Front electrode for use in photovoltaic device and method of making same

Abstract

This invention relates to a front electrode/contact for use in an electronic device such as a photovoltaic device. In certain example embodiments, the front electrode of a photovoltaic device or the like includes a multilayer coating including at least one transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer (e.g., of or including a material such as tin oxide, ITO, zinc oxide, or the like) and/or at least one conductive substantially metallic IR reflecting layer (e.g., based on silver, gold, or the like). In certain example instances, the multilayer front electrode coating may include one or more conductive metal(s) oxide layer(s) and/or one or more conductive substantially metallic IR reflecting layer(s) in order to provide for reduced visible light reflection, increased conductivity, cheaper manufacturability, and/or increased infrared (IR) reflection capability.

1 - 19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . A front electrode structure for a photovoltaic device, the front electrode comprising:
 a front glass substrate;   a first dielectric layer;   a second dielectric layer comprising silicon oxynitride, wherein the first dielectric layer is located between the glass substrate and the second dielectric layer comprising silicon oxynitride;   a conductive layer comprising indium tin oxide, wherein the second dielectric layer comprising silicon oxynitride is located between and contacting at least the layer comprising indium tin oxide and the first dielectric layer;   a conductive layer comprising at least one of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and/or zinc aluminum oxide, wherein the conductive layer comprising indium tin oxide is located between and directly contacting the layer comprising silicon oxynitride and the conductive layer comprising at least one of zinc oxide, tin oxide, and/or zinc aluminum oxide;   wherein the front electrode structure is adapted to be provided on an interior surface of the front glass substrate so as to face a semiconductor film.   
     
     
         21 . The front electrode structure of  claim 20 , further comprising another layer comprising silicon oxynitride and/or silicon nitride between the glass substrate and the first dielectric layer. 
     
     
         22 . The front electrode structure of  claim 20 , wherein an exterior surface of the glass substrate is etched, but the interior surface of the glass substrate on which the layer stack is provided is not etched and is substantially flat. 
     
     
         23 . The front electrode structure of  claim 20 , wherein the semiconductor film is to comprise CdS and/or CdTe. 
     
     
         24 . The front electrode structure of  claim 20 , wherein the front electrode structure has a transmission of at least 90% in at least a majority of a range of from 500-600 nm. 
     
     
         25 . The front electrode structure of  claim 20 , wherein the semiconductor film is to comprise CdS and/or CdTe, and the front electrode structure has a transmission of at least 92% in at least part of a range of from 500-600 nm. 
     
     
         26 . The front electrode structure of  claim 20 , wherein said conductive layer comprises zinc oxide. 
     
     
         27 . The front electrode structure of  claim 20 , wherein said conductive layer comprises tin oxide. 
     
     
         28 . The front electrode structure of  claim 20 , wherein said conductive layer comprises zinc aluminum oxide.