Silicon photovoltaic element and fabrication method

Abstract

A method of forming a photovoltaic device that includes providing an absorption layer of a first crystalline semiconductor material having a first conductivity type, and epitaxially growing a second crystalline semiconductor layer of a second conductivity type that is opposite the first conductivity type. The first conductivity type may be p-type and the second conductivity type may be n-type, or the first conductivity type may be n-type and the second conductivity type may be p-type. The temperature of the epitaxially growing the second crystalline semiconductor layer does not exceed 500° C. Contacts are formed in electrical communication with the absorption layer and the second crystalline semiconductor layer.

1 . A photovoltaic device comprising:
 an absorption layer comprised of a crystalline semiconductor material, wherein the crystalline semiconductor material is doped to a first conductivity type;   an epitaxial semiconductor material in direct contact with the absorption layer, wherein the epitaxial semiconductor material is doped to a second conductivity type opposite the first conductivity type; and   a passivation layer comprises an intrinsic amorphous semiconductor material is in direct contact with the epitaxial semiconductor material.   
     
     
         2 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the crystalline semiconductor material of the absorption layer comprises a single crystal crystalline structure. 
     
     
         3 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the crystalline semiconductor material of the absorption layer comprises a poly-crystalline or multi-crystalline structure. 
     
     
         4 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the crystalline semiconductor material is a silicon-containing material. 
     
     
         5 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 4 , wherein the first conductivity type is n-type and the second conductivity type is p-type, or the first conductivity type is p-type and the second conductivity type is n-type. 
     
     
         6 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 5 , wherein the absorption layer has a thickness ranging from 50 nm to 1 mm, and the first conductivity type is provided by a dopant present in a concentration ranging from 10 9  atoms/cm 3  to 10 20  atoms/cm 3 . 
     
     
         7 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial semiconductor material is comprises a single crystal crystalline structure. 
     
     
         8 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial semiconductor material is a poly-crystalline or multi-crystalline structure. 
     
     
         9 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the epitaxial semiconductor material is a silicon-containing material. 
     
     
         10 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 9 , wherein the epitaxial semiconductor material has a thickness ranging from 2 nm to 2 μm, and the first conductivity type is provided by a dopant present in a concentration ranging from 10 16  atoms/cm 3  to 5 10 20  atoms/cm 3 . 
     
     
         11 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , further comprising a transparent conductive material layer present in direct contact with the passivation layer. 
     
     
         12 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 11 , further comprising an emitter contact in direct contact with the transparent conductive material layer, and a back contact to the absorption layer. 
     
     
         13 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 12 , further comprising a back surface field layer between and in direct contact with the absorption layer and the back contact, wherein at least a portion of the back surface field layer comprises a semiconductor material doped to provide a same conductivity type as the absorption layer. 
     
     
         14 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 13 , wherein the back surface field layer comprises single or multi-layers of crystalline, or non-crystalline semiconductor material, having a thickness ranging from 2 nm to 10 μm, wherein a dopant to provide the same conductivity type as the absorption layer is present in the back surface field layer in a concentration ranging from 10 17  atoms/cm 3  to 10 21  atoms/cm 3 . 
     
     
         15 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the passivation layer is comprised of intrinsic amorphous hydrogenated silicon (a-Si:H). 
     
     
         16 . A method of forming a photovoltaic device comprising:
 providing an absorption layer comprised of a first crystalline semiconductor material having a first conductivity type;   epitaxially growing a second crystalline semiconductor layer having a second conductivity type that is opposite the first conductivity type, wherein temperature of the epitaxially growing the second crystalline semiconductor layer is 500° C. or less; and   forming contacts in electrical communication with the absorption layer and the second crystalline semiconductor layer.   
     
     
         17 . A method of  claim 16 , wherein the temperature of the epitaxially growing the second crystalline semiconductor layer is 200° C. or less. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first conductivity type is p-type and the second conductivity type is n-type, or the first conductivity type is n-type and the second conductivity type is p-type. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the absorption layer is provided by a semiconductor substrate having a single crystal crystalline structure, the absorption layer having a thickness ranging from 50 nm to 1 mm, and having a dopant concentration that provides the first conductivity type of the absorption layer that ranges from 10 9  atoms/cm 3  to 10 20  atoms/cm 3 . 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the absorption layer has a single crystal crystalline structure, and the epitaxially growing of the second crystalline semiconductor layer produces a single crystal crystalline structure for the second crystalline semiconductor layer, wherein the second crystalline semiconductor layer has a thickness ranging from 2 nm to 2 um, and the second crystalline semiconductor layer has a dopant concentration that ranges from 10 16  atoms/cm 3  to 5×10 20  atoms/cm 3 . 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the epitaxially growing of the second crystalline semiconductor layer comprises plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) from a mixture of silane (SiH 4 ), hydrogen (H 2 ) and dopant gasses. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the ratio of silane (SiH 4 ) to hydrogen (H 2 ) is greater than 5:1. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the ration of silane (SiH 4 ) to hydrogen (H 2 ) ranges from 5:1 to 1000:1. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the second conductivity type dopant is n-type, the dopant gasses comprise phosphine gas (PH 3 ) present in a ratio to silane (SiH 4 ) ranging from 0.01% to 10%, or the dopant gasses comprise arsenic gas (AsH 3 ) present in a ratio to silane (SiH 4 ) ranging from 0.01% to 10%. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22 , wherein the second conductivity type dopant is p-type, the dopant gasses comprise diborane gas (B 2 H 6 ) present in a ratio to silane (SiH 4 ) ranging from 0.01% to 10%, or the dopant gasses comprise trimethylboron gas (TMB) present in a ratio to silane (SiH 4 ) ranging from 0.01% to 10%.