METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING ABSORBER LAYER OF THIN FILM SOLAR CELL

• US 20140099749A1
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Published: 04/10/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ATOMIC ENERGY COUNCIL-INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH
• Original Assignee: ATOMIC ENERGY COUNCIL-INSTITUTE OF NUCLEAR ENERGY RESEARCH
• Inventors: HONG, Hwen-Fen, HUANG, Hou-Ying, SHIN, Hwa-Yuh
• Granted Patent: US 9,054,268 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/95
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/305 Sulfides, selenides, or tellurides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/4481 by evaporation using carrier gas in contact with the source material C23C16/4486 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/56 After-treatment
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02557 Sulfides
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02568 Chalcogenide semiconducting materials not being oxides, e.g. ternary compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/0262 Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0322 comprising only AIBIIICVI chalcopyrite compounds, e.g. Cu In Se2, Cu Ga Se2, Cu In Ga Se2
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0326 comprising AIBIICIVDVI kesterite compounds, e.g. Cu2ZnSnSe4, Cu2ZnSnS4
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1864 Annealing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/541 CuInSe2 material PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

A method for manufacturing an absorber layer of thin film solar cells is revealed. Firstly vapors of different metal-organic sources are generated in a plurality of containers used for mounting different metal-organic sources. Then the vapors of the metal-organic sources are mixed with a carrier gas and are filled into a reaction together with a reaction gas chamber through pipelines. Next the metals and the compounds are deposited on a substrate in the reaction chamber to form an absorber layer of a thin film solar cell. A flow rate of each metalorganic vapors filled into the reaction chamber is controlled by a mass flow controller respectively.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing an absorber layer of thin film solar cells comprising the steps of:

(1) generating vapors of a plurality of metal-organic sources in a plurality of containers that are used for mounting the metal-organic sources correspondingly;

(2) filling the vapors of the metal-organic sources and at least one reaction gas into a reaction chamber;

(3) depositing the vapors of the metal-organic sources and the reaction gas on a substrate in the reaction chamber to form an absorber layer of a thin film solar cell;

wherein each of the vapors of the metal-organic sources is controlled by a first mass flow controller correspondingly while the vapors of the metal-organic sources being filled into the reaction chamber.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reaction gas is selected from the group consisting of a reaction gas containing sulfur (S) and a reaction gas containing selenium (Se).

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein a flow of the reaction gas containing sulfur or a flow of the reaction gas containing selenium is controlled by a second mass flow controller.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the vapors of the metal-organic sources, the reaction gas containing sulfur and the reaction gas containing selenium, are respectively are respectively mixed with a carrier gas before being filled into the reaction chamber.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein the carrier gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen gas and inert gases.

6. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a flow of the carrier gas is controlled by a third mass flow controller.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the metal-organic source is selected from the group consisting of copper, zinc, and tin.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein in the step of depositing the vapors of the metal-organic sources and the reaction gas on a substrate in the reaction chamber to form an absorber layer of a thin film solar cell, a temperature of the reaction chamber is ranging from 200°

C. to 1000°

C.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further includes a step of annealing the absorber layer of the thin film solar cell after the step of depositing the vapors of the metal-organic sources and the reaction gas on a substrate in the reaction chamber to form an absorber layer of a thin film solar cell.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein a temperature of annealing is ranging from 200°

C. to 800°

C.