Title: Atomic layer deposition of metal sulfide thin films using non-halogenated precursors

Abstract

A method for preparing a metal sulfide thin film using ALD and structures incorporating the metal sulfide thin film. The method includes providing an ALD reactor, a substrate, a first precursor comprising a metal and a second precursor comprising a sulfur compound. The first and the second precursors are reacted in the ALD precursor to form a metal sulfide thin film on the substrate. In a particular embodiment, the metal compound comprises Bis(N,N'-di-sec-butylacetamidinato)dicopper(I) and the sulfur compound comprises hydrogen sulfide (H.sub.2S) to prepare a Cu.sub.2S film. The resulting metal sulfide thin film may be used in among other devices, photovoltaic devices, including interdigitated photovoltaic devices that may use relatively abundant materials for electrical energy production.

Inventors:

Martinson, Alex B. F.; Elam, Jeffrey W.; Pellin, Michael J.

Issue Date:

2015-05-26

Research Org.:

Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1347438

Patent Number(s):

9040113

Application Number:

12/780,664

Assignee:

UChicago Argonne, LLC (Chicago, IL)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

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

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

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

H01L31/072 - the potential barriers being only of the PN heterojunction type

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

Y02E10/50 - Photovoltaic [PV] energy

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

H01L31/022425 - {for solar cells}
H01L21/02557 - {Sulfides}
H01L21/0243 - {Surface structure}
H01L21/02568 - {Chalcogenide semiconducting materials not being oxides, e.g. ternary compounds}

C - CHEMISTRY C23 - COATING METALLIC MATERIAL C23C - COATING METALLIC MATERIAL

C23C16/305 - {Sulfides, selenides, or tellurides}
C23C16/45553 - {characterized by the use of precursors specially adapted for ALD}

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

H01L31/03529 - {Shape of the potential jump barrier or surface barrier}
H01L31/032 - including, apart from doping materials or other impurities, only compounds not provided for in groups H01L31/0272 - H01L31/0312
H01L31/0336 - in different semiconductor regions, e.g. Cu2X/CdX hetero-junctions, X being an element of Group VI of the Periodic System
H01L21/0262 - {Reduction or decomposition of gaseous compounds, e.g. CVD}

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC02-06CH11357

Resource Type:

Patent

Resource Relation:

Patent File Date: 2010 May 14

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY