Variable temperature semiconductor film deposition
Abstract
A method of depositing a semiconductor material on a substrate. The method sequentially comprises (a) providing the semiconductor material in a depositable state such as a vapor for deposition on the substrate; (b) depositing the semiconductor material on the substrate while heating the substrate to a first temperature sufficient to cause the semiconductor material to form a first film layer having a first grain size; (c) continually depositing the semiconductor material on the substrate while cooling the substrate to a second temperature sufficient to cause the semiconductor material to form a second film layer deposited on the first film layer and having a second grain size smaller than the first grain size; and (d) raising the substrate temperature, while either continuing or not continuing to deposit semiconductor material to form a third film layer, to thereby anneal the film layers into a single layer having favorable efficiency characteristics in photovoltaic applications. A preferred semiconductor material is cadmium telluride deposited on a glass/tin oxide substrate already having thereon a film layer of cadmium sulfide.
- Inventors:
-
- Golden, CO
- Lakewood, CO
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Midwest Research Institute, Kansas City, MO (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 871346
- Patent Number(s):
- 5712187
- Assignee:
- Midwest Research Institute (Kansas City, MO)
- 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
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-83CH10093
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- variable; temperature; semiconductor; film; deposition; method; depositing; material; substrate; sequentially; comprises; providing; depositable; vapor; heating; sufficient; form; layer; grain; size; continually; cooling; deposited; raising; continuing; deposit; third; anneal; layers; single; favorable; efficiency; characteristics; photovoltaic; applications; preferred; cadmium; telluride; glass; oxide; thereon; sulfide; semiconductor film; variable temperature; oxide substrate; film layers; film deposition; single layer; semiconductor material; grain size; temperature sufficient; layer deposited; film layer; cadmium telluride; cadmium sulfide; substrate temperature; photovoltaic applications; sequentially comprises; rate temperature; method sequentially; temperature semiconductor; /438/136/
Citation Formats
Li, Xiaonan, and Sheldon, Peter. Variable temperature semiconductor film deposition. United States: N. p., 1998.
Web.
Li, Xiaonan, & Sheldon, Peter. Variable temperature semiconductor film deposition. United States.
Li, Xiaonan, and Sheldon, Peter. Thu .
"Variable temperature semiconductor film deposition". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/871346.
@article{osti_871346,
title = {Variable temperature semiconductor film deposition},
author = {Li, Xiaonan and Sheldon, Peter},
abstractNote = {A method of depositing a semiconductor material on a substrate. The method sequentially comprises (a) providing the semiconductor material in a depositable state such as a vapor for deposition on the substrate; (b) depositing the semiconductor material on the substrate while heating the substrate to a first temperature sufficient to cause the semiconductor material to form a first film layer having a first grain size; (c) continually depositing the semiconductor material on the substrate while cooling the substrate to a second temperature sufficient to cause the semiconductor material to form a second film layer deposited on the first film layer and having a second grain size smaller than the first grain size; and (d) raising the substrate temperature, while either continuing or not continuing to deposit semiconductor material to form a third film layer, to thereby anneal the film layers into a single layer having favorable efficiency characteristics in photovoltaic applications. A preferred semiconductor material is cadmium telluride deposited on a glass/tin oxide substrate already having thereon a film layer of cadmium sulfide.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998},
month = {Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998}
}