CuInSe/sub 2/ solar cell research by sputter deposition. Semiannual report, February 1, 1983-March 31, 1984

Technical Report · Thu Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5099296· OSTI ID:5099296

Thornton, J. A.; Cornog, D. G.

This report covers the period from February 1, 1983, through July 30, 1983. The primary activity during this period has been in the design and fabrication of a research size in-line sputtering apparatus. The apparatus contains four deposition stations, one configured for depositing a metal base electrode, one for depositing CuInSe/sub 2/ by reactive co-deposition from Cu and In sources, and two for depositing a CdS layer consisting, for example, of (CdZn)S and In doped CdS sub-layers. The apparatus is capable of coating four 25 mm x 25 mm substrates at one time. The CuInSe/sub 2/ deposition station is isolated from the base electrode metallization and CdS deposition stations by gate valves to minimize cross contamination. The sputtering sources in the CuInSe/sub 2/ co-deposition station are positioned to significantly reduce composition gradients that were encountered in coatings deposited with the radial apparatus used in our previous work. Measurements of the composition variations across CuInSe/sub 2/ coatings deposited in our previous work using the radial device have recently been made at SERI by X-ray fluorescence, using a wavelength dispersive spectrometer. The results of these measurements, which appear to correlate with the properties of cells fabricated on similar substrates, are reported. Measurements of cathode conditioning times and effective sputtering yields for operating Cu and In sources in an Ar+H/sub 2/Se working gas have been reported previously. Additional data describing the clean-up of previously conditioned targets during sputtering in pure Ar are reported here.

• Research Organization: TELIC Corp., Santa Monica, CA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 5099296
• Report Number(s): SERI/STR-211-2203; ON: DE84004485
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Photovoltaic Conversion
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601 -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER SELENIDES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
EQUIPMENT
INDIUM COMPOUNDS
INDIUM SELENIDES
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
SELENIDES
SELENIUM COMPOUNDS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SPUTTERING
SUBSTRATES
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS