Fabrication of polycrystalline thin films by pulsed laser processing

Patent · 02 February 1998

OSTI ID:570429

Mitlitsky, F; Truher, J B; Kaschmitter, J L; Colella, N J

A method is disclosed for fabricating polycrystalline thin films on low-temperature (or high-temperature) substrates which uses processing temperatures that are low enough to avoid damage to the substrate, and then transiently heating select layers of the thin films with at least one pulse of a laser or other homogenized beam source. The pulse length is selected so that the layers of interest are transiently heated to a temperature which allows recrystallization and/or dopant activation while maintaining the substrate at a temperature which is sufficiently low to avoid damage to the substrate. This method is particularly applicable in the fabrication of solar cells. 1 fig.

• Research Organization: University of California
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Univ. of California, Oakland, CA (United States)
• Patent Number(s): US 5,714,404/A/
• Application Number: PAN: 8-154,347
• OSTI ID: 570429
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CRYSTAL DOPING
FABRICATION
HEATING
LASER RADIATION
POLYCRYSTALS
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
SOLAR CELLS
THIN FILMS