METHODS FOR FABRICATING THIN FILM III-V COMPOUND SOLAR CELL

• Main Authors: McCallum, David, Hillier, Glen, Vu, Duy Phach, Youtsey, Christopher, Pan, Noren, Tatavarti, Rao, Martin, Genevieve
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 21.10.2021
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC SOLID STATE DEVICES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

The present invention utilizes epitaxial lift-off in which a sacrificial layer is included in the epitaxial growth between the substrate and a thin film III-V compound solar cell. To provide support for the thin film III-V compound solar cell in absence of the substrate, a backing layer is applied to a surface of the thin film III-V compound solar cell before it is separated from the substrate. To separate the thin film III-V compound solar cell from the substrate, the sacrificial layer is removed as part of the epitaxial lift-off. Once the substrate is separated from the thin film III-V compound solar cell, the substrate may then be reused in the formation of another thin film III-V compound solar cell.