Patent ID: 8604336
Filing Date: 2013-12-10
Classification: H01L,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A photovoltaic device comprising: a) a substrate comprising a backside electrical contact for the device; b) at least one chalcogenide-containing photovoltaic absorber layer, the chalcogenide-containing absorber layer incorporating at least one constituent selected from sodium (Na), lithium (Li), and the lanthanoid series (Ln), or a combination thereof which absorber layer is electrically connected to the backside electrical contact; c) a frontside electrical collector, wherein the frontside electrical collector comprises a front side collection grid comprising at least one front side electrical contact located over and electrically connected to a transparent conductive layer; and d) a first transparent barrier layer located between the absorber layer and the frontside electrical collector, wherein the first transparent barrier layer comprises material chosen from a nitride, a carbide, and combinations thereof of Sn and/or a nitride, a carbide, an oxide, and combinations thereof of Ta, wherein the first transparent barrier layer has a thickness in the range of from greater than 50 nm to less than 200 nm, and wherein the first transparent barrier layer is located between the chalcogenide-containing absorber layer and the transparent conductive layer or between the transparent conductive layer and the front side collection grid.