INTRINSIC AMORPHOUS SILICON LAYER
First Claim
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1. A method of forming a p-i-n junction over a substrate, comprising:
- depositing a p-doped silicon layer over a surface of a substrate;
depositing an n-doped silicon layer over the surface of the substrate;
depositing an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer between the p-doped silicon layer and the n-doped silicon layer; and
depositing an intrinsic microcrystalline silicon layer on the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention may include an improved thin film solar cell device that is formed by sequentially depositing an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer and an intrinsic microcrystalline silicon layer during the p-i-n or n-i-p junction formation process. Embodiments of the invention also generally provide a method and apparatus for forming the same. The present invention may be used to advantage to form other single junction, tandem junction, or multi-junction thin film solar cell devices.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method of forming a p-i-n junction over a substrate, comprising:
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depositing a p-doped silicon layer over a surface of a substrate; depositing an n-doped silicon layer over the surface of the substrate; depositing an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer between the p-doped silicon layer and the n-doped silicon layer; and depositing an intrinsic microcrystalline silicon layer on the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of forming a p-i-n junction over a substrate, comprising:
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depositing a p-doped silicon layer over a surface of a substrate; depositing an n-doped silicon layer over the surface of the substrate; depositing an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer between the p-doped silicon layer and the n-doped silicon layer; depositing a first intrinsic microcrystalline silicon layer on the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer by providing hydrogen gas and silane gas at a ratio of greater than about 200;
1; anddepositing a second intrinsic microcrystalline silicon layer on the first intrinsic microcrystalline silicon layer by providing hydrogen gas and silane gas at a ratio of less than about 200;
1. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of forming a p-i-n junction over a substrate, comprising:
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depositing a p-doped silicon layer over a surface of the substrate in a first process chamber disposed within a first processing system; transferring the substrate from the first process chamber to a second process chamber which is disposed within the first processing system, wherein transferring the substrate is performed in a vacuum environment; and depositing two or more layers over the surface of the p-doped silicon layer while the substrate is positioned in the second process chamber, comprising; depositing an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer on the p-doped silicon layer; depositing an intrinsic microcrystalline silicon layer on the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer; and depositing an n-doped silicon layer on the intrinsic microcrystalline silicon layer. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification