PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICE HAVING LONG TERM ENERGY CONVERSION STABILITY AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME

摘要

A photoresponsive device characterized by the capability of having photoinduced defects annealed out of the photoactive region thereof in a low temperature process. Low temperature annealability is provided by including small amounts of dopant material in the photoactive region of the semiconductor material of the device. More particularly, the incorporation of small amounts of a p-dopant, such as boron, into the intrinsic region of a p-i-n photovoltaic device lowers the annealing temperature thereof. Such low temperature annealable photovoltaic devices may be incorporated into modules designed to operate at temperatures sufficient to remove said light induced defects, thereby providing a photovoltaic module exhibiting long term stability in its energy conversion efficiency.