Thermal management and method for large scale processing of CIS and/or CIGS based thin films overlying glass substrates

• US 8,076,176 B2
• Filed: 11/24/2010
• Issued: 12/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stion Corporation
• Inventors: Wieting, Robert D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lindsay, Jr., Walter L
• Application Number:
  US12/953,708
• Publication Number:
  US 20110070686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 384 Days
• Field of Search: 438/96, 438/95, 438/93, 438/64, 438/61, 257/E31.001, 257/E21.001, 136/261, 136/256, 136/258, 136/255
• US Class Current: 438/96
• 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 31/03923 including AIBIIICVI compound materials, e.g. CIS, CIGS
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/1876 Particular processes or apparatus for batch treatment of the devices
• 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

The thermal management and method for large scale processing of CIS and/or CIGS based thin film overlaying glass substrates. According to an embodiment, the present invention provides a method for fabricating a copper indium diselenide semiconductor film. The method includes providing a plurality of substrates, each of the substrates having a copper and indium composite structure. The method also includes transferring the plurality of substrates into a furnace, each of the plurality of substrates provided in a vertical orientation with respect to a direction of gravity, the plurality of substrates being defined by a number N, where N is greater than 5. The method further includes introducing a gaseous species including a selenide species and a carrier gas into the furnace and transferring thermal energy into the furnace to increase a temperature from a first temperature to a second temperature, the second temperature ranging from about 350° C. to about 450° C. to at least initiate formation of a copper indium diselenide film from the copper and indium composite structure on each of the substrates.

Claims

1. A method for fabricating a thin film photovoltaic solar energy collector film comprising:

providing a plurality of substrates, each of the substrates having a copper and indium composite structure;

transferring the plurality of substrates into a furnace, each of the plurality of substrates provided in a vertical orientation with respect to a direction of gravity, the plurality of substrates being defined by a number N, wherein N is greater than 5;

introducing a gaseous species including a selenide species and a carrier gas into the furnace and transferring thermal energy into the furnace to increase a temperature from a first temperature to a second temperature, the second temperature ranging from about 350°

C. to about 450°

C. to at least initiate formation of a copper indium diselenide film from the copper and indium composite structure on each of the substrates;

maintaining the temperature at about the second temperature for a period of time;

removing at least residual selenide species from the furnace;

introducing a sulfide species into the furnace; and

increasing a temperature to a third temperature, the third temperature ranging from about 500 to 525°

C. while the plurality of substrates are maintained in an environment including a sulfur species to extract out one or more selenium species from the copper indium diselenide film;

wherein removing at least residual selenide species terminates a reaction to form the copper indium diselenide film.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the copper and indium composite structure comprises a copper layer and an indium layer of material.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a first amount of the selenium is replaced by a second amount of sulfur at the copper indium diselenide film.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first amount is about 5%.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the copper and indium composites structure forms a copper indium alloy material in the furnaces.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a gallium layer.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a substantially constant pressure level within the furnace.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the constant pressure level is about 600 to 700 torr.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrates are stabilized during the period of time.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising depositing ZnO material.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising evaporating the copper material on the substrates.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the second temperature ranges from about 390°

C. to about 410°

C.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the first temperature ranges from room temperature to about 100°

C.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the second temperature is maintained for about 10 to 60 minutes.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the selenide species comprises H2Se gas.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the carrier gas comprises nitrogen gas.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the sulfide species comprise H2S gas.

18. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of substrates is separated by a predetermined distance.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the substrates further comprises gallium material.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the copper and indium composite structure comprises a layer of copper material and a layer of indium material.