Mark Allen Topinka

US Patent:

20090301550, Dec 10, 2009

Filed:

Dec 5, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/329325

Inventors:

Thomas Hunt - Oakland CA, US
Christopher Rivest - Berkeley CA, US
Mark Topinka - Berkeley CA, US
Butrus T. Khuri-Yakub - Palo Alto CA, US

Assignee:

SUNPRINT INC. - Berkeley CA

International Classification:

H01L 31/00
B41J 29/38

US Classification:

136252, 347 14

Abstract:

Photovoltaic material is printed on a substrate using acoustic printing, to produce solar cells. Acoustic printheads are configured to eject droplets of photovoltaic material to positions on the substrate, responsive to focused acoustic energy provided by acoustic ejectors in the acoustic printheads, to print a film of the photovoltaic material. A positioning system is configured to position the acoustic printheads with respect to the substrate. A feedback system controls the acoustic ejection of the droplets of photovoltaic material by the acoustic printheads or the positioning of the acoustic printheads with respect to the substrate by the positioning system, based on feedback data indicative of characteristics of the printed film. The acoustic printheads are designed optimally for printing of photovoltaic material for solar cells in single scans in only one direction of the substrate. Solar cells can be manufactured at low cost and with high throughput using acoustic printing.

US Patent:

20110315221, Dec 29, 2011

Filed:

Dec 20, 2010

Appl. No.:

12/973581

Inventors:

Thomas HUNT - Oakland CA, US
Mark TOPINKA - Berkeley CA, US
Christopher RIVEST - Berkeley CA, US

Assignee:

Alion, Inc. - Richmond CA

International Classification:

H01L 31/0272
H01L 31/18
H01L 31/0296

US Classification:

136258, 438 94, 257E31016

Abstract:

Method for making a photovoltaic device and structure thereof. The method includes providing a substrate including a glass layer, a first conductive layer on the glass layer, and a cadmium sulfide layer on the first conductive layer. Additionally, the method includes depositing one or more first materials on the cadmium sulfide layer. The one or more first materials include a first quantity of chemical element cadmium and a second quantity of chemical element tellurium. Moreover, the method includes performing a first thermal treatment to at least the first quantity of chemical element cadmium, the second quantity of chemical element tellurium, and a third quantity of chemical element chlorine, so that a polycrystalline layer composed of at least cadmium telluride is formed on the cadmium sulfide layer. Also, the method includes depositing one or more second materials on a surface of the polycrystalline layer.