Method for forming a photoelectric deposited film

• US 5,468,521 A
• Filed: 11/02/1994
• Issued: 11/21/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kanai, Masahiro, Fujioka, Yasushi, Yoshino, Takehito, Hori, Tadashi
• Primary Examiner(s): King, Roy V.
• Application Number:
  US08/334,032
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 427/575, 427/578, 427/574, 427/255.5, 437/4, 136/243, 118/719, 118/729, 118/723 MW, 118/723 ME, 118/723 MR, 118/723 MA
• US Class Current: 427/575
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/455 characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/511 using microwave discharges
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 16/545 for coating elongated substrates
• 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 31/206 Particular processes or apparatus for continuous treatment of the devices, e.g. roll-to roll processes, multi-chamber deposition
• 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 deposited film forming method includes the steps of: continuously carrying a long substrate into or out of a vacuum chamber, flowing a first deposited film forming gas in a reverse direction parallel to the substrate and opposite to a conveying direction of the substrate from first gas discharging means into the vacuum chamber, exhausting the gas from first gas exhausting means, flowing a second deposited film forming gas in a forward direction parallel to the substrate and equivalent to the conveying direction of the substrate, exhausting the gas through the second gas exhausting means, and applying a discharge energy to the first and second gases.

Claims

1. A method of forming a photoelectric deposited film which has substantially uniform conductivity comprising the steps of:

continuously moving an elongated substrate into or out of a chamber;

flowing a first source gas containing a plurality of materials as a deposited film source from a first gas discharge means to a first gas exhaust means in a direction parallel to said elongated substrate and opposite to a conveying direction of said substrate to form a first film;

applying a discharge energy to said first gas;

varying at least one of the discharge energy and first source gas flow to vary the composition distribution of said first film in the direction of film thickness;

flowing a second source gas containing a plurality of materials from a second gas discharge means to a second gas exhaust means in a direction parallel to said elongated substrate and parallel to said conveying direction of said elongated substrate to form a second film on said first film to form the deposited film which comprises the first and second films;

applying a discharge energy to said second gas;

varying at least one of the discharge energy and second source gas flow to vary the composition distribution of said second film in the direction of film thickness;

whereby the variation in composition distribution of said first and second films enhances the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the deposited film.

2. The deposited film forming method according to claim 1, wherein said discharge energy is supplied by microwave.

3. The deposited film forming method according to claim 1, wherein said first or second gas discharge means discharges more of the first or second gas in the vicinity of an end portion of said elongated substrate than an amount of the gas found at a center portion of said elongated substrate in the width direction of said elongated substrate.

4. The deposited film forming method according to claim 1, wherein said first or second gas exhaust means exhausts more of the first or second gas in the vicinity of an end portion of said elongated substrate than an amount of the gas found at a center portion of said elongated substrate in the width direction of said elongated substrate.

5. The deposited film forming method according to claim 1, wherein said discharge energy is supplied by a microwave energy.

6. The deposited film forming method according to claim 1, wherein said discharge energy is supplied by a high frequency energy.

7. The deposited firm forming method according to claim 1, wherein said discharge energy is supplied by a plurality of discharge means.

8. The deposited film forming method according to claim 7, wherein the number of said discharge means on a first gas side is greater than the number of said discharge means on a second gas side.

9. The deposited film forming method according to claim 1, wherein said source gas contains at least Ge atoms.

10. The deposited film forming method according to claim 1, wherein said source gas contains at least C atoms.

11. The deposited film forming method according to claim 1, wherein said source gas contains at least Si atoms.

12. The deposited film forming method according to claim 1, wherein the gas discharge means includes a gas discharge hole shape which is selected from the group consisting of slit-shaped, circular, elliptical, sponge-shaped and mesh-shaped.

13. The deposited film forming method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first or second gas exhaust means includes a gas exhaust hole shape which is selected from the group consisting of slit-shaped, circular, elliptical, sponge-shaped, or mesh-shaped.

14. A method of forming a photoelectric deposited film comprising the steps of:

continuously moving an elongated substrate into or out of a chamber;

flowing a source gas containing a plurality of materials as a deposited film source in a direction along and parallel to said elongated substrate, by a gas flow forming means to form a gas flow; and

applying discharge energy to said gas flow by a plurality of discharge means provided in a conveying direction of said elongated substrate, thereby depositing a deposited film with substantially uniform conductivity;

varying at least one of the discharge energy and source gas flow to vary the composition distribution of the film in the direction of film thickness;

whereby the variation in composition distribution of said deposited film enhances the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the deposited film.

15. The deposited film forming method according to claim 14, wherein said forming means comprises gas discharge means and gas exhaust means.

16. The deposited film forming method according to claim 15, wherein said gas discharge means discharges more gas in the vicinity of an end portion of said elongated substrate than an amount of the gas found at a center portion of said elongated substrate in the width direction of said elongated substrate.

17. The deposited film forming method according to claim 15, wherein said gas exhaust means exhausts more gas in the vicinity of an end portion of said elongated substrate than an amount of the gas found at a center portion of said elongated in the width direction of said elongated substrate.

18. The deposited film forming method according to claim 14, wherein said discharge energy is supplied by microwave energy.

19. The deposited film forming method according to claim 14, wherein said discharge energy is supplied by high frequency energy.

20. The deposited film forming method according to claim 14, wherein said gas flow comprises a first gas flow in a direction opposite to a conveying direction of said elongated substrate and a second gas flow in said conveying direction.

21. The deposited film forming method according to claim 20, wherein the number of said gas discharge means on a first gas flow side is greater than the number of said discharge means on a second gas flow side.

22. The deposited film forming method according to claim 14, wherein said source gas contains at least Ge atoms.

23. The deposited film forming method according to claim 14, wherein said source gas contains at least C atoms.

24. The deposited film forming method according to claim 14, wherein said source gas contains at least Si atoms.

25. The deposited film forming method according to claim 15, wherein the gas discharge means includes a gas discharge hole shape which is selected from the group consisting of slit-shaped, circular, elliptical, sponge-shaped and mesh-shaped.

26. The deposited film forming method according to claim 15, wherein said gas exhaust means includes a gas exhaust hole shape which is selected from the group consisting of slit-shaped, circular, elliptical, sponge-shaped and mesh-shaped.