WO2012057604A1 - Nanostructure-based photovoltaic cell - Google Patents

Nanostructure-based photovoltaic cell Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2012057604A1
WO2012057604A1 PCT/MY2010/000289 MY2010000289W WO2012057604A1 WO 2012057604 A1 WO2012057604 A1 WO 2012057604A1 MY 2010000289 W MY2010000289 W MY 2010000289W WO 2012057604 A1 WO2012057604 A1 WO 2012057604A1
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junction
cell
solar cell
type
base
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PCT/MY2010/000289
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French (fr)
Inventor
Kai Sin Tan
Chia Sheng Daniel Bien
Wai Yee Lee
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Mimos Berhad
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    • 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
    • H01L31/0352—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 shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
    • H01L31/035209—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 shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions comprising a quantum structures
    • H01L31/035227—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 shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions comprising a quantum structures the quantum structure being quantum wires, or nanorods
    • 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
    • H01L31/02—Details
    • H01L31/0224—Electrodes
    • H01L31/022408—Electrodes for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier
    • H01L31/022425—Electrodes for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier for solar cells
    • 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
    • H01L31/02—Details
    • H01L31/0236—Special surface textures
    • H01L31/02363—Special surface textures of the semiconductor body itself, e.g. textured active layers
    • 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
    • H01L31/0352—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 shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions
    • H01L31/035272—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 shape or by the shapes, relative sizes or disposition of the semiconductor regions characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier
    • H01L31/03529—Shape of the potential jump barrier or surface barrier
    • 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
    • H01L31/04—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 adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices
    • H01L31/06—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 adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices characterised by at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier
    • H01L31/072—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 adapted as photovoltaic [PV] conversion devices characterised by at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier the potential barriers being only of the PN heterojunction type
    • H01L31/0725—Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
    • 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

