# US 2009/0260678 A1 · Glass substrate bearing an electrode > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260678 A1 - Document ID: US20090260678A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/423,977 - Filed: 2009-04-15 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-16 - Assignees: AGC Flat Glass Europe SA - Inventors: Gaeetan DI STEFANO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260678A1 ## CPC - H10F 77/211: {for photovoltaic cells} - H10F 71/138: {Manufacture of transparent electrodes, e.g. transparent conductive oxides [TCO] or indium tin oxide [ITO] electrodes} - H10F 77/126: {comprising only Group I-III-VI chalcopyrite materials, e.g. CuInSe2, CuGaSe2 or CuInGaSe2 [CIGS]} - H10F 77/169: Thin semiconductor films on metallic or insulating substrates - H10F 77/1694: {the films including Group I-III-VI materials, e.g. CIS or CIGS} - H10F 77/244: {made of transparent conductive layers, e.g. transparent conductive oxide [TCO] layers} - H10F 77/251: {comprising zinc oxide [ZnO]} - Y02E 10/541: CuInSe2 material PV cells - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract The invention relates to a glass substrate bearing at least one electrode in the form of a thin layer. A barrier covering 2 for species migrating from the glass comprising at least one layer based on a mixed oxide of zinc and at least one other element containing at least 10% zinc is arranged between the substrate 1 and the electrode 3. The invention is applied in particular to electronic devices such as chalcopyrite-based photovoltaic cells. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A glass substrate bearing at least one electrode in the form of a thin layer for an electronic device, which comprises: a barrier covering comprising at least one layer based on a mixed oxide of zinc and at least one other element containing at least 10% zinc is arranged between the substrate and the electrode. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein the electrode is molybdenum-based. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein the thin layer forming the electrode has a total thickness of less than 100 nm. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein the thin layer forming the electrode is subdivided into at least two layers formed by cathodic sputtering under different deposition conditions. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein the electrical resistance of the electrode after undergoing a thermal treatment at 500° C. for 30 minutes and being protected from oxidation is less than 0.8 ohms/□. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein said other element is selected from the group consisting of the following elements: Sn, Ti, Ta, Zr, Nb, Ga, Bi, Al and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein the barrier covering comprises a stack of at least two layers of different compositions. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein said other element is present up to an amount of at least 4% by weight. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein said other element is tin, and in that the zinc-tin mixed oxide contains at least 20% tin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1, 9) The glass substrate according to claim 9, claim 1, wherein the barrier covering comprises a stack of at least two layers based on zinc-tin mixed oxide of different compositions. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein at least one zinc-tin mixed oxide layer comprises at least 40% tin and at least 40% zinc. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein the barrier covering has a total thickness in the range of 80 to 500 nm. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein after having undergone a thermal treatment at 500° C. for 30 minutes, the electrode did not detach from the substrate when it was subjected to an adhesion test. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) An electronic device having a glass substrate according to claim 1. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electronic device according to claim 14, wherein the device is a photovoltaic solar cell. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The electronic device according to claim 14 wherein a layer based on a selenide and/or sulphide of copper and indium or of copper, zinc and tin is deposited on the electrode. ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein the electrical resistance of the electrode after undergoing a thermal treatment at 500° C. for 30 minutes and being protected from oxidation is equal to or less than 0.6 ohms/o. ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein said other element is selected from the group consisting of the following elements: Sn, Ti and Al. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The glass substrate according to claim 1, wherein the barrier covering has a total thickness in the range of 80 to 200 nm. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The glass substrate according to claim 19, wherein the barrier covering has a total thickness in the range of 100 to 150 nm.