PLASMA TREATMENT BETWEEN DEPOSITION PROCESSES
First Claim
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1. A method of forming a thin film solar cell, comprising:
- transferring a substrate into a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber;
depositing an n-doped amorphous silicon layer over the substrate;
providing a plasma treatment to the n-doped amorphous silicon layer disposed on the substrate;
depositing an n-doped microcrystalline silicon layer over the n-doped amorphous silicon layer; and
removing the substrate from the chamber.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention include an improved method of forming a thin film solar cell device using a plasma processing treatment between two or more deposition steps. 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 solar cell devices.
105 Citations
13 Claims
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1. A method of forming a thin film solar cell, comprising:
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transferring a substrate into a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber; depositing an n-doped amorphous silicon layer over the substrate; providing a plasma treatment to the n-doped amorphous silicon layer disposed on the substrate; depositing an n-doped microcrystalline silicon layer over the n-doped amorphous silicon layer; and removing the substrate from the chamber. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A method of forming a thin film solar cell, comprising:
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transferring a substrate into a first plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber disposed in a first system; depositing a p-doped silicon layer over a surface of the substrate in the first plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber; transferring a substrate from the first plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber into a second plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber disposed in the first system; depositing an intrinsic amorphous silicon layer in the second plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber over the p-doped silicon layer; depositing an n-doped amorphous silicon layer over the intrinsic amorphous silicon layer; exposing the n-doped amorphous silicon layer to a plasma treatment; depositing an n-doped microcrystalline silicon layer over the n-doped amorphous silicon layer; and removing the substrate from the second plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition chamber. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A method of forming a thin film solar cell, comprising:
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depositing an amorphous silicon layer over a surface of a transparent substrate; providing a plasma treatment to the amorphous silicon layer disposed on the transparent substrate; and depositing an microcrystalline silicon layer over the amorphous silicon layer. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13)
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Specification