US 12,249,664 B2
Transparent conducting layers and photovoltaic devices including the same
James Becker, Perrysburg, OH (US); Mark Hendryx, Perrysburg, OH (US); William Huber, Ottawa Hills, OH (US); Jason Kephart, San Jose, CA (US); Andrei Los, Perrysburg, OH (US); and Wei Zhang, San Jose, CA (US)
Assigned to First Solar, Inc., Tempe, AZ (US)
Appl. No. 18/027,584
Filed by First Solar, Inc., Tempe, AZ (US)
PCT Filed Sep. 21, 2021, PCT No. PCT/US2021/051329
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Mar. 21, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/061295, PCT Pub. Date Mar. 24, 2022.
Claims priority of provisional application 63/081,131, filed on Sep. 21, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0402554 A1, Dec. 14, 2023
Int. Cl. H01L 31/0224 (2006.01); H01L 31/0272 (2006.01); H01L 31/0445 (2014.01); H01L 31/0725 (2012.01)
CPC H01L 31/022475 (2013.01) [H01L 31/02725 (2013.01); H01L 31/0445 (2014.12); H01L 31/0725 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A tandem photovoltaic device comprising:
a thin film junction comprising an absorber layer comprising cadmium and tellurium;
a second junction electrically connected with the thin film junction, wherein the second junction is closer to a back side of the tandem photovoltaic device than the thin film junction; and
a transparent conducting layer disposed between the thin film junction and the second junction, wherein:
the transparent conducting layer comprises a high conductivity layer, a diffusion barrier layer, and a capping layer,
the diffusion barrier layer comprises cadmium stannate,
the capping layer comprises cadmium stannate,
the high conductivity layer comprises cadmium oxide doped “++” type intrinsically or with an oxide dopant, and
the high conductivity layer is between the diffusion barrier layer and the capping layer.