Method and an apparatus for treating a surface of a TCO material, in a semiconductor device

A method for treating a plurality of portions of a surface of a TCO layer in a semiconductor device, the semiconductor device comprising a structure arranged to facilitate current flow in one direction, the method comprising the steps of:

• exposing the plurality of surface portions of the TCO layer to an electrolyte, the exposed surface portions comprising finger portions for adherence with finger electrodes, there being a non-exposed surface region of the TCO layer between each pair of adjacent finger portions, the electrolyte being suitable for electrochemically reducing each exposed surface portion of the TCO layer when an electrical current is induced through the TCO layer;
• and
• inducing a current in the TCO layer by inducing a current in the semiconductor device, the induced current being directed transversally to the exposed surface portions of the TCO layer and being substantially uniform across all exposed surface portions of the surface of the TCO layer;
• wherein the substantially uniform induced current reduces the exposed surface portions of the TCO layer, such that the TCO layer includes TCO material at the exposed surface portions and the TCO material at the exposed surface portions has substantially uniformly reduced surfaces, and improves uniformity of adhesion of a metallic material to each exposed surface portion in comparison to adhesion of the metallic material to the non-exposed regions of the TCO layer;
• wherein the reduction at the plurality of exposed surface portions of the TCO layer is induced by exclusive contact of the exposed surface portions with the electrolyte.