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Title: Polycrystalline semiconductor processing

Abstract

A process for forming large-grain polycrystalline films from amorphous films for use as photovoltaic devices. The process operates on the amorphous film and uses the driving force inherent to the transition from the amorphous state to the crystalline state as the force which drives the grain growth process. The resultant polycrystalline film is characterized by a grain size that is greater than the thickness of the film. A thin amorphous film is deposited on a substrate. The formation of a plurality of crystalline embryos is induced in the amorphous film at predetermined spaced apart locations and nucleation is inhibited elsewhere in the film. The crystalline embryos are caused to grow in the amorphous film, without further nucleation occurring in the film, until the growth of the embryos is halted by imgingement on adjacently growing embryos. The process is applicable to both batch and continuous processing techniques. In either type of process, the thin amorphous film is sequentially doped with p and n type dopants. Doping is effected either before or after the formation and growth of the crystalline embryos in the amorphous film, or during a continuously proceeding crystallization step.

Inventors:
 [1];  [2];  [3]
  1. Scituate, MA
  2. Lincoln, MA
  3. Winchester, MA
Issue Date:
Research Org.:
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
864532
Patent Number(s):
4379020
Assignee:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA)
Patent Classifications (CPCs):
C - CHEMISTRY C30 - CRYSTAL GROWTH C30B - SINGLE-CRYSTAL-GROWTH
DOE Contract Number:  
FG02-79ET00081
Resource Type:
Patent
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
polycrystalline; semiconductor; processing; process; forming; large-grain; films; amorphous; photovoltaic; devices; operates; film; driving; force; inherent; transition; crystalline; drives; grain; growth; resultant; characterized; size; thickness; deposited; substrate; formation; plurality; embryos; induced; predetermined; spaced; apart; locations; nucleation; inhibited; caused; grow; occurring; halted; imgingement; adjacently; growing; applicable; batch; continuous; techniques; type; sequentially; doped; dopants; doping; effected; continuously; proceeding; crystallization; step; amorphous film; polycrystalline film; growth process; continuous processing; crystalline films; photovoltaic devices; spaced apart; photovoltaic device; grain size; continuous process; driving force; crystalline semiconductor; grain growth; processing techniques; type dopant; process operates; type dopants; apart locations; polycrystalline semiconductor; processing technique; /438/117/136/148/423/

Citation Formats

Glaeser, Andreas M, Haggerty, John S, and Danforth, Stephen C. Polycrystalline semiconductor processing. United States: N. p., 1983. Web.
Glaeser, Andreas M, Haggerty, John S, & Danforth, Stephen C. Polycrystalline semiconductor processing. United States.
Glaeser, Andreas M, Haggerty, John S, and Danforth, Stephen C. Sat . "Polycrystalline semiconductor processing". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/864532.
@article{osti_864532,
title = {Polycrystalline semiconductor processing},
author = {Glaeser, Andreas M and Haggerty, John S and Danforth, Stephen C},
abstractNote = {A process for forming large-grain polycrystalline films from amorphous films for use as photovoltaic devices. The process operates on the amorphous film and uses the driving force inherent to the transition from the amorphous state to the crystalline state as the force which drives the grain growth process. The resultant polycrystalline film is characterized by a grain size that is greater than the thickness of the film. A thin amorphous film is deposited on a substrate. The formation of a plurality of crystalline embryos is induced in the amorphous film at predetermined spaced apart locations and nucleation is inhibited elsewhere in the film. The crystalline embryos are caused to grow in the amorphous film, without further nucleation occurring in the film, until the growth of the embryos is halted by imgingement on adjacently growing embryos. The process is applicable to both batch and continuous processing techniques. In either type of process, the thin amorphous film is sequentially doped with p and n type dopants. Doping is effected either before or after the formation and growth of the crystalline embryos in the amorphous film, or during a continuously proceeding crystallization step.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983},
month = {Sat Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1983}
}