US2019096A - Production of suppression layer photocells - Google Patents

Production of suppression layer photocells Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US2019096A
US2019096A US679285A US67928533A US2019096A US 2019096 A US2019096 A US 2019096A US 679285 A US679285 A US 679285A US 67928533 A US67928533 A US 67928533A US 2019096 A US2019096 A US 2019096A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
copper
layer
oxide
cell
suppression layer
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US679285A
Inventor
Rother Franz
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date 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 date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US2019096A publication Critical patent/US2019096A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/04—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer
    • H01L21/16—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer the devices having semiconductor bodies comprising cuprous oxide or cuprous iodide
    • H01L21/161—Preparation of the foundation plate, preliminary treatment oxidation of the foundation plate, reduction treatment
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02104—Forming layers
    • H01L21/02365—Forming inorganic semiconducting materials on a substrate
    • H01L21/02518—Deposited layers
    • H01L21/02521—Materials
    • H01L21/02565—Oxide semiconducting materials not being Group 12/16 materials, e.g. ternary compounds
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/02104—Forming layers
    • H01L21/02365—Forming inorganic semiconducting materials on a substrate
    • H01L21/02612—Formation types
    • H01L21/02614—Transformation of metal, e.g. oxidation, nitridation

Definitions

  • This invention relates to improvements in suppression layer cathodes for photo cells and the like and to a method for manufacturing the same.
  • An object of the invention is to provide a cell of the aforementioned character having improved sensitivity and efficiency. 7
  • Another object is to provide a cell of great durability.
  • Another object is to provide a cell which can be easily manufactured.
  • Another object is to provide a method for manthe aforementioned character.
  • Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of the construction of a cell as used heretofore
  • Fig. 2 is a similar view of a cell constructed in accordance with my invention.
  • the suppression layer photo-cells were hitherto produced, for example in the .case of the coppercuprous oxide ,cell, by heating a metallic copper plate to about-1020 C. for some time in a furnace in the presence of oxygen.
  • the known suppression layer photo-cell is illustrateddiagrammatically in section in Fig. l.
  • the cell removed from the furnace shows on its surface copper oxide which is removed by suitable processes, so that the cuprous oxide layer 3 is exposed which is located under the copper oxide and has grown on the mother copper I.
  • the very thin hypothetic suppression layer 2 which is permeable for the electrons only in one direction, is situated between the cuprous oxide layer 3 and the metallic copper support (mother copper) I.
  • the mother copper plate I serves as one of the electrodes of the finished suppression layer cell, whereas usually a thin metal layer 4 applied on the cuprous oxide layer 3 by known processes, such as cathode atomizing, serves as second or counter electrode.
  • the photo-electric effect of such suppression layer photo cells can be considerably increased if the metallic copper plate I, in the case of a copper-cuprous-oxide cell, is coated with a layer 5 of another metal as shown in Fig.2 before being brought to a high temperature.
  • the coating 5 may be applied to the mother copper plate I by cathode atomizing. electrolysis, by a spraying process or by any other suitable process. If, for example, a copper plate I is coated with a gold layer 5 before being brought to a high temperature, this gold layer 5 remains on the copper after the finishing of the cell or is partly alloyed with the latter at its sur: face and the cuprous-oxide layer 3 has formed over the gold layer 5.
  • the metal layer 5, applied to the metallic copper I, may be extremely thin, so thin that it is translucent.
  • Such a cell also presents the advantage over the known cells as regards production, that the cuprous oxide 3 uniformly covers the whole surface of the cell and chipping off of a portion of the cuprous oxide layer when removing the cell from the furnace or during the cooling, as often happens in the production of the known cells, being .avoided.
  • the copper plate I in the case of copper-cuprous oxide cells, may also be covered with two or more thin, superposed metal layers 5 before it is brought to a high temperature.
  • the new'process is particularly practical if the mother metal, on which the thin metal coating 5 is applied, is not a pure metal but a metal alloy which may consist of two or more components. 49 Precious metals .are particularly suitable as coating metal 5 in the sense of the invention, but any of the metals may be employed except the metals of the alkali group. If, however, more than one coating layer 5 is to be employed, thin layers of metals which can easily oxidize, may be applied over or under the precious metal layer. Fig. 2 must be regarded merely as a diagrammatic view.
  • suppression layer cathodes for photo cells and the like comprising a copper base and a coating of an oxide thereof, the step which consists in coating said base with a thin layerof I another metal not belonging to the alkali group of metals and thereafter heating the so coated base to thereby cause copper to difiuse into and to form an alloy with said other metal and further to oxidize at least part of the copper so diffused to form said oxide coating overlying said alloy.
  • suppression layer cathodes for photo cells'and the like comprising a copper base'and a coating of an oxide thereof, the step which consists in coating said base with a thin layer of a precious metal and thereafter heating the so coated base to thereby cause copper to difiuse into and to form an alloy with said precious metal and further to oxidize at least some of, the copper so diffused to form an oxide of said copper overlying the surface of said alloy.
  • suppression layer cathodes for photo cells and the like comprising a copper base and a coating of an oxide thereof
  • the step which consists in coating said base'with a plurality of successive thin layers of different other metals not belonging to the alkali group of metals and thereafter heating the so coated copper base to thereby cause copper 'to diifuse into and to form alloys with said different other metals and further to oxidize at least some of the copper so diffused to form an oxide of said copper overlying said alloys.
  • a suppression layer photo cell comprising, in combination with a copper base and a layer of an oxide thereof, an alloy of said copper and another metal not belonging to the alkali group of metals interposed between said copper base and said layer and adhering to said copper base and said oxide by an inter-molecular-bond.
  • a suppression layer photo cell comprising, in combination with a copper base and a layer of anoxide thereof, an alloy of said copper and a precious metal interposed between said copper base and said layer and adhering to said copper base and said oxide by an inter-molecular bond.
  • a suppression layer photo cell comprising, in combination a copper base and a layer of an oxide thereof, a plurality of thin layers of alloys of different other metals not belonging to the alkali group of metals and said copper, said layers being interposed between said copper base and said oxide layer, said copper base and said layers adhering to one another at their respective boundaries by an inter-molecular bond.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)
  • Electrodes For Compound Or Non-Metal Manufacture (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Non-Metals, Compounds, Apparatuses Therefor (AREA)

