Method for forming Cu In Se.sub.2 films

• US 4,798,660 A
• Filed: 12/22/1986
• Issued: 01/17/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Siemens Solar Industries L.P. (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Atlantic Richfield Company Incorporated (BP PLC)
• Inventors: Ermer, James H., Love, Robert B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Niebling, John F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Leader, William T.
• Application Number:
  US06/942,918
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 204/192.25, 204/192.26, 204/192.17, 204/192.15, 136/264, 136/265
• US Class Current: 204/192.17
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/0623 Sulfides, selenides or tellurides
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/14 Metallic material, boron or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/568 Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations C23C14/562 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/5806 Thermal treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 14/5866 Treatment with sulfur, selenium or tellurium
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02422 Non-crystalline insulating materials, e.g. glass, polymers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02491 Conductive materials
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02502 consisting of two layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02568 Chalcogenide semiconducting materials not being oxides, e.g. ternary compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02631 Physical deposition at reduced pressure, e.g. MBE, sputtering, evaporation
• 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: Y02E 10/541 CuInSe2 material PV cells

Abstract

A method for fabricating a copper indium diselenide semiconductor film comprising use of DC magnetron sputtering apparatus to sequentially deposit a first film of copper on a substrate and a second film of indium on the copper film. Thereafter the substrate with copper and indium films is heated in the presence of gas containing selenium at a temperature selected to cause interdiffusion of the elements and formation of a high quality copper indium diselenide film. In a preferred form, an insulating substrate is used and an electrical contact is first deposited thereon in the same DC magnetron sputtering apparatus prior to deposition of the copper and indium films.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a copper indium diselenide semiconductor film comprising:

in a single vacuum chamber sequentially depositing a film of copper on a substrate by DC magnetron sputtering from a first cathode and depositing indium on said film of copper by DC magnetron sputtering from a second cathode to form a composite film of copper and indium; and

heating said composite film of copper and indium in the presence of a source of selenium at a temperature and for a time selected to cause interdiffusion of copper, indium and selenium to form a copper indium diselenide film.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said copper and indium are deposited in said single vacuum chamber by continuously moving said substrate past said first and second cathodes.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said substrate includes a metallic current collecting film and said film is deposited on said substrate before deposition of said film of copper by DC magnetron sputtering from a third cathode.

4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said current collecting film, said film of copper and said indium are deposited sequentially in said single vacuum chamber by continuously moving said substrate past said third, first and second sputtering cathodes.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein said substrate includes a metallic current collecting film and said film is deposited on said substrate before deposition of said film of copper by:

depositing a layer of chromium on said substrate by DC magnetron sputtering from a third cathode; and

depositing a layer of molybdenum on said chromium layer by DC magnetron sputtering from a fourth cathode.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said substrate is neither heated nor cooled during said depositing steps.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein;

said film of copper is deposited to a thickness of from about 200 to about 2000 angstroms, and

indium is deposited to a thickness of from about 400 to about 4000 angstroms,

said thicknesses being selected to provide an atomic ratio of copper to indium of about one.