Apparatus And Method For Depositing A CIGS Layer

A method of depositing an absorption layer and a buffer layer of a solar cell, comprising:

• placing a roll of substrate on a loading roller inside a rotating drum;
• advancing a section of the roll around a circumference of the rotating drum;
• depositing the absorption layer on a surface of the section, wherein the depositing occurs during rotation of the rotating drum;
• depositing the buffer layer on the absorption layer;
• and
• unloading the section of the roll from the rotating drum by winding the section around an exit roller.

A method of depositing a CIGS layer and a ZnS-O layer, comprising:

• placing a roll of flexible substrate on a loading roller;
• advancing a section of the roll of flexible substrate around a circumference of a rotating drum;
• forming a CIGS layer on to a surface of the section, the forming comprising:
• rotating the rotating drum;
• sputtering a plurality of copper, gallium, and sodium doped indium atoms on to the surface of the section;
• evaporating an elemental selenium material to deposit a plurality of selenium atoms on the surface of the section;
• reacting the plurality of copper, gallium, and sodium doped indium atoms with the plurality of selenium atoms in a monolayer reaction;
• wherein the forming a CIGS layer is repeated until a predetermined thickness of a CIGS film is met;
• depositing a ZnS-O layer on top of the CIGS film;
• and
• unloading the section of the roll from the rotating drum by winding the section around an exit roller.