of the electric field strength becomes such that the electrons of the air molecules, preferably however a protective gas such as nitrogen or argon, break away from their atomic cores,
whereby the plasma forms. This plasma is hot and expands. If the laser is pulsed, in focus with the pulse frequency of the laser one obtains a pulsating plasma with correspondingly frequent pressure surges to its environment. This pulsating plasma can be conducted over the film to be sintered, whereby three events then occur:
the film absorbs the laser directly and is thereby heated, the film is additionally heated by the hot plasma sliding along its surface, the pulsating plasma produces pressure surges which mechanically compress the film.
A suitable laser is, for example, a neodymium-YAG laser with 100 mJ pulse energy and 50 Hz pulse frequency.
Preferably, the layer to be sintered is irradiated with a continuous laser which heats the layer but does not damage it at the given transportation speed of material. The pulsing laser then sinters the heated zone of the material.
The coating is performed, for example, using an aqueous or solvent-containing CdTe suspension.
Then the material is dried. Suitable coating methods consist for example of casting and blade coating.
The tempering can be performed several times; cooling phases are preferably provided between two tempering steps.
Suitable polymers are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene naphthalate (PEN). Prior to the coating the polymeric carrier material can be provided with a substrate layer, consisting for example of indium-tin oxide, which improves the adhesion of the CdTe film. The substrate layer is to be transparent and electrically conductive.
Organic-polymeric carrier materials are flexible and thus permit continuous coating in accordance with a suitable coating method, for example a continuous coating method using a casting device, for example a meniscus or curtain casting device as known in association with the coating of photographic film.
It may be particularly advantageous for the CdTe particles to be especially fine- particled, and in particular to consist of so-called nano-particles, i.e. particles whose average diameter is in the nanometre range and amounts for example to 3 to 5 nm.
In this case it is expedient, actually during the production of the nano-particles, to add an agent which prevents the agglomeration of the nano-particles, e.g. tributyl- phosphane.
The invention further relates to a solar cell with at least one CdTe film having a thickness of a maximum of 30 μm on a carrier, characterised in that the carrier is a polymeric organic material having a thickness of at least 60 μm and a glass transition temperature of at least 90°C.
Example 1
A 100 μm thick sheet of PEN with a width of 100 cm is continuously coated with a suspension containing a dispersant and, per litre, 31 g cadmium telluride. Then the coated sheet is dried and has a dry layer thickness of the applied film of 5 μm.
The sheet is tempered as follows:
A neodymium-YAG-laser with lOO mJ pulse energy and 50 Hz pulse frequency is focused such that a pulsating plasma forms closely above the sheet. The sheet is moved in grid-like manner under this plasma so that the entire surface to be sintered is heated successively, yet sufficiently briefly that the sheet is not damaged.
After the tempering the sheet has a light-dependent electric resistance and thus is suitable for the production of a photovoltaic cell.
Example 2
A sheet of PEN according to Example 1 is coated and dried according to Example 1. Then the sheet is continuously heated by a diode laser with a power of 8 kW/cm2 and a duration of exposition of each square element of 100 ms, and thereafter a pulsating plasma with 100 mJ pulse energy and 50 Hz pulse frequency is produced closely above the surface of the layer to be sintered by a neodymium-YAG-laser.
After tempering the sheet is suitable for the production of a photovoltaic cell.
Claims
1. A method of coating organic-polymeric carrier materials with at least one film and tempering the thus coated materials, characterised in that the carrier material has a thickness of at least 60 μm, in particular 90 to 120 μm, and consists of a polymeric material with a glass transition temperature of at least 90°C, the applied film has a thickness of a maximum of 30 μm, in particular 2 to 7 μm, the coating is performed at temperatures below the glass transition temperature and the tempering is performed at temperatures of at least 250°C, in particular 400 to 600°C, by means of a plasma.
2. A method according to Claim 1, characterised in that the applied film is a photovoltaically active film.
3. A method according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the applied film is a CdTe film.
4. A method according to Claim 1 , characterised in that the plasma is produced by means of a laser.
5. A method according to Claim 4, characterised in that the laser is operated in pulsed mode.
6. A method according to Claim 1, characterised in that the plasma is produced from protective gas.
7. A method according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the material prior to the treatment with the plasma is heated with a continuous laser.
8. A solar cell with at least one photovoltaically active film having a maximum thickness of 30 μm on a carrier, characterised in that the carrier is a polymeric organic material having a thickness of at least 60 μm and a glass transition temperature of at least 90°C.
9. A solar cell according to Claim 8, characterised in that the photovoltaically active film contains cadmium telluride.
10. A solar cell according to Claim 8, characterised in that the carrier consists of polyethylene terephthalate or polyethylene naphthalate.
