Copper Indium Gallium Selenide Tandem Solar Cells

Flexible solar cell with improved photovoltaic performance through enhanced Cu(In,Ga)Se2 light absorption layer quality. The cell employs a flexible substrate with a double-layered rear electrode structure, where the doping layer is formed through sputtering and the rear electrode is deposited using molybdenum. The doping process introduces Na into the CIGS layer, which degrades the Ga grading and enhances photovoltaic performance characteristics such as open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and near-infrared absorption. The flexible substrate maintains its structural integrity while accommodating the doping process, enabling high-quality solar cells on flexible substrates.

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Solar cell design featuring staggered back contacts (SBC) that eliminates the conventional shadowing effect typically present in top contact CIGS solar cells. The staggered back contacts allow photons to pass through the solar cell while maintaining structural integrity, resulting in improved power output compared to conventional top contact designs.

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Solar cells with improved conversion efficiency through a novel copper-infused selenium absorber layer. The absorber layer comprises a gradient of alkali metal-doped copper layers, with the first layer having a concentration of 100-9000 ppm of the first alkali metal (Li or Na) and the second layer having a concentration of 10-90 ppm of the second alkali metal (K, Rb, or Cs). This gradient layer structure enables the creation of a V-shaped band structure in the absorber layer, which enhances the photovoltaic performance compared to conventional uniform absorber layers. The gradient layer structure is achieved through a gradient of alkali metal concentrations in the lower and upper surfaces of the absorber layer, with the first layer extending to the barrier layer surface and the second layer extending to the back electrode surface.

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Copper-based chalcogenide photovoltaic cells with improved efficiency through optimized light-absorbing layer and back electrode structures. The cells feature a copper-based chalcogenide light-absorbing material with a metal electrode, where a heat-treated back electrode layer enhances the absorption layer's performance while minimizing defects. The heat-treated back electrode layer incorporates a metal intermediate layer that prevents molybdenum sulfide and selenide formation during the deposition process, thereby maintaining the absorption layer's quality. This approach enables higher efficiency than conventional copper-zinc-tin-sulfur solar cells while maintaining the benefits of the chalcogenide material.

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A copper-incorporated selenium solar cell absorber layer that enhances conversion efficiency through optimized layer composition. The absorber layer comprises a copper-rich selenium layer with a surface composition that is intermediate between pure selenium and copper-rich selenium, and a buffer layer that provides a buffer zone between the absorber layer and the p-n junction. This layered structure enables the formation of a buried pn junction, which improves the solar cell's overall efficiency compared to conventional absorber layers.

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Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cell absorber layer for high-efficiency solar cells, comprising a prefabricated absorption layer. The absorber layer comprises indium gallium selenide (IGS) material that has been fabricated through a process of depositing and patterning the material onto a substrate. The IGS layer provides the necessary absorption properties for the solar cell, while the prefabricated structure enables efficient manufacturing of the solar cell.

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A solar cell with enhanced efficiency through a novel metallization approach that preserves the tunnel layer integrity. The cell incorporates a tunnel layer between the substrate and metallization paste, where the metallization paste forms a conductive path through the tunnel layer. This configuration enables efficient electrical connections while maintaining the tunnel layer's integrity, eliminating the need for conventional paste metallization methods that can damage the tunnel layer. The metallization paste composition is optimized to minimize purity degradation, allowing the metallization to form a reliable connection through the tunnel layer.

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Solar cells with ultra-short minority carrier lifetimes in their p-type absorber layer, achieved through controlled selenium to metal ratio in sublayers. The solar cells achieve high efficiency (15.7% average active area) with minority carrier lifetimes below 2 nanoseconds, enabling open-circuit voltages above 550 mV and achieving higher efficiency compared to conventional solar cells. The p-type absorber layer comprises a graded composition of copper indium gallium selenide sublayers with optimized selenium to metal ratios, which enables precise control over minority carrier lifetime and carrier concentration.

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A double-sided CIGS solar cell that achieves enhanced efficiency by incorporating a transparent graphene layer between the front and rear electrodes. The cell features a glass substrate, a rear electrode with patterned Mo, and a CIGS thin film. The graphene layer, which is formed on the glass substrate, enables light absorption from both the front and rear sides of the cell. The Mo patterned on the graphene layer serves as the rear electrode, allowing external light to be transmitted through the organic substrate and graphene layer. This design enables the cell to achieve higher solar efficiency compared to conventional bifacial solar cells.

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A method for preventing delamination of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cells during the selenization process. The method involves incorporating an adhesive layer between the CIGS layer and the molybdenum back contact. This adhesive layer prevents crystallization of the CIGS layer at the Mo contact, thereby eliminating the risk of delamination during subsequent processing steps. The adhesive layer also enhances charge collection by promoting efficient electron transport through the CIGS layer.