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a photovoltaic device which combines a base so!ar cell with nanostructures to enhance area utilization and improve the efficiency of the device for conversion of light to electrical energy.
  • a solar cell is an electronic device which directly converts sunlight into electricity. Light shining on the solar cell produces both a current and a voltage to generate electricity.
  • a typical solar cell or photovoltaic structure consist of either a single or multiple p-n junctions to absorb and convert light to electrical energy which are then collected by metallic wires on its surface. These metallic top contacts are necessary to collect current generated by the solar cell.
  • nano-structured photovoltaic solar cell which includes a substrate having a horizori: nowadays surface and an electrode layer on the surface.
  • the electrode has plurality of vertical surfaces substantially perpendicular to the horizontal surface, and light harvesting rods are coupled to the vertical surface of the electrode.
  • the cell includes nano-patterned trenches that include plurality of vertical surfaces.
  • the electrode can also be nano- patterned layer.
  • the light harvesting rod is configured to funnel energy to the electron transport layer.
  • an electrical device can be provided that includes this solar cell and a circuit electrically coupled to the cell.
  • the single conformal junction nanowire photovoltaic devices which comprise elongated nanostructures coated with a thin conformal coating.
  • such conformal coating provides a substantia ⁇ continuous charge separating junction.
  • Such devices can comprise a p-n junction, a p-i-n junction and/or a heterojunction.
  • the elongated nanostructures are active photovoltaic elements in the photovoltaic device.
  • the present invention is made in view of the prior arts described above where typically in a solar cell, the metallic collector wires of a solar cell takes up at least 10% of the device area, therefore reducing the overall efficiency of the solar cell device. This is because the p-n junction areas under the metal collectors are blocked from sunlight, so these areas are unable to absorb and convert any light energy.
  • the present invention proposes a hybrid photovoltaic device that combines a base solar cell with nanowires or carbon nanotube p-n junction technology in order to minimize optical losses caused by shading of top contact coverage.
  • This proposed photovoltaic device can be operated at different band gaps and at single/multi junction.
  • the nanowires or nanotube p-n junction structures are fabricated' on top of jnetar collectors from the r -. .se solar cell, hence allowing full area utiliz >l : on and subsequently improving the overall efficiency of the device.
  • - nanowire arrays could, also be formed on the open areas of the base solar cell for light trapping effect to improve the optical absorption properties of the cell.
  • nc additional photovoltaic cells on top of the main photovoltaic cells They remain as a one type photovoltaic cell and a single band gap device limited to a single type of nanowire.
  • the nanostructures in the device are also not used for light trapping and the base of photovoltaic cell is just as a conductive material used for contact purposes.
  • Fig. 1 is a solar cell device with nanowire photovoltaic cell on the top contact.
  • Fig. 2 is a solar cell device with nanowire photovoltaic cell on the top contact of the base cell, and nanowire arrays on the surface of the base cell.
  • Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the nanostructure photovoltaic device operation process.
  • Fig. 4 is a schematic drawing of the nanowires with p-n junction grown on the top contact of the base solar cell.
  • Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the nanostructure photovoltaic device fabrication process.
  • the invention involves a hybrid photovoltaic device that combines a base solar cell [20] with nanostructures such as nanowires or nanotubes p-n junction technology.
  • An embodiment of nanowire or nanotube p-n junction [22] structures is fabricated on top of metal collectors from the base solar cell [20] as shown in Fig. 1.
  • nanowire arrays [24] could also be formed on the open areas of the base solar cell [20] for light- trapping effect as shown in Fig. 2.
  • the device operates based on the absorption of incident sunlight on the solar cell [50]. Light shining on the solar cell produces both current and voltage to generate electric power.
  • the generation o, >.:jrrent in a solar cell [20] involves two key pi messes.
  • the first process is the absorption of incident photons [26] to create light-generated carriers (electron-hole pairs) [52].
  • the second process is the collection of carriers by p-n junction to generate a current [54], which leads to generation of a large voltage across the solar cell [56] and dissipation of the power in the load [58].
  • the p-n junction [22] is a charge- separating junction, which prevents the recombination of carriers by spatially separating the electron and the hole.
  • the overall device operation is shown in Fig. 3. .
  • Metallic top contacts [28] are necessary to collect current generated by solar cell [20]. However, the shading effect of the top contact coverage [28] due to increased reflection caused by a high fraction of metal coverage will cause optical loss. Therefore, if the entire surface of the soiar cell [20] is able to absorb the incident sunlight, it could minimize optical loss. This is achieved by fabricating nanostructures on top of metal collectors from the base solar cell [20],
  • the overall structure of the device can be fabricated on any substrate such as silicon, glass, metal and polymer [60].
  • the base solar cell [20] and p-n junction [22] structure can be crystalline or thin film, silicon based or compound material, single junction or multi-junction. It can be formed as single or multiple layers [62].
  • the top contact [28] can be made of any conductive materials such as metal. It is selectively deposited and formed on the p-n junction [64].
  • the nanostructured p-n junction [22] on the top contact is made of nanowires or nanotubes of any materials such as silicon, carbon or zinc oxide.
  • the nanostructured p-n junction [22] can operate on a different energy band-gap compared to the base device.
  • the nanowires or nanotube are formed using a chemical vapor deposition method onto a metal catalyst [29][68].
  • the formation of p-n junction on top of the nanowires or nanoubes are by doping or by depositing p- and n- type materials to form a first type n/p type nanowires [30] and second type p/n type nanowires [32][70].
  • Material p/n type nanowires are between n/p type nanowires and top contact.
  • the p-n structrure is formed by depositing the first type nanostructure and the second type nanostructure covering the first type nanostructure.
  • a conductive material [34] transparent conductive material preferably, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) is deposited over the nanostructures for carrier support [72]. Then, metal is deposited as back contact [40][74].
  • ITO indium tin oxide
  • the device is unique as it has two different types of photovoltaic cells where additional cells are fabricated on the main cell allowing it to absorb more than one band gap energy.
  • nanowire arrays [24] could also be formed over the entire surface without any doping for formation of p-n junction [22].
  • p-n junction [22] is formed on the nanowires or nanotubes and then a transparent conductive material [34] is deposited on the nanowire or nanotube p-n junction [22].
  • Fig. 5 shows the flowchart of the fabrication process of this hybrid photovoltaic device. 010 000289
  • the invention disclosed a hybrid photovoltaic device that combines a base solar cell [20] of single or multi junction, with nanostructures such as nanowires or nanotubes p-n junction technology.
  • the nanowire or nanotube p-n junction structures [22] are fabricated on top of metal collectors from the base solar cell [20] as additional photovoltaic cell on top of the main cell. This allows full area utilization and subsequently improving the overall efficiency of the device with the enhanced capability to absorb more than one band gap energy.
  • nanowire arrays [24] without p-n junction [22] could also be formed on the open areas of the base solar cell [20] for light-trapping effect to improve the optical absorption properties of the cell. Therefore, this photovoltaic device with nanostructures offers the flexibility to be fabricated as a single or multi junction cell, with the option of additional nanowire arrays [24] and also can be operated at different band gaps energy.

