This disclosure relates generally to the field of multijunction photovoltaic cell fabrication.
Multijunction III-V based photovoltaic (PV) cells, or tandem cells, are comprised of multiple p-n junctions, each junction comprising a different bandgap material. A multijunction PV cell is relatively efficient, and may absorb a large portion of the solar spectrum. The multijunction cell may be epitaxially grown, with the larger bandgap junctions on top of the lower bandgap junctions. Conversion efficiencies for commercially available 3-junction III-V based photovoltaic structures may be about 30% to 40%. A III-V substrate based triple junction PV cell may be about 200 microns thick range, a major portion of the thickness being contributed by a bottom layer of a substrate, which may also serve as a junction. The relative thickness of the substrate may cause the substrate layer to be relatively inflexible, rendering the PV cell inflexible.
In one aspect, a method for fabrication of a multijunction photovoltaic (PV) cell includes providing a stack comprising a plurality of junctions on a substrate, each of the plurality of junctions having a respective bandgap, wherein the plurality of junctions are ordered from the junction having the smallest bandgap being located on the substrate to the junction having the largest bandgap being located on top of the stack; forming a top metal layer, the top metal layer having a tensile stress, on top of the junction having the largest bandgap; adhering a top flexible substrate to the metal layer; and spalling a semiconductor layer from the substrate at a fracture in the substrate, wherein the fracture is formed in response to the tensile stress in the top metal layer.
In one aspect, a multijunction photovoltaic (PV) cell includes a bottom flexible substrate; a bottom metal layer located on the bottom flexible substrate; a semiconductor layer located on the bottom metal layer; and a stack comprising a plurality of junctions located on the semiconductor layer, each of the plurality of junctions having a respective bandgap, wherein the plurality of junctions are ordered from the junction having the smallest bandgap being located on the substrate to the junction having the largest bandgap being located on top of the stack.
Additional features are realized through the techniques of the present exemplary embodiment. Other embodiments are described in detail herein and are considered a part of what is claimed. For a better understanding of the features of the exemplary embodiment, refer to the description and to the drawings.
Referring now to the drawings wherein like elements are numbered alike in the several FIGURES:
Embodiments of a systems and methods for multijunction PV cell fabrication are provided, with exemplary embodiments being discussed below in detail. Spalling may be used to create a thin semiconductor film for use in fabrication of a flexible PV cell. Spalling allows for the controlled removal of a relatively thin semiconductor layer from a wafer or ingot of a semiconductor substrate using a layer of tensile stressed metal. The thin semiconductor layer may be transferred onto a mechanically flexible support substrate, such as a polymer, or may be left as a free-standing layered-transferred structure. Once the thin semiconductor layer is spalled, the tensile stressed metal used for the spalling process remains on one side of the thin semiconductor layer. The tensile stressed metal may block the illumination of the solar cell. Therefore, a flipping process may be necessary after spalling to achieve an operational PV cell. This is particularly important for III-V multijunction cells, in which the order of the various junctions comprising the cell is crucial for proper cell operation. This spalling may be applied to a single region of a surface of a semiconductor substrate, or to a plurality of localized regions, allowing for selected-area use of the semiconductor substrate. The plurality of localized regions may comprise less than one-hundred percent of the original substrate surface area in some embodiments.
In block 102, a top metal layer 301 is formed on junction 204, as is shown in
In block 104, semiconductor layer 501 is separated from substrate 201 at fracture 502, as is shown in
In block 105, a bottom surface of semiconductor layer 501 may be planarized, and bottom metal layer 601 deposited on semiconductor layer 501, as shown in
In block 107, top flexible substrate 401 is removed, as is shown in
In block 108, top-of-cell processing is performed to form finished multijunction PV cell 900. Some or all of metal layer 301 may be removed, as shown in
Due to the tensile stress in metal layers 301 and 601, the semiconductor layer 501 and junctions 202-204 may possess residual compressive strain after spalling in some embodiments. The magnitude of the strain contained in semiconductor layer 501 and junctions 202-204 may be controlled by varying the thickness and/or stress of the metal layers 301 and 601, either before or after spalling. The optical properties of multijunction PV cell 900, which is built using semiconductor layer 501 and junctions 202-204, may be tuned by adjusting the amount of strain in semiconductor layer 501 and/or junctions 202-204.
The technical effects and benefits of exemplary embodiments include a relatively cost-effective method of fabricating a flexible, efficient multijunction PV cell.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
The corresponding structures, materials, acts, and equivalents of all means or step plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material, or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed. The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description, but is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/185,247, filed Jun. 9, 2009. This application is also related to Ser. Nos. 12/713,584, 12/713,592, 12/713,560, and 12/713,572, each assigned to International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) and filed on the same day as the instant application, all of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
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