Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110108115 | Forming a Photovoltaic Device - Methods for forming photovoltaic devices, methods for forming semiconductor compounds, photovoltaic device and chemical solutions are presented. For example, a method for forming a photovoltaic device comprising a semiconductor layer includes forming the semiconductor layer by electrodeposition from an electrolyte solution. The electrolyte solution includes copper, indium, gallium, selenous acid (H | 05-12-2011 |
20130176095 | INDUCTOR WITH LAMINATED YOKE - A thin film inductor having yokes, one or more of which is laminated, and one or more conductors passing between the yokes. The laminated yoke or yokes help reduce eddy currents and/or hysteresis losses. | 07-11-2013 |
20130314192 | INDUCTOR WITH STACKED CONDUCTORS - A thin film coupled inductor, a thin film spiral inductor, and a system that includes an electronic device and a power supply or power converter incorporating one or more such inductors. A thin film coupled inductor includes a wafer substrate; a bottom yoke comprising a magnetic material above the wafer substrate; a first insulating layer above the bottom yoke; a first conductor above the bottom yoke and separated therefrom by the first insulating layer; a second insulating layer above the first conductor; a second conductor above the second insulating layer; a third insulating layer above the second conductor; and a non-planar top yoke above the third insulating layer, the top yoke comprising a magnetic material. | 11-28-2013 |
20130327651 | PLATING BATHS AND METHODS FOR ELECTROPLATING SELENIUM AND SELENIUM ALLOYS - Plating bath solutions and methods for depositing selenium generally include an aqueous plating bath containing a soluble selenium source and a soluble surfactant additive, wherein the soluble surfactant additive is selected from the group consisting of an alkane sulfonic acid, an alkane phosphonic acid and mixtures thereof, wherein the alkane group defining the alkane sulfonic acid and the alkane phosphonic acid has less than 25 carbon atoms The method includes immersing a conductive substrate to be plated into the aqueous plating bath; and electroplating selenium onto the substrate to form a continuous and particle free film. | 12-12-2013 |
20130327652 | PLATING BATHS AND METHODS FOR ELECTROPLATING SELENIUM AND SELENIUM ALLOYS - Plating bath solutions and methods for depositing selenium generally include an aqueous plating bath containing a soluble selenium source and a soluble surfactant additive, wherein the soluble surfactant additive is selected from the group consisting of an alkane sulfonic acid, an alkane phosphonic acid and mixtures thereof, wherein the alkane group defining the alkane sulfonic acid and the alkane phosphonic acid has less than 25 carbon atoms The method includes immersing a conductive substrate to be plated into the aqueous plating bath; and electroplating selenium onto the substrate to form a continuous and particle free film. | 12-12-2013 |
20140026949 | OHMIC CONTACT OF THIN FILM SOLAR CELL - A chalcogen-resistant material including at least one of a conductive elongated nanostructure layer and a high work function material layer is deposited on a transition metal layer on a substrate. A semiconductor chalcogenide material layer is deposited over the chalcogen-resistant material. The conductive elongated nanostructures, if present, can reduce contact resistance by providing direct electrically conductive paths from the transition metal layer through the chalcogen-resistant material and to the semiconductor chalcogenide material. The high work function material layer, if present, can reduce contact resistance by blocking chalcogenization of the transition metal in the transition metal layer. Reduction of the contact resistance can enhance efficiency of a solar cell including the chalcogenide semiconductor material. | 01-30-2014 |
20140030843 | OHMIC CONTACT OF THIN FILM SOLAR CELL - A chalcogen-resistant material including at least one of a carbon nanotube layer and a high work function material layer is deposited on a transition metal layer on a substrate. A semiconductor chalcogenide/kesterite material layer is deposited over the chalcogen-resistant material. The carbon nanotubes, if present, can reduce contact resistance by providing direct electrically conductive paths from the transition metal layer through the chalcogen-resistant material and to the semiconductor chalcogenide material. The high work function material layer, if present, can reduce contact resistance by reducing chalcogenization of the transition metal in the transition metal layer. Reduction of the contact resistance can enhance efficiency of a solar cell including the chalcogenide semiconductor material. | 01-30-2014 |
20140045295 | PLASMA ANNEALING OF THIN FILM SOLAR CELLS - Embodiments relate to a method for annealing a solar cell structure including forming an absorber layer on a molybdenum (Mo) layer of a solar cell base structure. The solar cell base structure includes a substrate and the Mo layer is located on the substrate. The absorber layer includes a semiconductor chalcogenide material. Annealing the solar cell base structure is performed by exposing an outer layer of the solar cell base structure to a plasma. | 02-13-2014 |
