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US 10,672,932 B2Granted
Cost-efficient high power PECVD deposition for solar cells
AssigneeInternational Business Machines Corporation
InventorsTze-Chiang Chen, Augustin J. Hong, Jeehwan Kim, Devendra K. Sadana
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for forming a photovoltaic device includes providing a substrate. A layer is deposited to form one or more layers of a photovoltaic stack on the substrate. The depositing of the amorphous layer includes performing a high power flash deposition for depositing a first portion of the layer. A low power deposition is performed for depositing a second portion of the layer.
Claims20
A method for forming a photovoltaic device, comprising:
- depositing a buffer layer of a photovoltaic stack directly on a transparent electrode and between said transparent electrode and a p-type layer of hydrogenated semiconductor having a germanium content less than the buffer layer, wherein the buffer layer being a single material layer of silicon germanium is in direct contact with both the transparent electrode and the p-type layer of the photovoltaic stack, wherein the depositing the buffer layer comprises using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus, the depositing of the single layer includes the steps of:
- performing a high power flash deposition for depositing a first portion of the buffer layer with a high power flash deposition employing a high power generator of the CVD apparatus, wherein the high power flash deposition forms a first portion of the buffer having an increasing crystallinity with increasing depth;
- performing a low power deposition for depositing a second portion of the buffer layer with a lower power deposition employing a low power generator of the CVD apparatus, wherein the low power deposition forms a second portion of the buffer layer that is amorphous to provide the buffer layer with a varying crystal structure having said first portion with said increasing crystallinity with said increasing depth and said second portion being said amorphous;
- and
- forming an intrinsic layer of silicon on the p-type layer of hydrogenated semiconductor and an n-type silicon layer to provide a PIN junction.
2 more elements
A method for forming a photovoltaic device, comprising:
- depositing a buffer layer of silicon germanium directly on a transparent electrode and between and in direct contact with said transparent electrode and a p-type layer of hydrogenated silicon in a photovoltaic stack using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) apparatus that includes a high power generator and a low power generator that separate power generators and are both in communication to an electrode in a single deposition chamber of the CVD apparatus, the p-type layer of hydrogenated silicon having a germanium content less than the buffer layer, the depositing of the buffer layer including the steps of:
- performing a high power flash deposition for depositing a first portion of the buffer layer to increase crystallinity of the buffer layer within the single deposition chamber, the high power flash deposition employing the high power generator, wherein the high power flash deposition forms a first portion of the germanium containing material layers having an increasing crystallinity with increasing depth;
- performing a low power deposition for depositing a second portion of the buffer layer and having a more amorphous form within the single deposition chamber, the lower power deposition employing the low power generator, wherein the low power deposition forms a second portion of the germanium containing material layers that is amorphous;
- and
- forming an intrinsic layer of amorphous silicon on the p-type layer of hydrogenated silicon carbide and an n-type silicon layer to provide a PIN junction.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.