US 11,901,476 B2
Methods for fabricating thin film III-V compound solar cell
Noren Pan, Wilmette, IL (US); Glen Hillier, Spring Grove, IL (US); Duy Phach Vu, San Jose, CA (US); Rao Tatavarti, Mount Prospect, IL (US); Christopher Youtsey, Libertyville, IL (US); David McCallum, West Chicago, IL (US); and Genevieve Martin, Chicago, IL (US)
Assigned to MICROLINK DEVICES, INC., Niles, IL (US)
Filed by MICROLINK DEVICES, INC., Niles, IL (US)
Filed on Feb. 8, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/170,133.
Application 17/170,133 is a continuation of application No. 13/165,318, filed on Jun. 21, 2011, granted, now 10,923,617.
Application 13/165,318 is a continuation of application No. 12/167,583, filed on Jul. 3, 2008, granted, now 7,994,419, issued on Aug. 9, 2011.
Claims priority of provisional application 61/045,850, filed on Apr. 17, 2008.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/958,186, filed on Jul. 3, 2007.
Prior Publication US 2021/0328093 A1, Oct. 21, 2021
Int. Cl. H01L 31/18 (2006.01); H01L 31/0687 (2012.01)
CPC H01L 31/1852 (2013.01) [H01L 31/06875 (2013.01); H01L 31/1844 (2013.01); H01L 31/1896 (2013.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A plurality of thin film multi-junction solar cells free of a six inch substrate on which the plurality of solar cells were formed, each comprising:
a first active layer forming a first junction;
a second active layer forming a second junction;
a third active layer forming a third junction, at least one of the first active layer, second active layer or third active layer having a lattice mismatch with the six inch substrate on which the active layers were grown; and
a support backing layer formed directly on the first active layer of each of the plurality of solar cells providing a common support for the plurality of solar cells, the support backing layer having an area corresponding to the six inch substrate, the support backing layer comprising a plurality of metal sublayers including a main support sublayer, the support backing layer providing structural support for each of the plurality of solar cells in an absence of the six inch substrate, wherein each of the plurality of thin film multi-junction solar cells is flexible.