Abstract

The present invention provides a hybrid photovoltaic device that combines a base solar cell [20] of single or multi junction with nanostructures of nanowires or nanotubes p-n junction. The nanowire or nanotube p-n junction structures [22] are fabricated on top of metal collectors from the base solar cell [20] as an additional photovoltaic cell on top of the main cell. This allows full area utilization and subsequently improving the overall efficiency of the device with the capability to absorb and operate at more than one band gap energy. Optionally, additional nanowire arrays [24] could also be formed on the open areas of the base solar cell [20] for light-trapping effect to improve the optical absorption properties of the cell.

Description

]
NANOSTRUCTURE-BASED PHOTOVOLTAIC CELL
The present invention relates to a photovoltaic device which combines a base so!ar cell with nanostructures to enhance area utilization and improve the efficiency of the device for conversion of light to electrical energy.
BACKGROUND ART
A solar cell is an electronic device which directly converts sunlight into electricity. Light shining on the solar cell produces both a current and a voltage to generate electricity. At present, a typical solar cell or photovoltaic structure consist of either a single or multiple p-n junctions to absorb and convert light to electrical energy which are then collected by metallic wires on its surface. These metallic top contacts are necessary to collect current generated by the solar cell.
The development of photovoltaic has vastly improved over the years. Presently, there is nano-structured photovoltaic solar cell which includes a substrate having a horizori:?! surface and an electrode layer on the surface. The electrode has plurality of vertical surfaces substantially perpendicular to the horizontal surface, and light harvesting rods are coupled to the vertical surface of the electrode. The cell includes nano-patterned trenches that include plurality of vertical surfaces. The electrode can also be nano- patterned layer. The light harvesting rod is configured to funnel energy to the electron transport layer. In some embodiment, an electrical device can be provided that includes this solar cell and a circuit electrically coupled to the cell.
Another prior art listed the single conformal junction nanowire photovoltaic devices which comprise elongated nanostructures coated with a thin conformal coating. Typically, such conformal coating provides a substantia^ continuous charge separating junction. Such devices can comprise a p-n junction, a p-i-n junction and/or a heterojunction. In all cases, the elongated nanostructures are active photovoltaic elements in the photovoltaic device.
Another prior art listed nanowires in thin film silicon solar cell where the photovoltaic devices comprises silicon nanowires as active photovoltaic elements wherein such 9
2 devices are typically thin film silicon solar cells. Generally, such solar cells are of the p-i- n type and can be fabricated for front and/or backside illumination.
The present invention is made in view of the prior arts described above where typically in a solar cell, the metallic collector wires of a solar cell takes up at least 10% of the device area, therefore reducing the overall efficiency of the solar cell device. This is because the p-n junction areas under the metal collectors are blocked from sunlight, so these areas are unable to absorb and convert any light energy. SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The present invention proposes a hybrid photovoltaic device that combines a base solar cell with nanowires or carbon nanotube p-n junction technology in order to minimize optical losses caused by shading of top contact coverage. This proposed photovoltaic device, can be operated at different band gaps and at single/multi junction. The nanowires or nanotube p-n junction structures are fabricated' on top of jnetar collectors from the r-. .se solar cell, hence allowing full area utiliz >l:on and subsequently improving the overall efficiency of the device. Furthermore,- nanowire arrays could, also be formed on the open areas of the base solar cell for light trapping effect to improve the optical absorption properties of the cell.
Discussed prior arts have nc additional photovoltaic cells on top of the main photovoltaic cells. They remain as a one type photovoltaic cell and a single band gap device limited to a single type of nanowire. The nanostructures in the device are also not used for light trapping and the base of photovoltaic cell is just as a conductive material used for contact purposes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Fig. 1 is a solar cell device with nanowire photovoltaic cell on the top contact.
Fig. 2 is a solar cell device with nanowire photovoltaic cell on the top contact of the base cell, and nanowire arrays on the surface of the base cell.
Fig. 3 is a flowchart showing the nanostructure photovoltaic device operation process. Fig. 4 is a schematic drawing of the nanowires with p-n junction grown on the top contact of the base solar cell.
Fig. 5 is a flowchart showing the nanostructure photovoltaic device fabrication process.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
Hereinafter, the present invention is described in detail.
