Photoelectric conversion device and manufacturing method of the same

Abstract

To provide a photoelectric conversion device having a high photoelectric conversion efficiency, a photoelectric conversion device 21 includes a substrate 1, a plurality of lower electrodes 2 on the substrate 1 comprising a metal element, a plurality of photoelectric conversion layers 33 comprising a chalcogen compound semiconductor formed on the plurality of lower electrodes 2 and separated from one another on the lower electrodes 2, a metal-chalcogen compound layer 8 comprising the metal element and a chalcogen element included in the chalcogen compound semiconductor formed between the lower electrode 2 and the photoelectric conversion layer 33, an upper electrode 5 formed on the photoelectric conversion layer 33, and a connection conductor 7 electrically connecting, in a plurality of the photoelectric conversion layers 33, the upper electrode 5 to the lower electrode 2 without interposition of the metal-chalcogen compound layer 8.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A photoelectric conversion device comprising:
 a substrate; 
 a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells located on the substrate, respectively, each of the photoelectric conversion cells comprising
 a lower electrode disposed on the substrate, the lower electrode comprising a metal element, 
 a photoelectric conversion layer comprising a chalcogen compound semiconductor, the photoelectric conversion layer being located on the lower electrode, and 
 an upper electrode located on the photoelectric conversion layer,;  
 
 a connection conductor electrically connecting, in neighboring ones of the photoelectric conversion cells, the upper electrode of one a first photoelectric conversion cell to the lower electrode of the other a neighboring photoelectric conversion cell; and 
 a first metal-chalcogen compound layer disposed between the lower electrode of the neighboring photoelectric conversion cell and the connection conductor, the first metal-chalcogen compound layer comprising the metal element and a chalcogen element included in the chalcogen compound semiconductor, 
 wherein the connection conductor comprises a first connection portion and a second connection portion, the first connection portion being connected to the lower electrode of the neighboring photoelectric conversion cell through the first metal-chalcogen compound layer, the second connection portion being connected to the lower electrode of the neighboring photoelectric conversion cell without interposition of the first metal-chalcogen compound layer, the first connection portion and the second connection portion being located on an upper surface of the lower electrode of the neighboring photoelectric conversion cell, and wherein in a plan view of the substrate, the area of the first connection portion is smaller than the area of the second connection portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The photoelectric conversion device according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection conductor is a solidification of a metal paste. 
     
     
       3. The photoelectric conversion device according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the photoelectric conversion cells further comprises a collector electrode connected to the connection conductor is and located on the upper electrode. 
     
     
       4. The photoelectric conversion device according to  claim 1 , wherein in a plan view of the substrate, the area of the first connection portion is smaller than the area of the second connection portion. 
     
     
       5. The photoelectric conversion device according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a second metal-chalcogen compound layer between the each lower electrode and the each photoelectric conversion layer comprising, wherein the second metal-chalcogen compound layer comprises the metal element and the chalcogen element. 
 
     
     
       6. The photoelectric conversion device according to  claim 1 , wherein the lower electrode has a recess in a surface thereof at a side of the connection conductor side, and at least one of the first connection portion and the second connection portion is located in the recess. 
     
     
       7. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim  1  5, wherein further comprising a third metal-chalcogen compound layer, located on a part of the lower electrode between the first photoelectric conversion cell and the neighboring photoelectric conversion cell, and comprising the metal element and the chalcogen element is further provided on a surface at the side opposite to the substrate of the lower electrode located between neighboring ones of the photoelectric conversion cells. 
     
     
       8. The photoelectric conversion device according to any  claim 1 , wherein
 the connection conductor is located on an elongated gap portion located in the photoelectric conversion layer, 
 the first metal-chalcogen compound layer is being located so as to extend along a longitudinal direction of the elongated gap portion. 
 
     
     
       9. The photoelectric conversion device according to  claim 8 , wherein the first metal-chalcogen compound layer is located at an end portion of the elongated gap portion with respect to the longitudinal direction thereof. 
     
