Title: Process for preparing group Ib-IIIa-VIa semiconducting films

Abstract

Methods are provided for the production of supported monophasic group I-III-VI semiconductor films. In the subject methods, a substrate is coated with group I and III elements and then contacted with a reactive group VI element containing atmosphere under conditions sufficient to produce a substrate coated with a composite of at least two different group I-III-IV alloys. The resultant composite coated substrate is then annealed in an inert atmosphere under conditions sufficient to convert the composite coating to a monophasic group I-III-VI semiconductor film. The resultant supported semiconductor films find use in photovoltaic applications, particularly as absorber layers in solar cells.

Inventors:

Birkmire, Robert W ^[1]; Schultz, Jerold M ^[2]; Marudachalam, Matheswaran ^[2]; Hichri, Habib ^[2]

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+ Show Inventor Affiliations

1. Churchville, MD
2. Newark, DE

Issue Date:

1997-01-01

Research Org.:

Midwest Research Institute, Kansas City, MO (United States); National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

871169

Patent Number(s):

5674555

Application Number:

08/564,957

Assignee:

University of Delaware (Newark, DE)

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

H01L21/02568 - {Chalcogenide semiconducting materials not being oxides, e.g. ternary compounds}
H01L21/02614 - {Transformation of metal, e.g. oxidation, nitridation}
H01L31/0322 - {comprising only AIBIIICVI chalcopyrite compounds, e.g. Cu In Se2, Cu Ga Se2, Cu In Ga Se2}

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

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS

Y10S438/93 - Ternary or quaternary semiconductor comprised of elements from three different groups, e.g. I-III-V

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DOE Contract Number:  

AC36-83CH10093

Resource Type:

Patent

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

process; preparing; ib-iiia-via; semiconducting; films; methods; provided; production; supported; monophasic; i-iii-vi; semiconductor; subject; substrate; coated; iii; elements; contacted; reactive; element; containing; atmosphere; conditions; sufficient; produce; composite; i-iii-iv; alloys; resultant; annealed; inert; convert; coating; film; photovoltaic; applications; particularly; absorber; layers; solar; cells; semiconductor film; composite coating; solar cell; solar cells; inert atmosphere; substrate coated; coated substrate; ii-vi semiconductor; absorber layer; semiconductor films; photovoltaic applications; conditions sufficient; conducting films; semiconducting films; conducting film; containing atmosphere; iii elements; element containing; /427/136/438/