Systems and methods for forming solar cells with CuInSe.sub.2 and Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 films

Albin, David S.; Vora, Nirav; Jimenez, Sebastian Caparros; Gutierrez, Joaquin Murillo; Cortezon, Emilio Sanchez; Romero, Manuel

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Title: Systems and methods for forming solar cells with CuInSe.sub.2 and Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 films

Abstract

Systems and methods for forming solar cells with CuInSe.sub.2 and Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 films are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises: during a first stage (220), performing a mass transport through vapor transport of an indium chloride (InCl.sub.x) vapor (143, 223) and Se vapor (121, 225) to deposit a semiconductor film (212, 232, 252) upon a substrate (114, 210, 230, 250); heating the substrate (114, 210, 230, 250) and the semiconductor film to a desired temperature (112); during a second stage (240) following the first stage (220), performing a mass transport through vapor transport of a copper chloride (CuCl.sub.x) vapor (143, 243) and Se vapor (121, 245) to the semiconductor film (212, 232, 252); and during a third stage (260) following the second stage (240), performing a mass transport through vapor transport of an indium chloride (InCl.sub.x) vapor (143, 263) and Se vapor (121, 265) to the semiconductor film (212, 232, 252).

Inventors:: Albin, David S.; Vora, Nirav; Jimenez, Sebastian Caparros; Gutierrez, Joaquin Murillo; Cortezon, Emilio Sanchez; Romero, Manuel

Issue Date:: Tue Feb 28 00:00:00 EST 2017

Research Org.:: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:: USDOE

OSTI Identifier:: 1345209

Patent Number(s):: 9583667

Application Number:: 14/382,106

Assignee:: Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: C - CHEMISTRY C23 - COATING METALLIC MATERIAL C23C - COATING METALLIC MATERIAL

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

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C - CHEMISTRY C23 - COATING METALLIC MATERIAL C23C - COATING METALLIC MATERIAL
C23C14/0623 - {Sulfides, selenides or tellurides}
C23C14/22 - characterised by the process of coating
C23C16/305 - {Sulfides, selenides, or tellurides}
C23C16/44 - characterised by the method of coating
C23C16/455 - characterised by the method used for introducing gases into reaction chamber or for modifying gas flows in reaction chamber
C23C16/46 - characterised by the method used for heating the substrate

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
H01L21/02422 - {Non-crystalline insulating materials, e.g. glass, polymers}
H01L21/02491 - {Conductive materials}
H01L21/02568 - {Chalcogenide semiconducting materials not being oxides, e.g. ternary compounds}
H01L21/02614 - {Transformation of metal, e.g. oxidation, nitridation}
H01L21/02631 - {Physical deposition at reduced pressure, e.g. MBE, sputtering, evaporation}
H01L31/0322 - {comprising only AIBIIICVI chalcopyrite compounds, e.g. Cu In Se2, Cu Ga Se2, Cu In Ga Se2}
H01L31/18 - Processes or apparatus peculiar to the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
Y02E10/541 - CuInSe2 material PV cells

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DOE Contract Number:: AC36-08GO28308

Resource Type:: Patent

Resource Relation:: Patent File Date: 2013 Feb 27

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 14 SOLAR ENERGY

Citation Formats


                    Albin, David S., Vora, Nirav, Jimenez, Sebastian Caparros, Gutierrez, Joaquin Murillo, Cortezon, Emilio Sanchez, and Romero, Manuel. Systems and methods for forming solar cells with CuInSe.sub.2 and Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 films.  United States: N. p., 2017. 
        Web.

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                    Albin, David S., Vora, Nirav, Jimenez, Sebastian Caparros, Gutierrez, Joaquin Murillo, Cortezon, Emilio Sanchez, & Romero, Manuel. Systems and methods for forming solar cells with CuInSe.sub.2 and Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 films.  United States.

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                    Albin, David S., Vora, Nirav, Jimenez, Sebastian Caparros, Gutierrez, Joaquin Murillo, Cortezon, Emilio Sanchez, and Romero, Manuel. Tue .  
        "Systems and methods for forming solar cells with CuInSe.sub.2 and Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 films".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1345209.

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@article{osti_1345209,

  title        = {Systems and methods for forming solar cells with CuInSe.sub.2 and Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 films},

  author       = {Albin, David S. and Vora, Nirav and Jimenez, Sebastian Caparros and Gutierrez, Joaquin Murillo and Cortezon, Emilio Sanchez and Romero, Manuel},

  abstractNote = {Systems and methods for forming solar cells with CuInSe.sub.2 and Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 films are provided. In one embodiment, a method comprises: during a first stage (220), performing a mass transport through vapor transport of an indium chloride (InCl.sub.x) vapor (143, 223) and Se vapor (121, 225) to deposit a semiconductor film (212, 232, 252) upon a substrate (114, 210, 230, 250); heating the substrate (114, 210, 230, 250) and the semiconductor film to a desired temperature (112); during a second stage (240) following the first stage (220), performing a mass transport through vapor transport of a copper chloride (CuCl.sub.x) vapor (143, 243) and Se vapor (121, 245) to the semiconductor film (212, 232, 252); and during a third stage (260) following the second stage (240), performing a mass transport through vapor transport of an indium chloride (InCl.sub.x) vapor (143, 263) and Se vapor (121, 265) to the semiconductor film (212, 232, 252).},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {Tue Feb 28 00:00:00 EST 2017},

  month        = {Tue Feb 28 00:00:00 EST 2017}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