The invention involves a hybrid photovoltaic device that combines a base solar cell [20] with nanostructures such as nanowires or nanotubes p-n junction technology. An embodiment of nanowire or nanotube p-n junction [22] structures is fabricated on top of metal collectors from the base solar cell [20] as shown in Fig. 1. Additionally, nanowire arrays [24] could also be formed on the open areas of the base solar cell [20] for light- trapping effect as shown in Fig. 2. The device operates based on the absorption of incident sunlight on the solar cell [50]. Light shining on the solar cell produces both current and voltage to generate electric power. The generation o, >.:jrrent in a solar cell [20] involves two key pi messes. The first process is the absorption of incident photons [26] to create light-generated carriers (electron-hole pairs) [52]. The second process is the collection of carriers by p-n junction to generate a current [54], which leads to generation of a large voltage across the solar cell [56] and dissipation of the power in the load [58]. The p-n junction [22] is a charge- separating junction, which prevents the recombination of carriers by spatially separating the electron and the hole. The overall device operation is shown in Fig. 3. . Metallic top contacts [28] are necessary to collect current generated by solar cell [20]. However, the shading effect of the top contact coverage [28] due to increased reflection caused by a high fraction of metal coverage will cause optical loss. Therefore, if the entire surface of the soiar cell [20] is able to absorb the incident sunlight, it could minimize optical loss. This is achieved by fabricating nanostructures on top of metal collectors from the base solar cell [20],
The overall structure of the device can be fabricated on any substrate such as silicon, glass, metal and polymer [60]. The base solar cell [20] and p-n junction [22] structure can be crystalline or thin film, silicon based or compound material, single junction or multi-junction. It can be formed as single or multiple layers [62]. The top contact [28] can be made of any conductive materials such as metal. It is selectively deposited and formed on the p-n junction [64]. The nanostructured p-n junction [22] on the top contact is made of nanowires or nanotubes of any materials such as silicon, carbon or zinc oxide.
The nanostructured p-n junction [22] can operate on a different energy band-gap compared to the base device. The nanowires or nanotube are formed using a chemical vapor deposition method onto a metal catalyst [29][68]. The formation of p-n junction on top of the nanowires or nanoubes are by doping or by depositing p- and n- type materials to form a first type n/p type nanowires [30] and second type p/n type nanowires [32][70]. Material p/n type nanowires are between n/p type nanowires and top contact. The p-n structrure is formed by depositing the first type nanostructure and the second type nanostructure covering the first type nanostructure. On top of the nanowires or nanotubes p-n junction [22], a conductive material [34], transparent conductive material preferably, such as indium tin oxide (ITO) is deposited over the nanostructures for carrier support [72]. Then, metal is deposited as back contact [40][74]. The schematic of the nanowires with p-n junction [22] grown i\ . the top of the base solar cell [20] is as shovn in Fig. 4. The device is unique as it has two different types of photovoltaic cells where additional cells are fabricated on the main cell allowing it to absorb more than one band gap energy. It is fabricated with the forming of p-type and n-type layers or in multi layers as the base solar cell [20] allowing an option of single or multi junction for the base cell. This is followed by the formation of metal contacts as the top contact [28]. On top of the metal contacts, metal catalyst is deposited and nanowires or nanotubes are grown on the top contact [28]. In addition, nanowire arrays [24] could also be formed over the entire surface without any doping for formation of p-n junction [22]. After that, p-n junction [22] is formed on the nanowires or nanotubes and then a transparent conductive material [34] is deposited on the nanowire or nanotube p-n junction [22]. The fabrication of the device is completed with the metallization of the back contact [40] at the bottom of the base solar cell [20] for connection to an external circuit. Fig. 5 shows the flowchart of the fabrication process of this hybrid photovoltaic device. 010 000289
5
Accordingly, the invention disclosed a hybrid photovoltaic device that combines a base solar cell [20] of single or multi junction, with nanostructures such as nanowires or nanotubes p-n junction technology. The nanowire or nanotube p-n junction structures [22] are fabricated on top of metal collectors from the base solar cell [20] as additional photovoltaic cell on top of the main cell. This allows full area utilization and subsequently improving the overall efficiency of the device with the enhanced capability to absorb more than one band gap energy. In addition, nanowire arrays [24], without p-n junction [22], could also be formed on the open areas of the base solar cell [20] for light-trapping effect to improve the optical absorption properties of the cell. Therefore, this photovoltaic device with nanostructures offers the flexibility to be fabricated as a single or multi junction cell, with the option of additional nanowire arrays [24] and also can be operated at different band gaps energy.

