Title: Process and apparatus for formation of photovoltaic compounds

Abstract

The invention relates to a process and apparatus for formation and deposition of thin films on a substrate, in a vacuum, by evaporation of the elements to form a Zn.sub.x Cd.sub.1-x S compound having a preselected fixed ratio of cadmium to zinc, characterized by the evaporation of cadmium and zinc at a rate the ratio of which is proportional to the stoichiometric ratio of those elements in the intended compound and evaporation of sulfur at a rate at least twice the combined rates of cadmium and zinc, and at least twice that required by the stoichiometry of the intended compound.

Inventors:

Hall, Robert B ^[1]; Rocheleau, Richard E ^[2]

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1. Newark, DE
2. Wilmington, DE

Issue Date:

1985-01-01

Research Org.:

National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

OSTI Identifier:

865500

Patent Number(s):

4526809

Assignee:

University of Delaware (Newark, DE)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):

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

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

H01L21/0242 - {Crystalline insulating materials}
H01L21/0248 - {Tellurides}
H01L21/02485 - {Other chalcogenide semiconducting materials not being oxides, e.g. ternary compounds}
H01L21/02557 - {Sulfides}
H01L21/02576 - {N-type}
H01L21/02631 - {Physical deposition at reduced pressure, e.g. MBE, sputtering, evaporation}

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DOE Contract Number:  

EG-77-C-01-4042

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

process; apparatus; formation; photovoltaic; compounds; relates; deposition; films; substrate; vacuum; evaporation; elements; form; zn; cd; 1-x; compound; preselected; fixed; ratio; cadmium; zinc; characterized; rate; proportional; stoichiometric; intended; sulfur; twice; combined; rates; required; stoichiometry; stoichiometric ratio; /438/117/136/427/