Bulk metal species treatment of thin film photovoltaic cell and manufacturing method

• US 8,236,597 B1
• Filed: 09/25/2009
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stion Corporation
• Original Assignee: Stion Corporation
• Inventors: Lee, Howard W. H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lebentritt, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kusumakar, Karen
• Application Number:
  US12/567,711
• Time in Patent Office: 1,047 Days
• Field of Search: 438 63- 98, 136252-265, 257184-189, 257431-466
• US Class Current: 438/69
• 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 21/02579 P-type
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/02614 Transformation of metal, e.g. oxidation, nitridation
• 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 31/0749 including a AIBIIICVI compound, e.g. CdS/CulnSe2 [CIS] heterojunction solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/541 CuInSe2 material PV cells

Abstract

A method for forming a thin film photovoltaic device. The method includes providing a transparent substrate comprising a surface region. A first electrode layer is formed overlying the surface region. A copper layer is formed overlying the first electrode layer and an indium layer is formed overlying the copper layer to form a multi-layered structure. The method subjects at least the multi-layered structure to a thermal treatment process in an environment containing a sulfur bearing species to form a bulk copper indium disulfide material. The bulk copper indium disulfide material comprises one or more portions of copper indium disulfide material and a surface region characterized by a copper poor surface having a copper-to-indium atomic ratio of less than about 0.95:1. The copper poor surface and one or more portions of the bulk copper indium disulfide material are subjected to metal cation species to convert the copper poor surface from an n-type characteristic to a p-type characteristic and to convert any of the one or more portions of the bulk copper indium disulfide material having the copper-to-indium atomic ratio of less than about 0.95:1 from a p-type characteristic to an n-type characteristic. A window layer is formed overlying the copper indium disulfide material.

Claims

1. A method for forming a thin film photovoltaic device, the method comprising:

providing a transparent substrate comprising a surface region;

forming a first electrode layer overlying the surface region;

forming a copper layer overlying the first electrode layer;

forming an indium layer overlying the copper layer to form a multi-layered structure;

subjecting at least the multi-layered structure to a thermal treatment process in an environment containing a sulfur bearing species;

forming a bulk copper indium disulfide material from at least the treatment process of the multi-layered structure, the bulk copper indium disulfide material comprising one or more portions of copper indium disulfide material characterized by a copper-to-indium atomic ratio of less than about 0.95;

1 and the bulk copper indium disulfide material having a surface region characterized by a copper poor surface comprising a copper to indium atomic ratio of less than about 0.95;

1;

subjecting the copper poor surface and one or more portions of the bulk copper indium disulfide material to metal cation species to convert the copper poor surface from an n-type characteristic to a p-type characteristic and to convert any of the one or more portions of the bulk copper indium disulfide material having the copper-to-indium atomic ratio of less than about 0.95;

1 from an n-type characteristic to a p-type characteristic;

forming a window layer overlying the copper indium disulfide material; and

whereupon the subjecting of the copper poor surface and the one or more portions of the bulk copper indium disulfide material is performed during at least a thermal treatment process for a time period.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the subjecting of the metal cation species is provided by at least one process selected from spin coating, spraying, spray pyrolysis, pyrolysis, dipping, deposition, sputtering, or electrolysis.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal cation species comprises a transition metal cation, an alkaline metal cation or an alkaline earth metal cation.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the bulk copper indium disulfide comprising a thickness of copper sulfide material, the thickness of copper sulfide material being selectively removed using a solution of potassium cyanide.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the window layer is selected from a group consisting of a cadmium sulfide, a zinc sulfide, zinc selenium, zinc oxide, or zinc magnesium oxide.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the thermal treatment process of the copper poor surface comprises a temperature ranging from about 100 Degrees Celsius to about 500 Degrees Celsius.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming of the copper layer is provided by a sputtering process or plating process.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the metal species compensates for any missing copper in the copper poor surface and/or one or more portions of copper indium disulfide material characterized by a copper-to-indium atomic ratio of less than about 0.95:

1.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming of the indium layer is provided by a sputtering process.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the forming of the indium layer is provided by a plating process.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the bulk copper indium disulfide comprises p-type semiconductor characteristic.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the window layer comprises an n+-type semiconductor characteristic.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising introducing an indium species in the window layer to cause formation of an n+-type semiconductor characteristic.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the bulk copper indium disulfide is mixed with a copper indium aluminum disulfide or copper indium gallium disulfide.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the sulfide bearing species comprise hydrogen sulfide in fluid phase.