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Photovoltaic devices with improved efficiency through optimized selenium concentration profiles in the absorber layer. The devices incorporate a selenium-containing absorber layer with varying selenium concentrations across its thickness, where the selenium concentration is optimized to balance current and voltage performance. The absorber layer's selenium concentration is controlled to achieve optimal band alignment between the absorber and semiconductor layers, enabling enhanced charge carrier collection while maintaining optimal open-circuit voltage.

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A copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cell with enhanced uniformity and efficiency through controlled deposition of the copper layer. The deposition process involves sequential deposition of copper, indium, and gallium layers, with precise control over their composition and deposition conditions. This approach ensures uniform film thickness and composition across the solar cell, while maintaining high deposition rates and preventing grain growth issues that can compromise film quality. The copper layer serves as a critical component in the CIGS solar cell, enabling efficient conversion of solar energy into electrical power.

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A method for producing high-efficiency solar cells without introducing sodium into the manufacturing process. The method involves forming a substrate, depositing a back electrode, creating a copper absorption layer on the back electrode, defining the chalcopyrite absorption layer boundaries, depositing a window layer containing the chalcopyrite absorption layer, and depositing the front electrode layer on the window layer.

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Solar cell structures with improved efficiency, distributed shade management, and reduced fabrication complexity. The structures feature a novel metallization architecture that enables thinner solar cell metallization while maintaining high electrical conductivity. The metallization structure is designed to minimize ohmic losses through optimized current flow and I2R losses. The metallization architecture also enables distributed shade management through integrated bypass switches and electrical terminal connections, eliminating the need for conventional module-level solutions. The structure integrates the metallization and shade management components into a single, monolithic cell, enabling efficient manufacturing processes and reduced material usage.

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A solar cell with enhanced efficiency through a novel chalcopyrite semiconductor light absorption layer. The cell employs a Cu(In,Ga)Se2-based light absorption layer with a composition that deviates from the conventional constant ratio. The composition is achieved through a three-step vapor deposition process where In, Ga, and Se are deposited sequentially. The composition is then modified to achieve an excess Cu content, allowing the formation of a Cu-rich light absorption layer. This composition variation enables the creation of a light absorption layer with a significantly reduced bandgap energy compared to conventional Cu(In,Ga)Se2, leading to improved solar cell efficiency.

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Sputtering targets for copper-indium-gallium-selenide solar cells that enable precise control over the composition of the absorber layer. The targets contain a copper-indium-gallium matrix with specific stoichiometric ratios of copper, indium, and gallium, with sodium and sulfur compounds added to achieve the desired p-type semiconductor properties. The targets are formed through various sputtering techniques, including casting, injection molding, and plasma spraying, and can be used to produce both copper-indium-gallium and copper-indium-gallium-selenide solar cells.

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A CIGS-based solar cell with a graphene-based back electrode that enables efficient double-sided solar cells. The cell features a graphene back electrode with high light transmission properties, combined with a conventional CIGS light absorption layer. The graphene back electrode is formed on a lower substrate, while the CIGS light absorption layer is deposited on the graphene back electrode and a metal connection electrode. The connection electrode is formed using metal sputtering, and the cell is manufactured through a novel process that preserves the graphene structure during the connection process.

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High-efficiency photoelectric conversion element and solar cell using a p-type semiconductor layer with a chalcopyrite structure as the light-absorbing layer. The conversion element comprises a p-type light-absorbing layer with a chalcopyrite structure, an n-type semiconductor layer formed on the p-type light-absorbing layer, and an oxide containing zinc on the n-type semiconductor layer. The oxide layer of the particles and the transparent electrode on the oxide layer.

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A two-component alloy for CIGS light absorption in solar cells that enables high reproducibility and environmental sustainability. The alloy combines Cu2Se, In2Se3, and Ga2Se3 in a single-phase composition, eliminating the need for toxic solvents and enabling precise control over the alloy composition. This two-component approach eliminates the limitations of conventional chemical synthesis methods, particularly in achieving reproducible material properties across multiple production runs. The alloy's composition can be precisely controlled through a single-phase synthesis process, making it suitable for large-scale solar cell manufacturing.

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Compound semiconductor solar battery with enhanced light absorption properties through a novel three-stage vapor deposition process. The solar battery comprises a light absorption layer comprising a compound semiconductor layer including Cu, Ga, and an element selected from group VIb elements, an element selected from group IIIb elements, and an element selected from group VIb elements. The light absorption layer achieves high conversion efficiency by maintaining a uniform composition and particle size distribution across its surface, with a peak emission wavelength of not less than 1 meV and not more than 15 meV in the photoluminescence spectrum.

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