Method for producing a thin-film solar cell by use of microcrystalline silicon and a layer sequence

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The patent describes a method for producing a thin-film solar cell using microcrystalline silicon layers arranged in a specific sequence. The manufacturing process employs a combination of hot-wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) and plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) to create an intermediate and an additional microcrystalline silicon intrinsic (i) layer, sandwiched between p-type and n-type layers. This layer structure increases the cell's efficiency, open-circuit voltage (Voc), and fill factor (FF) compared to conventional methods.

Use CasesContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Production of high-efficiency thin-film silicon solar panels for commercial and residential solar installations.
• Manufacturing lightweight and flexible solar modules for consumer electronics or portable uses.
• Integration into building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) such as solar glass or façade panels.
• Use in solar-powered vehicles and autonomous devices requiring lightweight, efficient solar cells.

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Improved solar cell efficiency due to higher open-circuit voltage and fill factor.
• Enhanced manufacturability—enables short production processes with the use of existing deposition technologies (HWCVD, PECVD, etc.).
• Compatibility with both pin and nip cell architectures, increasing design flexibility.
• Potential for cheaper, faster, and more scalable production of solar modules by optimizing individual layer deposition.
• Better performance at lower substrate temperatures, which may reduce manufacturing energy costs and expand suitable substrates (like flexible plastics).

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Patent Abstract

A thin film solar cell is disclosed comprising the following layers deposited on a substrate: a microcrystalline p- or n-layer, an intermediate microcrystalline silicon i-layer applied by a hot-wire chemical-vapor deposition (HWCVD) method on the microcrystalline p- or n-layer a), an additional i-layer of microcrystalline silicon, which is formed by depositing on the intermediate microcrystalline silicon i-layer, by a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), a sputtering process, or a photo-CVD method whereby layers b) and c) together form an i-layer, and if a p-layer is present as the layer of step a), an n-layer, and if an n-layer is present as the layer of step a), a p-layer that is either microcrystalline or amorphous.