Claims

A photovoltaic device comprising:
a base solar cell with p-n junction [20];
a top contact [28] selectively on top of base cell [20]; and
a back contact [40] at bottom of base cell [20];
characterized in that,
a p-n junction structures [22] formed by nanostructures of nanowire or nanotubes on top of top contact [28]; and
a conductive material [34] on the p-n junction structure [22].
A device according to claim 1 , wherein the p-n structure [22] is formed by a first type nanostructure [32] and a second type nanostructure covering the first type nanostructure [30].
A device according to claim 1 , wherein the conductive material [34] is transparent conductive oxide.
A device according to claim 3, wherein the transparent conductive oxide is indium tin oxide.
A device according to claim 1 , further comprising an array of nanostructures of nanowire or nanotubes [40] on top of base cell [20].
A method of fabricating photovoltaic device with nanostructures, comprising:
depositing and patterning a layer of metal catalyst on top of metal contacts of a base solar cell [68];
growing p-type or n-type materials by doping nanowires or nanotubes on metal catalyst [70];
depositing p-type or n-type materials over the nanowires or nanotubes to form of p-n junction [72], and
depositing conductive material on the top surface of the nanowire or nanotubes with p-n junction structure [74]. A method according to claim 6, wherein the p-n structure is formed by depositing a first type nanostructure and a second type nanostructure covering the first type nanostructure.
A method according to claim 6, further comprising forming additional arrays of nanostructures on top of the base cell.
PCT/MY2010/000289 2010-10-29 2010-11-24 Nanostructure-based photovoltaic cell WO2012057604A1 (en)

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CN104091849A (en) * 2014-07-29 2014-10-08 天津三安光电有限公司 Multi-junction solar cell and manufacturing method thereof
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WO2015088312A1 (en) * 2013-12-10 2015-06-18 Mimos Berhad A method for fabricating a thin-film solar cell having nanostructures incorporated onto an absorber layer and a conductor layer
EP3016148A1 (en) * 2014-10-28 2016-05-04 Sol Voltaics AB Dual layer photovoltaic device
EP3038164A1 (en) * 2014-12-22 2016-06-29 Total Marketing Services Opto-electronic device with textured surface and method of manufacturing thereof

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WO2014165228A1 (en) * 2013-03-12 2014-10-09 The Regents Of The University Of California Highly efficient optical to electrical conversion devices
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