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System and method for transferring substrates in large scale processing of CIGS and/or CIS devices

  • US 8,377,736 B2
  • Filed: 01/04/2012
  • Issued: 02/19/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2008
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for fabricating a copper indium diselenide semiconductor film comprising:

  • providing a plurality of substrates, each of the substrates having a copper and indium composite structure, each of the substrates including a peripheral region, the peripheral region including a plurality of openings, the plurality of openings including at least a first opening and a second opening;

    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 furnace including a holding apparatus, the holding apparatus including a first elongated member being configured to hang each of the substrates using at least the first opening;

    introducing a gaseous species including a hydrogen species and 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. and initiating 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 the selenide species from the furnace;

    introducing a hydrogen sulfide species into the furnace;

    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.

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