Enhanced quality thin film Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 for semiconductor device applications by vapor-phase recrystallization
patent, October 1994

Tuttle, John R.; Contreras, Miguel A.; Noufi, Rommel
US Patent Document 5,356,839
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Recrystallization method to selenization of thin-film Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 for semiconductor device applications
patent, July 1995

Albin, David S.; Carapella, Jeffrey J.; Tuttle, John R.
US Patent Document 5,436,204
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Method of fabricating high-efficiency Cu(In,Ga)(SeS).sub.2 thin films for solar cells
patent, August 1995

Noufi, Rommel; Gabor, Andrew; Tuttle, John R.
US Patent Document 5,441,897
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Production of films and powders for semiconductor device applications
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Bhattacharya, Raghu N.; Noufi, Rommel; Wang, Li
US Patent Document 5,731,031
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Processing approach towards the formation of thin-film Cu(In,Ga)Se2
patent, February 2003

Beck, Markus; Noufi, Rommel
US Patent Document 6,518,086
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Formation of CIGS absorber layer materials using atomic layer deposition and high throughput surface treatment
patent, December 2010

Sager, Brian M.; Roscheisen, Martin R.; Leidholm, Craig
US Patent Document 7,858,151
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/7858151

Method of manufacturing thin-film light-absorbing layer, and method of manufacturing thin-film solar cell using the same
patent, August 2013

Cho, Jung-Min; Bae, Eun-Jin; Ham, Chang-Woo
US Patent Document 8,501,524
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/8501524

Solution Deposition of Inorganic Materials and Electronic Devices Made Comprising the Inorganic Materials
patent-application, August 2007

Chang, Chih-hung; Lee, DooHyoung; Chang, Yu-Jen
US Patent Application 11/564759; 20070184576
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/20070184576

Apparatus and method for large area multi-layer atomic layer chemical vapor processing of thin films
patent-application, December 2009

Gadgil, Prasad
US Patent Application 12/281542; 20090304924
URL: https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/20090304924

Solar Cell Absorber Layer Formed From Equilibrium Precursors
patent-application, September 2010

Woodruff, Jacob; Van Duren, Jeroen K. J.; Robinson, Matthew R.
US Patent Application 12/706709; 20100248419
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The formation of large-grain CulnSe₂ films by selenization by high-rate Se transport under moderate vacuum conditions
journal, April 1995

Albin, D. S.; Tuttle, J. R.; Noufi, R.
Journal of Electronic Materials, Vol. 24, Issue 4, p. 351-357
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02659698

Development of thin-film Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ and CdTe solar cells
journal, March 2004

Romeo, A.; Terheggen, M.; Abou-Ras, D.
Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, Vol. 12, Issue 23, p. 93-111
https://doi.org/10.1002/pip.527

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Similar Records

Title: Systems and methods for forming solar cells with CuInSe.sub.2 and Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 films

Abstract

Citation Formats

Enhanced quality thin film Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 for semiconductor device applications by vapor-phase recrystallization patent, October 1994

Recrystallization method to selenization of thin-film Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 for semiconductor device applications patent, July 1995

Method of fabricating high-efficiency Cu(In,Ga)(SeS).sub.2 thin films for solar cells patent, August 1995

Production of films and powders for semiconductor device applications patent, March 1998

Processing approach towards the formation of thin-film Cu(In,Ga)Se2 patent, February 2003

Formation of CIGS absorber layer materials using atomic layer deposition and high throughput surface treatment patent, December 2010

Method of manufacturing thin-film light-absorbing layer, and method of manufacturing thin-film solar cell using the same patent, August 2013

Solution Deposition of Inorganic Materials and Electronic Devices Made Comprising the Inorganic Materials patent-application, August 2007

Apparatus and method for large area multi-layer atomic layer chemical vapor processing of thin films patent-application, December 2009

Solar Cell Absorber Layer Formed From Equilibrium Precursors patent-application, September 2010

The formation of large-grain CulnSe2 films by selenization by high-rate Se transport under moderate vacuum conditions journal, April 1995

Development of thin-film Cu(In,Ga)Se2 and CdTe solar cells journal, March 2004

Enhanced quality thin film Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 for semiconductor device applications by vapor-phase recrystallization
patent, October 1994

Recrystallization method to selenization of thin-film Cu(In,Ga)Se.sub.2 for semiconductor device applications
patent, July 1995

Method of fabricating high-efficiency Cu(In,Ga)(SeS).sub.2 thin films for solar cells
patent, August 1995

Production of films and powders for semiconductor device applications
patent, March 1998

Processing approach towards the formation of thin-film Cu(In,Ga)Se2
patent, February 2003

Formation of CIGS absorber layer materials using atomic layer deposition and high throughput surface treatment
patent, December 2010

Method of manufacturing thin-film light-absorbing layer, and method of manufacturing thin-film solar cell using the same
patent, August 2013

Solution Deposition of Inorganic Materials and Electronic Devices Made Comprising the Inorganic Materials
patent-application, August 2007

Apparatus and method for large area multi-layer atomic layer chemical vapor processing of thin films
patent-application, December 2009

Solar Cell Absorber Layer Formed From Equilibrium Precursors
patent-application, September 2010

The formation of large-grain CulnSe₂ films by selenization by high-rate Se transport under moderate vacuum conditions
journal, April 1995

Development of thin-film Cu(In,Ga)Se₂ and CdTe solar cells
journal, March 2004