Method of providing chloride treatment for a photovoltaic device and a chloride treated photovoltaic device

Abstract

A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device including depositing a cadmium telluride layer onto a substrate; treating the cadmium telluride layer with a compound comprising chlorine and an element from Groups 1-11, zinc, mercury, or copernicium or a combination thereof; and annealing the cadmium telluride layer. A chloride-treated photovoltaic device.

1 - 21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A photovoltaic device comprising:
 a treated cadmium telluride layer, the treated cadmium telluride layer being treated with a chloride compound comprising one or more elements selected from the group consisting of an element from Groups 1-11, zinc, mercury and copernicium.   
     
     
         23 . The device of  claim 22 , further comprising:
 a semiconductor reflector layer over the cadmium telluride layer; and   a back contact layer over the semiconductor reflector layer.   
     
     
         24 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the chloride compound comprises manganese chloride. 
     
     
         25 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein the chloride compound comprises magnesium chloride. 
     
     
         26 . The device of  claim 23 , wherein the semiconductor reflector layer comprises zinc telluride.