Laser-textured thin-film semiconductors by melting and ablation

Abstract

A photovoltaic device and a method of making the photovoltaic device are disclosed. The photovoltaic device may include a semiconductor layer epitaxially grown using a compound semiconductor material, such as a group III-V semiconductor material, wherein a surface of the semiconductor layer is textured via one or more laser pulses of a laser. The photovoltaic device may also include a dielectric layer deposited over the textured surface of the semiconductor layer, and a back metal reflector provided on the dielectric layer. The textured surface extends a path of light traveling through the photovoltaic device to increase absorption of the light within the photovoltaic device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A photovoltaic device, comprising:
 a semiconductor layer including a compound semiconductor material, wherein a surface of the semiconductor layer is textured by applying one or more laser pulses to the surface of the semiconductor to form a textured surface, each of the one or more laser pulses causing at least a partial melting of the surface of the semiconductor; and   one or more layers deposited over the textured surface.   
     
     
         2 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the compound semiconductor material comprises a group III-V semiconductor material. 
     
     
         3 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 2 , wherein the group III-V semiconductor material comprises a combination of two or more of gallium (Ga), arsenide (As), aluminum (Al), indium (In), or phosphorus (P). 
     
     
         4 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the semiconductor layer comprises a p-type semiconductor material. 
     
     
         5 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more laser pulses further causing at least a partial ablation of the surface of the semiconductor. 
     
     
         6 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the textured surface is one or more of an amorphous surface or a recrystallized surface. 
     
     
         7 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more laser pulses is a plurality of laser pulses, and
 wherein the textured surface is formed by rasterizing the plurality of laser pulses over the surface of the semiconductor layer.   
     
     
         8 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more laser pulses is a plurality of laser pulses, and
 wherein the textured surface is formed by overlapping the plurality of laser pulses over the surface of the semiconductor layer to form the textured surface.   
     
     
         9 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more laser pulses is a single laser pulse that covers a portion of the surface of the semiconductor layer. 
     
     
         10 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein a lateral dimension of an area of the textured surface is equivalent to a desired wavelength of light. 
     
     
         11 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more layers includes a dielectric layer. 
     
     
         12 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more layers includes a back reflector layer. 
     
     
         13 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 17 , wherein the back reflector comprises a metal reflector. 
     
     
         14 . A photovoltaic device, comprising:
 a semiconductor layer including a compound semiconductor material; and   a textured area on a surface of the semiconductor layer that is one of an amorphized area or recrystallized area,   wherein a lateral dimension of a portion of the textured area is formed to have a length equivalent to a wavelength of light to be absorbed by one or more materials of the photovoltaic device;   one or more layers disposed over the textured area of the surface of the semiconductor layer.   
     
     
         15 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 14 , wherein the compound semiconductor material comprises a group III-V semiconductor material. 
     
     
         16 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 15 , wherein the group III-V semiconductor material comprises a combination of two or more of gallium (Ga), arsenide (As), aluminum (Al), indium (In), or phosphorus (P). 
     
     
         17 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 14 , wherein the semiconductor layer comprises a p-type semiconductor material. 
     
     
         18 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more layers includes a dielectric layer. 
     
     
         19 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 14 , wherein the one or more layers includes a back reflector layer. 
     
     
         20 . The photovoltaic device of  claim 19 , wherein the back reflector layer comprises a metal reflector.