Description

Oct. 29, 1935. RQTHER 2,619,096
PRODUCTION OF SUPPRESSION LAYER PHOTOOELLS Filed July 7, 1933 -IIIIIIIIII Franz R t/ver attorney ufacturing a cell of Patented Oct. 29, 1935 UNITED STATES PRODUCTION OF SUPPRESSION LAYER PHOTOCELLS Franz Bother, Paris, France Application July 7, 1933, Serial No. 679,285 In Germany July8, 1932 6 Claims.
This inventionrelates to improvements in suppression layer cathodes for photo cells and the like and to a method for manufacturing the same.
An object of the invention is to provide a cell of the aforementioned character having improved sensitivity and efficiency. 7
Another object is to provide a cell of great durability.
Another object is to provide a cell which can be easily manufactured.
Another object is to provide a method for manthe aforementioned character.
Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.
An embodiment of my invention'will be explained in the following description with reference to the appended drawing in which Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of the construction of a cell as used heretofore, while Fig. 2 is a similar view of a cell constructed in accordance with my invention.
The suppression layer photo-cells were hitherto produced, for example in the .case of the coppercuprous oxide ,cell, by heating a metallic copper plate to about-1020 C. for some time in a furnace in the presence of oxygen.
The known suppression layer photo-cell is illustrateddiagrammatically in section in Fig. l.
The cell removed from the furnace shows on its surface copper oxide which is removed by suitable processes, so that the cuprous oxide layer 3 is exposed which is located under the copper oxide and has grown on the mother copper I. The very thin hypothetic suppression layer 2 which is permeable for the electrons only in one direction, is situated between the cuprous oxide layer 3 and the metallic copper support (mother copper) I. The mother copper plate I serves as one of the electrodes of the finished suppression layer cell, whereas usually a thin metal layer 4 applied on the cuprous oxide layer 3 by known processes, such as cathode atomizing, serves as second or counter electrode.
It has now been found that the photo-electric effect of such suppression layer photo cells can be considerably increased if the metallic copper plate I, in the case of a copper-cuprous-oxide cell, is coated with a layer 5 of another metal as shown in Fig.2 before being brought to a high temperature. The coating 5 may be applied to the mother copper plate I by cathode atomizing. electrolysis, by a spraying process or by any other suitable process. If, for example, a copper plate I is coated with a gold layer 5 before being brought to a high temperature, this gold layer 5 remains on the copper after the finishing of the cell or is partly alloyed with the latter at its sur: face and the cuprous-oxide layer 3 has formed over the gold layer 5. Consequently over the 5 mother copper I there is besides the known thin suppression layer 2 also the gold or gold alloy layer 5 and above this the cuprous oxide layer. Such a suppression layer photo-celhhowever, as compared with a similarcell but without the gold layer 5 previously applied onto the copper I, shows about 10 times greater photo-electric effect or a ten times greater energy yield under otherwise similar conditions.
The metal layer 5, applied to the metallic copper I, may be extremely thin, so thin that it is translucent. Such a cell also presents the advantage over the known cells as regards production, that the cuprous oxide 3 uniformly covers the whole surface of the cell and chipping off of a portion of the cuprous oxide layer when removing the cell from the furnace or during the cooling, as often happens in the production of the known cells, being .avoided. The copper plate I, in the case of copper-cuprous oxide cells, may also be covered with two or more thin, superposed metal layers 5 before it is brought to a high temperature.
By this process other metals besides copper may be employed as mother metal I for producing suppression layer photo cells. The copper I under the applied gold layer 5 diff-uses into and through the thin gold layer at the production temperature of the cell, so that the oxygen compounds of'the copper then form on the gold or gold alloy layer 5.
The new'process is particularly practical if the mother metal, on which the thin metal coating 5 is applied, is not a pure metal but a metal alloy which may consist of two or more components. 49 Precious metals .are particularly suitable as coating metal 5 in the sense of the invention, but any of the metals may be employed except the metals of the alkali group. If, however, more than one coating layer 5 is to be employed, thin layers of metals which can easily oxidize, may be applied over or under the precious metal layer. Fig. 2 must be regarded merely as a diagrammatic view.
I claim:
1. In the process of producing suppression layer cathodes for photo cells and the like, comprising a copper base and a coating of an oxide thereof, the step which consists in coating said base with a thin layerof I another metal not belonging to the alkali group of metals and thereafter heating the so coated base to thereby cause copper to difiuse into and to form an alloy with said other metal and further to oxidize at least part of the copper so diffused to form said oxide coating overlying said alloy.
2. In the process of producing suppression layer cathodes for photo cells'and the like, comprising a copper base'and a coating of an oxide thereof, the step which consists in coating said base with a thin layer of a precious metal and thereafter heating the so coated base to thereby cause copper to difiuse into and to form an alloy with said precious metal and further to oxidize at least some of, the copper so diffused to form an oxide of said copper overlying the surface of said alloy.
3. In the process of producing suppression layer cathodes for photo cells and the like, comprising a copper base and a coating of an oxide thereof, the step which consists ,in coating said base'with a plurality of successive thin layers of different other metals not belonging to the alkali group of metals and thereafter heating the so coated copper base to thereby cause copper 'to diifuse into and to form alloys with said different other metals and further to oxidize at least some of the copper so diffused to form an oxide of said copper overlying said alloys.
4. A suppression layer photo cell comprising, in combination with a copper base and a layer of an oxide thereof, an alloy of said copper and another metal not belonging to the alkali group of metals interposed between said copper base and said layer and adhering to said copper base and said oxide by an inter-molecular-bond.
5. A suppression layer photo cell comprising, in combination with a copper base and a layer of anoxide thereof, an alloy of said copper and a precious metal interposed between said copper base and said layer and adhering to said copper base and said oxide by an inter-molecular bond.
6. A suppression layer photo cell comprising, in combination a copper base and a layer of an oxide thereof, a plurality of thin layers of alloys of different other metals not belonging to the alkali group of metals and said copper, said layers being interposed between said copper base and said oxide layer, said copper base and said layers adhering to one another at their respective boundaries by an inter-molecular bond.
FRANZ ROTHER.
US679285A 1932-07-08 1933-07-07 Production of suppression layer photocells Expired - Lifetime US2019096A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DER0085358 1932-07-08

