METHODS OF FORMING AN AMORPHOUS SILICON LAYER FOR THIN FILM SOLAR CELL APPLICATION

• US 20110088760A1
• Filed: 10/20/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Sheng, Shuran, Chae, Yong-Kee
• Application Number:
  US12/582,323
• Publication Number:
  US 20110088760A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 136/255
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0237 Materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02447 Silicon carbide
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0245 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02502 consisting of two layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02513 Microstructure
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02532 Silicon, silicon germanium, germanium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02576 N-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02579 P-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02592 amorphous
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/075 the potential barriers being only of the PIN type, e.g. amorphous silicon PIN solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/076 Multiple junction or tandem solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/202 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/548 Amorphous silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A photovoltaic device and methods for forming an amorphous silicon layer for use in a photovoltaic device are provided. In one embodiment, a photovoltaic device includes a p-type amorphous silicon layer formed on a substrate, a barrier layer formed on the p-type amorphous silicon layer, and an intrinsic type amorphous silicon layer formed on the barrier layer. The barrier layer is a carbon doped amorphous silicon layer.

Claims

1. A photovoltaic device, comprising:

a p-type amorphous silicon layer formed on a substrate;

a barrier layer formed on the p-type amorphous silicon layer, wherein the barrier layer is a carbon doped amorphous silicon layer; and

an intrinsic type amorphous silicon layer formed on the barrier layer.

2. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, further comprising:

an n-type microcrystalline silicon layer formed over the intrinsic type amorphous silicon layer.

3. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein the barrier layer has a thickness between about 0 Å

and about 200 Å

.

4. The photovoltaic device of claim 1, wherein the p-type amorphous silicon layer is a boron doped silicon carbide layer.

5. A method of forming a solar cell device, comprising:

forming a p-type amorphous silicon layer on a surface of a substrate;

forming a barrier layer on the p-type amorphous silicon layer, wherein the barrier layer is a carbon doped amorphous silicon layer; and

forming an intrinsic type amorphous silicon layer on the barrier layer.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein forming the intrinsic type amorphous silicon layer further comprises:

providing a gas mixture to the surface of the substrate in a processing chamber, wherein the gas mixture includes a ratio of a hydrogen gas to a silane gas less than 6;

controlling a substrate temperature between about 220 degrees Celsius and about 250 degrees Celsius; and

controlling a process pressure in the processing chamber at between about 1 Torr and about 2 Torr.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the ratio of the hydrogen gas to silane gas supplied in the gas mixture is controlled at between about 2 and about 5.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the barrier layer has a thickness between about 0 Å

and about 200 Å

.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein forming the barrier layer further comprises:

supplying a gas mixture to the surface of the substrate, wherein the gas mixture includes at least a carbon containing gas and a silicon containing gas.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the carbon containing gas is CH₄ and the silicon containing gas is SiH₄.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the p-type amorphous silicon layer and the barrier layer are formed in a single processing chamber.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the barrier layer and the intrinsic type amorphous silicon layer are formed in a single processing chamber.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the p-type amorphous silicon layer is a boron doped silicon carbide layer.

14. A method of forming a solar cell device, comprising:

supplying a first gas mixture in a processing chamber to form a p-type amorphous silicon layer on a surface of a substrate;

supplying a second gas mixture in the processing chamber to form a barrier layer on the p-type amorphous silicon layer, wherein the barrier layer is a carbon doped amorphous silicon layer and the second gas mixture supplied to form the barrier layer includes at least a carbon containing gas and a silicon containing gas; and

forming an intrinsic type amorphous silicon layer on the barrier layer.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein forming the intrinsic type amorphous silicon layer further comprises:

providing a third gas mixture to the surface of the substrate in a processing chamber, wherein the third gas mixture includes a ratio of a hydrogen gas to a silane gas less than 6;

controlling a substrate temperature between about 220 degrees Celsius and about 250 degrees Celsius; and

controlling a process pressure in the processing chamber at between about 1 Torr and about 2 Torr.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the first gas mixture includes at least a Group III containing gas, a carbon containing gas and a silicon containing gas, wherein the first gas mixture is transitioned to the second gas mixture by stopping the flow of the Group III containing gas supplied in the first gas mixture.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the carbon containing gas is CH₄ and the silicon containing gas is SiH₄.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the barrier layer has a thickness between about 0 Å

and about 200 Å

.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the p-type amorphous silicon layer and the barrier layer are formed in a single processing chamber.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the barrier layer and the intrinsic type amorphous silicon layer are formed in a single processing chamber.