Synthesizing photovoltaic thin films of high quality copper-zinc-tin alloy with at least one chalcogen species
Abstract
A method for synthesizing a thin film of copper, zinc, tin, and a chalcogen species ("CZTCh" or "CZTSS") with well-controlled properties. The method includes depositing a thin film of precursor materials, e.g., approximately stoichiometric amounts of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), tin (Sn), and a chalcogen species (Ch). The method then involves re-crystallizing and grain growth at higher temperatures, e.g., between about 725 and 925 degrees K, and annealing the precursor film at relatively lower temperatures, e.g., between 600 and 650 degrees K. The processing of the precursor film takes place in the presence of a quasi-equilibrium vapor, e.g., Sn and chalcogen species. The quasi-equilibrium vapor is used to maintain the precursor film in a quasi-equilibrium condition to reduce and even prevent decomposition of the CZTCh and is provided at a rate to balance desorption fluxes of Sn and chalcogens.
- Inventors:
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1089401
- Patent Number(s):
- 8501526
- Application Number:
- 13/453,948
- Assignee:
- Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC (Golden, CO)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
C - CHEMISTRY C23 - COATING METALLIC MATERIAL C23C - COATING METALLIC MATERIAL
H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 14 SOLAR ENERGY
Citation Formats
Teeter, Glenn, Du, Hui, and Young, Matthew. Synthesizing photovoltaic thin films of high quality copper-zinc-tin alloy with at least one chalcogen species. United States: N. p., 2013.
Web.
Teeter, Glenn, Du, Hui, & Young, Matthew. Synthesizing photovoltaic thin films of high quality copper-zinc-tin alloy with at least one chalcogen species. United States.
Teeter, Glenn, Du, Hui, and Young, Matthew. Tue .
"Synthesizing photovoltaic thin films of high quality copper-zinc-tin alloy with at least one chalcogen species". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1089401.
@article{osti_1089401,
title = {Synthesizing photovoltaic thin films of high quality copper-zinc-tin alloy with at least one chalcogen species},
author = {Teeter, Glenn and Du, Hui and Young, Matthew},
abstractNote = {A method for synthesizing a thin film of copper, zinc, tin, and a chalcogen species ("CZTCh" or "CZTSS") with well-controlled properties. The method includes depositing a thin film of precursor materials, e.g., approximately stoichiometric amounts of copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), tin (Sn), and a chalcogen species (Ch). The method then involves re-crystallizing and grain growth at higher temperatures, e.g., between about 725 and 925 degrees K, and annealing the precursor film at relatively lower temperatures, e.g., between 600 and 650 degrees K. The processing of the precursor film takes place in the presence of a quasi-equilibrium vapor, e.g., Sn and chalcogen species. The quasi-equilibrium vapor is used to maintain the precursor film in a quasi-equilibrium condition to reduce and even prevent decomposition of the CZTCh and is provided at a rate to balance desorption fluxes of Sn and chalcogens.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 06 00:00:00 EDT 2013},
month = {Tue Aug 06 00:00:00 EDT 2013}
}
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