A P-type solar cell comprises a layer stack with: a back electrode, a p-type semiconductor absorber layer disposed on the back electrode, a crystalline cadmium sulfide (CdS) layer disposed on the absorber layer, and a front electrode disposed on the side of the layer stack opposite the back electrode. The CdS layer has Cu-doping and a layer thickness between 50 and 300 . A method for producing a p-type solar cell comprises: providing a p-type photoactive semiconductor absorber layer, etching the surface of the absorber layer such that crystallographic unevenness and pinholes are reduced, depositing a CdS layer on the absorber layer, with a layer thickness between 50 and 200 , applying heat to at least the CdS layer to recrystallize the CdS layer, and optionally placing on the absorber layer a Cu-containing layer different from the CdS layer, either after etching or after the application of the CdS layer.

Various particular embodiments include a method for forming a photodetector, including: forming a structure including a barrier layer disposed between a layer of doped silicon (Si) and a layer of germanium (Ge), the barrier layer including a crystallization window; and annealing the structure to convert, via the crystallization window, the Ge to a first composition of silicon germanium (SiGe) and the doped Si to a second composition of SiGe.

The disclosed technology generally relates to chalcogenide thin films, and more particularly to ternary and quaternary chalcogenide thin films having a wide band-gap, and further relates to photovoltaic cells containing such thin films, e.g., as an absorber layer. In one aspect, a method of forming a ternary or quaternary thin film chalcogenide layer containing Cu and Si comprises depositing a copper layer on a substrate. The method additionally comprises depositing a silicon layer on the copper layer with a [Cu]/[Si] atomic ratio of at least 0.7, and thereafter annealing in an inert atmosphere. The method further includes performing a first selenization or a first sulfurization, thereby forming a ternary thin film chalcogenide layer on the substrate. In another aspect, a composite structure includes a substrate having a service temperature not exceeding 600 C. and a ternary chalcogenide thin film or a quaternary chalcogenide thin film on the substrate, where the ternary or quaternary chalcogenide thin film comprises a selenide and/or a sulfide containing Cu and Si.

A method of manufacturing a solar cell is discussed. The method includes forming a textured structure on a front surface of a silicon substrate; forming a front passivation layer on the front surface of the silicon substrate; forming an anti-reflection layer on the front passivation layer; forming a first layer having a dopant of a first conductive type on a first portion of a rear surface of the silicon substrate; forming a second layer having a dopant of a second conductive type on the first layer and a second portion of the rear surface of the silicon substrate; diffusing the dopant of the first layer and the dopant of the second layer into the silicon substrate to form a n-doped region and a p-doped region, respectively, wherein the n-doped region and the p-doped region are disposed at about a same depth from the rear surface of the silicon substrate.

An encapsulated integrated photodetector waveguide structures with alignment tolerance and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a waveguide structure bounded by one or more shallow trench isolation (STI) structure(s). The method further includes forming a photodetector fully landed on the waveguide structure.

Photodiode structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a waveguide structure in a dielectric layer. The method further includes forming a Ge material in proximity to the waveguide structure in a back end of the line (BEOL) metal layer. The method further includes crystallizing the Ge material into a crystalline Ge structure by a low temperature annealing process with a metal layer in contact with the Ge material.

Photodiode structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a waveguide structure in a dielectric layer. The method further includes forming a Ge material in proximity to the waveguide structure in a back end of the line (BEOL) metal layer. The method further includes crystallizing the Ge material into a crystalline Ge structure by a low temperature annealing process with a metal layer in contact with the Ge material.

A conductive paste composition contains a source of an electrically conductive metal, a lead-tellurium-based oxide, a discrete oxide of an adhesion promoting element, and an organic vehicle. An article such as a high-efficiency photovoltaic cell is formed by a process of deposition of the paste composition on a semiconductor substrate (e.g., by screen printing) and firing the paste to remove the organic vehicle and sinter the metal and lead-tellurium-based oxide.

An encapsulated integrated photodetector waveguide structures with alignment tolerance and methods of manufacture are disclosed. The method includes forming a waveguide structure bounded by one or more shallow trench isolation (STI) structure(s). The method further includes forming a photodetector fully landed on the waveguide structure.

A method for producing a P-N junction in a thin film photovoltaic cell comprising a deposition step in which are carried out successively: a layer of precursors of a photovoltaic material of type P or N, a barrier layer and a layer of precursors of a semiconducting material of type N or P, this deposition step being followed by an annealing step carried out with a supply of S and/or Se, this annealing step leading to the formation of an absorbing layer of the type P or N and of a buffer layer of type N or P and of a P-N junction at the interface between said layers.