Method for Producing a Thin Si Absorber Layer, Thin-Film Silicon Absorber and Its Use

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The invention provides a method for producing a thin, polycrystalline silicon (Si) absorber layer with controlled grain size and orientation. The process involves forming a silicon seed layer on a substrate, followed by the deposition and crystallization of a thicker amorphous silicon layer, resulting in enlarged Si grains with a preferred orientation (either (100) or (111)). The final Si absorber layer features textured surfaces to improve light trapping, making it highly suitable for thin-film solar cell applications.

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• Production of highly efficient thin-film silicon solar cells
• Manufacture of semiconductor devices requiring high-quality polycrystalline silicon films
• Integration of silicon-based photo-absorption layers in flexible, lightweight, or large-area photovoltaic modules
• Use in optoelectronic devices where controlled silicon grain structure is beneficial, such as photodetectors and image sensors
• Enabling advanced solar panel architectures, such as tandem or heterostructure cells

BenefitsContent extracted from patent full text and abstract with AI.

• Improved efficiency of thin-film silicon solar cells due to optimized grain size and orientation for better electronic properties and light absorption
• Reduced material usage, enabling thinner, lighter, and potentially cheaper photovoltaic modules
• Enhanced scalability and simpler processing compared to existing methods, facilitating large-area production
• Ability to control silicon grain orientation (either (100) or (111)) allows tuning of material properties for specific device requirements
• Textured surfaces enable superior light trapping, resulting in higher energy conversion efficiencies
• Flexibility in choice of substrate materials, including metals and ceramics, broadening manufacturing options

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Patent Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a thin Si absorber layer, comprising at the least the following method steps: creating a Si seed layer on a substrate, wherein first an a-Si layer having a thickness 40 nm is applied and subsequently crystallised in such a manner that in the first case Si grains having a (100) preferred orientation are formed in the seed layer, and in the second case Si-grains having a (111) preferred orientation are formed in the seed layer, subsequent deposition of a 5 mum to 15 mum thick a-Si absorber layer on the seed layer, which then has grains with a preferred orientation and which is thereafter at least partially melted in a single step and crystallised in such a manner that Si grains of a preferred orientation that are enlarged in the Si absorber layer compared with the crystallised seed layer are formed, and final structuring of the surface of the Si absorber layer.