Alvin D Compaan

6852614, Feb 8, 2005

Mar 23, 2001

09/815958

Alvin D. Compaan - Sylvania OH, US
Kent J. Price - Toledo OH, US
Xianda Ma - Milpitas CA, US
Konstantin Makhratchev - Fremont CA, US

University of Maine - Toledo OH

H01L021/28

438603, 438602

A method of making a semiconductor comprises depositing a group II-group VI compound onto a substrate in the presence of nitrogen using sputtering to produce a nitrogen-doped semiconductor. This method can be used for making a photovoltaic cell using sputtering to apply a back contact layer of group II-group VI compound to a substrate in the presence of nitrogen, the back coating layer being doped with nitrogen. A semiconductor comprising a group II-group VI compound doped with nitrogen, and a photovoltaic cell comprising a substrate on which is deposited a layer of a group II-group VI compound doped with nitrogen, are also included.

7098058, Aug 29, 2006

Jan 13, 2005

11/035170

Victor G. Karpov - Toledo OH, US
Yann Roussillon - Mountain View CA, US
Diana Shvydka - Toledo OH, US
Alvin D. Compaan - Holland OH, US
Dean M. Giolando - Toledo OH, US

University of Toledo - Toledo OH

H01L 21/00

438 22, 257 79

A method of making a photovoltaic device using light energy and a solution to normalize electric potential variations in the device. A semiconductor layer having nonuniformities comprising areas of aberrant electric potential deviating from the electric potential of the top surface of the semiconductor is deposited onto a substrate layer. A solution containing an electrolyte, at least one bonding material, and positive and negative ions is applied over the top surface of the semiconductor. Light energy is applied to generate photovoltage in the semiconductor, causing a redistribution of the ions and the bonding material to the areas of aberrant electric potential. The bonding material selectively bonds to the nonuniformities in a manner such that the electric potential of the nonuniformities is normalized relative to the electric potential of the top surface of the semiconductor layer. A conductive electrode layer is then deposited over the top surface of the semiconductor layer.

7141863, Nov 28, 2006

Nov 26, 2003

10/722643

Alvin D. Compaan - Sylvania OH, US
Akhlesh Gupta - Sylvania OH, US

University of Toledo - Toledo OH

H01L 29/00

257530, 275528

A method of making a diode structure includes the step of depositing a transparent electrode layer of any one or more of the group ZnO, ZnS and CdO onto a substrate layer, and depositing an active semiconductor junction having an n-type layer and a p-type layer onto the transparent electrode layer under process conditions that avoid substantial degradation of the electrode layer. A back electrode coating layer is applied to form a diode structure.

8519435, Aug 27, 2013

Jun 8, 2010

13/377056

Anthony Vasko - Toledo OH, US
Kristopher Wieland - Toledo OH, US
James Walker - Chagrin Falls OH, US
Alvin Compaan - Holland OH, US

The University of Toledo - Toledo OH

H01L 31/102

257184, 136243, 136244, 136252, 136258, 136262, 136265, 257E25007, 257E27124, 257E27125, 257E31126, 257E33064, 438 22, 438 85, 438 86, 438 94, 438 95, 438 98, 438101

A photovoltaic cell is fabricated onto a polyimide film using an unbalanced RF magnetron sputtering process. The sputtering process includes the addition of 0. 05% to 0. 5% oxygen to an inert gas stream. Portions of the photovoltaic cell are exposed to an elevated temperature CdCltreatment which is at or below the glass transition temperature of the polyimide film.

20130068287, Mar 21, 2013

May 10, 2011

13/697169

Alvin D. Compaan - Holland OH, US

UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO - Toledo OH

H01L 31/18
H01L 31/0224
H01L 31/042
H01L 31/06

136249, 438 62, 438 57, 136252, 136256

A photovoltaic cell includes a polymer window and at least one active semiconductor layer that is conditioned using a cadmium chloride treatment process. The photovoltaic cell is heated, during the cadmium chloride treatment process by a rapid thermal activation process to maintain polymer transparency. A method of producing a photovoltaic cell using the rapid thermal activation process and an apparatus to conduct rapid thermal activation processing are also disclosed.

20130174895, Jul 11, 2013

Oct 19, 2010

13/515686

Alvin D. Compaan - Holland OH, US
Victor V. Plotnikov - Toledo OH, US

UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO - Toledo OH

H01L 31/073

136255, 136256, 438 94

A photovoltaic cell structure is disclosed that includes a buffer/passivation layer at a CdTe/Back contact interface. The buffer/passivation layer is formed from the same material that forms the n-type semiconductor active layer. In one embodiment, the buffer layer and the n-type semiconductor active layer are formed from cadmium sulfide (CdS). A method of forming a photovoltaic cell includes the step of forming the semiconductor active layers and the buffer/passivation layer within the same deposition chamber and using the same material source.

20130206217, Aug 15, 2013

May 26, 2011

13/699231

Xiangxin Liu - Beijing, CN
Alvin D. Compaan - Holland OH, US
Naba Raj Paudel - Toledo OH, US

UNIVERSITY OF TOLEDO - Toledo OH

H01L 31/0236

136255, 438 71

Photovoltaic (PV) cell structures having an integral light scattering interface layer configured to diffuse or scatter light prior to entering a semiconductor material and methods of making the same are described.

20140000690, Jan 2, 2014

Mar 15, 2012

14/004272

Victor V. Plotnikov - Toledo OH, US
Chad W. Carter - Toledo OH, US
John M. Stayancho - Marblehead OH, US
Alvin D. Compaan - Holland OH, US

H01L 31/02

136255, 136256, 438 98

An intrinsically semitransparent photovoltaic cell and module are described and a method for fabricating the same. Key steps in the fabrication involve the use of magnetron sputtering under appropriate conditions, the deposition of ultra-thin semiconductor absorber layers, and the fabrication of a transparent back contact.