20140190003 | INDUCTOR WITH LAMINATED YOKE - A method for forming a thin film inductor having yokes, one or more of which is laminated, and one or more conductors passing between the yokes. The laminated yoke or yokes help reduce eddy currents and/or hysteresis losses. | 07-10-2014 |
20140262803 | METAL PLATING SYSTEM INCLUDING GAS BUBBLE REMOVAL UNIT - An electroplating apparatus includes an anode configured to electrically communicate with an electrical voltage and an electrolyte solution. A cathode module includes a cathode that is configured to electrically communicate with a ground potential and the electrolyte solution. The cathode module further includes a wafer in electrical communication with the cathode. The wafer is configured to receive metal ions from the anode in response to current flowing through the anode via electrodeposition. The electroplating apparatus further includes at least one agitating device interposed between the wafer and the anode. The agitating device is configured to apply a force to gas bubbles adhering to a surface of the wafer facing the agitating device. | 09-18-2014 |
20150061815 | PLANAR INDUCTORS WITH CLOSED MAGNETIC LOOPS - A planar closed-magnetic-loop inductor and a method of fabricating the inductor are described. The inductor includes a first material comprising a cross-sectional shape including at least four segments, at least one of the at least four segments including a first edge and a second edge on opposite sides of an axial line through the at least one of the at least four segments. The first edge and the second edge are not parallel. | 03-05-2015 |
20150064362 | PLANAR INDUCTORS WITH CLOSED MAGNETIC LOOPS - A planar closed-magnetic-loop inductor and a method of fabricating the inductor are described. The inductor includes a first material comprising a cross-sectional shape including at least four segments, at least one of the at least four segments including a first edge and a second edge on opposite sides of an axial line through the at least one of the at least four segments. The first edge and the second edge are not parallel. | 03-05-2015 |
Patent application number | Description | Published |
20120055612 | ELECTRODEPOSITION METHODS OF GALLIUM AND GALLIUM ALLOY FILMS AND RELATED PHOTOVOLTAIC STRUCTURES - Photovoltaic devices and methods for preparing a p-type semiconductor layer for the photovoltaic devices generally include electroplating a layer of gallium or a gallium alloy onto a conductive layer by contacting the conductive layer with a plating bath free of complexing agents including a gallium salt, methane sulfonic acid or sodium sulfate and an organic additive comprising at least one nitrogen atom and/or at least one sulfur atom, and a solvent; adjusting a pH of the solution to be less than 2.6 or greater than 12.6. The photovoltaic device includes an impurity in the p-type semiconductor layer selected from the group consisting of arsenic, antimony, bismuth, and mixtures thereof. Various photovoltaic precursor layers for forming CIS, CGS and CIGS p-type semiconductor structures can be formed by electroplating the gallium or gallium alloys in this manner. Also disclosed are processes for forming a thermal interface of gallium or a gallium alloy with the electroplating process. | 03-08-2012 |
20130008798 | ELECTRODEPOSITION METHODS OF GALLIUM AND GALLIUM ALLOY FILMS AND RELATED PHOTOVOLTAIC STRUCTURES - Photovoltaic devices and methods for preparing a p-type semiconductor generally include electroplating a layer of gallium or a gallium alloy onto a conductive layer by contacting the conductive layer with a plating bath free of complexing agents including a gallium salt, methane sulfonic acid or sodium sulfate and an organic additive comprising at least one nitrogen atom and/or at least one sulfur atom, and a solvent; adjusting a pH of the solution to be less than 2.6 or greater than 12.6. The photovoltaic device includes an impurity in the p-type semiconductor layer selected from the group consisting of arsenic, antimony, bismuth, and mixtures thereof. Various photovoltaic precursor layers for forming CIS, CGS and CIGS p-type semiconductor structures can be formed by electroplating the gallium or gallium alloys in this manner. Also disclosed are processes for forming a thermal interface of gallium or a gallium alloy. | 01-10-2013 |
20130206233 | CHECKING THE STOICHIOMETRY OF I-III-VI LAYERS FOR USE IN PHOTOVOLTAIC USING IMPROVED ELECTROLYSIS CONDITIONS - The invention relates to manufacturing a I-III-VI compound in the form of a thin film for use in photovoltaics, including the steps of: a) electrodepositing a thin-film structure, consisting of I and/or III elements, onto the surface of an electrode that forms a substrate (SUB); and b) incorporating at least one VI element into the structure so as to obtain the I-III-VI compound. According to the invention, the electrodeposition step comprises checking that the uniformity of the thickness of the thin film varies by no more than 3% over the entire surface of the substrate receiving the deposition. | 08-15-2013 |