     
       10. A photoelectric conversion device comprising:
 a substrate;   a first cell and a neighboring cell located on the substrate, the first cell and neighboring cell each comprising:
 a lower electrode disposed on the substrate, the lower electrode comprising a metal element, 
 a photoelectric conversion layer comprising a chalcogen compound semiconductor, the photoelectric conversion layer being located on the lower electrode, and 
 an upper electrode located on the photoelectric conversion layer; and 
   a connection conductor electrically connecting the upper electrode of the first cell to the lower electrode of the neighboring cell,   wherein the connection conductor comprises a first connection portion and a second connection portion, the first connection portion being connected to the lower electrode of the neighboring cell through a first metal-chalcogen compound layer, the second connection portion being connected to the lower electrode of the neighboring cell without interposition of the first metal-chalcogen compound layer, the first connection portion and the second connection portion being located on an upper surface of the lower electrode of the neighboring cell, and wherein in a plan view of the substrate, the area of the first connection portion is smaller than the area of the second connection portion.    
     
     
       11. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein the connection conductor is a solidification of a metal paste.  
     
     
       12. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein the first cell and the neighboring cell each further comprise a collector electrode connected to the connection conductor and located on the upper electrode.  
     
     
       13. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, further comprising a second metal-chalcogen compound layer disposed between each lower electrode and each photoelectric conversion layer, the second metal-chalcogen compound layer comprising the chalcogen element.  
     
     
       14. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein the lower electrode of the neighboring cell has a recess in a surface thereof at a side of the connection conductor, and at least one of the first connection portion and the second connection portion is located in the recess.  
     
     
       15. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 13, further comprising a third metal-chalcogen compound layer, located on a part of the lower electrode between the first cell and the neighboring cell, and comprising the chalcogen element.  
     
     
       16. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 10, wherein
 the connection conductor is located on an elongated gap portion located in the photoelectric conversion layer,   the first metal-chalcogen compound layer being located so as to extend along a longitudinal direction of the gap portion.    
     
     
       17. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 16, wherein the first metal-chalcogen compound layer is located at an end portion of the elongated gap portion with respect to the longitudinal direction thereof.  
     
     
       18. A photoelectric conversion device comprising:
 a substrate;   a plurality of photoelectric conversion cells located on the substrate, respectively, each of the photoelectric conversion cells comprising
 a lower electrode disposed on the substrate, 
 a photoelectric conversion layer comprising a chalcogen compound semiconductor, the photoelectric conversion layer being located on the lower electrode, and 
 an upper electrode located on the photoelectric conversion layer; 
   a connection conductor electrically connecting the upper electrode of a first photoelectric conversion cell to the lower electrode of a neighboring photoelectric conversion cell; and   a first metal-chalcogen compound layer, disposed between the lower electrode of the neighboring photoelectric conversion cell and the connection conductor, and comprising a metal element that is also present in the lower electrode of the neighboring photoelectric conversion cell, and a chalcogen element that is also present in the chalcogen compound semiconductor,   wherein the connection conductor comprises a first connection portion and a second connection portion, the first connection portion being connected to the lower electrode of the neighboring photoelectric conversion cell through the first metal-chalcogen compound layer, the second connection portion being connected to the lower electrode of the neighboring photoelectric conversion cell without interposition of the first metal-chalcogen compound layer, the first connection portion and the second connection portion being located on an upper surface of the lower electrode of the neighboring photoelectric conversion cell, and wherein in a plan view of the substrate, the area of the first connection portion is smaller than the area of the second connection portion.    
     
     
       19. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 18, further comprising a second metal-chalcogen compound layer between each lower electrode and each photoelectric conversion layer, wherein the second metal-chalcogen compound layer comprises the chalcogen element.  
     
     
       20. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 19, further comprising a third metal-chalcogen compound layer, located on a part of the lower electrode between the first photoelectric conversion cell and the neighboring photoelectric conversion cell, and comprising the metal element and the chalcogen element.  
     
     
       21. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 18, wherein the connection conductor is a solidification of a metal paste.  
     
     
       22. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 18, wherein each of the photoelectric conversion cells further comprises a collector electrode connected to the connection conductor and located on the upper electrode.  
     
     
       23. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 18, wherein the lower electrode of the neighboring cell has a recess in a surface thereof at a side of the connection conductor, and at least one of the first connection portion and the second connection portion is located in the recess.  
     
     
       24. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 18, wherein the connection conductor is located on an elongated gap portion located in the photoelectric conversion layer, the first metal-chalcogen compound layer being located so as to extend along a longitudinal direction of the gap portion.  
     
     
       25. The photoelectric conversion device according to claim 24, wherein the first metal-chalcogen compound layer is located at an end portion of the elongated gap portion with respect to the longitudinal direction thereof.