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
DE19904082 | 1999-02-02 | ||
DE19904082A DE19904082A1 (en) | 1999-02-02 | 1999-02-02 | Process for the production of solar cells |
PCT/EP2000/000397 WO2000046861A1 (en) | 1999-02-02 | 2000-01-18 | A method for the production of solar cells |
Publications (1)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP1159765A1 true EP1159765A1 (en) | 2001-12-05 |
Family
ID=7896136
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP00904935A Withdrawn EP1159765A1 (en) | 1999-02-02 | 2000-01-18 | A method for the production of solar cells |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP1159765A1 (en) |
JP (1) | JP2002536835A (en) |
DE (1) | DE19904082A1 (en) |
WO (1) | WO2000046861A1 (en) |
Families Citing this family (10)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
WO2002041363A2 (en) * | 2000-11-16 | 2002-05-23 | Solarflex Technologies, Inc. | System and methods for laser assisted deposition |
US6548751B2 (en) * | 2000-12-12 | 2003-04-15 | Solarflex Technologies, Inc. | Thin film flexible solar cell |
DE102004060737B4 (en) * | 2004-12-15 | 2007-03-08 | Degussa Ag | Process for the preparation of semiconducting or photovoltaically active films |
EP2089897A2 (en) | 2006-12-07 | 2009-08-19 | Innovalight, Inc. | Methods for creating a densified group iv semiconductor nanoparticle thin film |
EP2140483A1 (en) | 2007-04-04 | 2010-01-06 | Innovalight, Inc. | Methods for optimizing thin film formation with reactive gases |
US8968438B2 (en) | 2007-07-10 | 2015-03-03 | Innovalight, Inc. | Methods and apparatus for the in situ collection of nucleated particles |
US7851336B2 (en) | 2008-03-13 | 2010-12-14 | Innovalight, Inc. | Method of forming a passivated densified nanoparticle thin film on a substrate |
US8247312B2 (en) | 2008-04-24 | 2012-08-21 | Innovalight, Inc. | Methods for printing an ink on a textured wafer surface |
DE102010004996B4 (en) * | 2010-01-19 | 2014-03-06 | Institut Für Photonische Technologien E.V. | Process for producing a cadmium telluride solar cell |
JP5891782B2 (en) * | 2011-12-27 | 2016-03-23 | 株式会社リコー | Thin film manufacturing apparatus, thin film manufacturing method, liquid droplet ejection head, and ink jet recording apparatus |
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JPS5536950A (en) * | 1978-09-05 | 1980-03-14 | Fuji Photo Film Co Ltd | Manufacturing of thin film photocell |
JPS58194377A (en) * | 1982-05-07 | 1983-11-12 | Agency Of Ind Science & Technol | Manufacture of thin film solar battery |
IT1205350B (en) * | 1984-03-21 | 1989-03-15 | Gianfranco Vitali | IMPROVEMENT OF CRYSTALLINE STRUCTURES IN SEMICONDUCTORS IN ALLOY OR NOT BY LASER IMPULSES |
JPS61168271A (en) * | 1985-01-21 | 1986-07-29 | Sumitomo Bakelite Co Ltd | Amorphous silicon solar battery |
JPH0671091B2 (en) * | 1985-10-08 | 1994-09-07 | 帝人株式会社 | Thin film solar cell |
US5389195A (en) * | 1991-03-07 | 1995-02-14 | Minnesota Mining And Manufacturing Company | Surface modification by accelerated plasma or ions |
JPH0590624A (en) * | 1991-09-28 | 1993-04-09 | Nissha Printing Co Ltd | Adhesive material for solar battery |
DE4132882C2 (en) * | 1991-10-03 | 1996-05-09 | Antec Angewandte Neue Technolo | Process for the production of pn CdTe / CdS thin-film solar cells |
JPH06163958A (en) * | 1992-02-21 | 1994-06-10 | Semiconductor Energy Lab Co Ltd | Semiconductor device and its manufacture |
EP0744779A3 (en) * | 1995-05-17 | 1998-10-21 | Matsushita Battery Industrial Co Ltd | A manufacturing method of compound semiconductor thinfilms and photoelectric device or solar cell using the same compound semiconductor thinfilms |
AU5285199A (en) * | 1998-07-30 | 2000-02-21 | Agfa-Gevaert Naamloze Vennootschap | Method of producing solar cells |
-
1999
- 1999-02-02 DE DE19904082A patent/DE19904082A1/en not_active Withdrawn
-
2000
- 2000-01-18 JP JP2000597846A patent/JP2002536835A/en active Pending
- 2000-01-18 EP EP00904935A patent/EP1159765A1/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2000-01-18 WO PCT/EP2000/000397 patent/WO2000046861A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
Non-Patent Citations (2)
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None * |
See also references of WO0046861A1 * |
Also Published As
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WO2000046861A1 (en) | 2000-08-10 |
JP2002536835A (en) | 2002-10-29 |
DE19904082A1 (en) | 2000-08-03 |
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