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US2019096A true US2019096A (en) 1935-10-29

Family

ID=7417328

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US679285A Expired - Lifetime US2019096A (en) 1932-07-08 1933-07-07 Production of suppression layer photocells

Country Status (3)

Country Link
US (1) US2019096A (en)
GB (1) GB403041A (en)
NL (1) NL37041C (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2721966A (en) * 1950-06-22 1955-10-25 Westinghouse Brake & Signal Manufacture of dry surface contact rectifiers

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2721966A (en) * 1950-06-22 1955-10-25 Westinghouse Brake & Signal Manufacture of dry surface contact rectifiers

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
NL37041C (en) 1900-01-01
GB403041A (en) 1933-12-14

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
MX172033B (en) AN IMPROVED PROCEDURE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A LOW EMISSION CAPACITY, ON A TRANSPARENT GLASS OR PLASTIC SUBSTRATE, AND THE RESULTING PRODUCT
DE59309018D1 (en) Process for producing a metal oxide layer, vacuum treatment plant therefor and part coated with at least one metal oxide layer
DE1192749B (en) Method for recording a ring-shaped pattern on the surface of a semiconductor body
GB1452633A (en) Fabrication of solar cells with anti-reflective coating
US2019096A (en) Production of suppression layer photocells
FR2280476A1 (en) METHOD OF MANUFACTURING AN ELECTRODE FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC MACHINING OF A DRAWING WITH GROOVES IN THE CURVED SURFACE OF A PART
GB1200426A (en) Method for providing a planar transistor with heat-dissipating top base and emitter contacts
US2192418A (en) Method of manufacturing photoelectrically sensitive layers
JPS56142633A (en) Forming method for back electrode of semiconductor wafer
US3698077A (en) Method of producing a planar-transistor
US2282523A (en) Method of manufacturing selenium rectifiers and photoelectric selenium cells
JPS58191478A (en) Method for formation of reflection preventing film for solar battery
JPS54155771A (en) Pattern forming method
JPS5685711A (en) Manufacture of diffraction grating
GB460012A (en) Improvements in or relating to light sensitive layers for photoelectric cells
DE1521509C3 (en) Process for the production of metal structures on semiconductor surfaces
SU43977A1 (en) Method for making mosaic electrode for iconoscope
US3723210A (en) Method of making a semiconductor wafer having concave rim
JPS56131948A (en) Manufacture of semiconductor element
JPS56147434A (en) Manufacture of semiconductor device
DE649691C (en) Process for the production of oxide barrier photocells
JPS5889841A (en) Manufacture of semiconductor device
JPH0322843Y2 (en)
DE512818C (en) Method for manufacturing a rectifier element
JPS57154845A (en) Forming method for rear face electrode