Project Title:

Vertical, Multijunction, Photovoltaic Cells with Buried Silicide Interconnections

10.04-6000
NAS1-19028
Vertical, Multijunction, Photovoltaic Cells with
	Buried Silicide Interconnections
Spire Corporation
	Patriots Park
	Bedford, MA 01730
		Fereydoon Namavar
(617-275-6000)

Abstract:

	Vertical, multi-junction cells will be examined for photovoltaic conversion of high-intensity
laser radiation at 1.06 microns. The series-connected, multi-junction structure results
in the low series resistance required for efficient energy conversion. A small junction-width,
furthermore, would make possible efficient collection of long-wavelength light without
a long carrier-diffusion length, resulting in good radiation resistance. In order
to achieve the small junction-width (10 to 20 microns), ion-implanted silicides will
be used for the metal interconnection layers. CoSi2, which has a high conductivity
and a small lattice mismatch with silicon, can be formed as a buried layer by ion
implantation of cobalt and annealing. High-quality, epitaxial silicon can be grown
on the top layer after this process. Thin films produced by this method are generally
coherent and uniform, and their interfaces are sharp and free from contamination.
In addition, buried silicides act as a getter of their own metal from the bulk silicon,
preventing contamination of the solar cell active layer by the implanted metals.

Potential Commercial Application:

Potential Commercial Applications: The results of this project would apply to space-to-space
power transmission.