Methods of growing heteroepitaxial single crystal or large grained semiconductor films and devices thereon
AssigneeSolar-Tectic LLC
InventorsPraveen Chaudhari, Karin Chaudhari, Ashok Chaudhari, Pia Chaudhari
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for making semiconductor films from a eutectic alloy comprising a metal and a semiconductor. Through heterogeneous nucleation said film is deposited at a deposition temperature on relatively inexpensive buffered substrates, such as glass. Specifically said film is vapor deposited at a fixed temperature in said deposition temperature where said deposition temperature is above a eutectic temperature of said eutectic alloy and below a temperature at which the substrate softens. Such films could have widespread application in photovoltaic and display technologies.
Claims13
A method of producing photovoltaic devices comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- depositing a thin film element on said substrate;
- and
- introducing silane gas to said substrate and said thin film thereon, said silane gas decomposing to form an Si film, said Si film reacting with said thin film to produce a eutectic system.
A method of producing photovoltaic devices comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- depositing a thin film element on said substrate;
- introducing silane gas to said substrate and said thin film thereon, said silane gas decomposing to form an Si film, said Si film reacting with said thin film to produce a eutectic system, wherein said Si film is used to grow nanowires of Si.
A method of producing photovoltaic devices comprising:
- providing a substrate;
- depositing a thin film element on said substrate;
- introducing silane gas to said substrate and said thin film thereon, said silane gas decomposing to form an Si film, said Si film reacting with said thin film to produce a eutectic system;
- and
- growing Si nanowires on said substrate by lowering a temperature of said substrate below a eutectic temperature of said eutectic system
- wherein said thin film comprises Al, said Al precipitating out of the eutectic system and catalytically reducing said silane gas forming nanowires.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.