Metal species surface treatment of thin film photovoltaic cell and manufacturing method

A method for forming a thin film photovoltaic device, the method comprising:

• providing a transparent substrate comprising a surface region;
• forming a first electrode layer overlying the surface region;
• forming a copper indium material comprising an atomic ratio of Cu:In ranging from about 1.35:1 to about 1.60:1 by at least sputtering a target comprising an indium copper material;
• subjecting the copper indium material to a first thermal treatment process in an environment containing a sulfur bearing species;
• forming a copper indium disulfide material from at least the first thermal treatment process of the copper indium material;
• forming a copper poor copper indium disulfide material in a surface region of the copper indium disulfide material, the copper poor copper indium disulfide material having an atomic ration of Cu:In of about 0.99 and less;
• compensating the copper poor copper indium disulfide material using a metal cation species to change in characteristic from an n-type to a p-type;
• and
• forming a window layer overlying the copper indium disulfide material.

A method for forming a thin film photovoltaic device, the method comprising:

• providing a transparent substrate comprising a surface region;
• forming a first electrode layer overlying the surface region;
• forming a chalcopyrite material overlying the electrode layer, the chalcopyrite material comprising at least a copper poor copper indium disulfide material including a copper poor copper indium disulfide material surface, the copper poor copper indium disulfide surface having an atomic ratio of Cu:In of about 0.99 and less;
• and
• compensating the copper poor copper indium disulfide material using a metal cation species to change in characteristic from an n-type to a p-type;
• forming a window layer overlying the chalcopyrite material;
• and
• forming a second electrode layer overlying the window layer.

A thin film photovoltaic device comprising:

• a substrate comprising a surface region;
• a first electrode layer overlying the surface region;
• a chalcopyrite material overlying the first electrode layer;
• a copper poor copper indium disulfide surface, the copper poor copper indium disulfide surface having an atomic ratio of Cu:In of about 0.99 and less;
• and
• a compensating metal cation species provided within one or more portions of the copper poor copper indium disulfide surface to change the copper poor copper indium disulfide surface from an n-type semiconductor characteristic to a p-type semiconductor characteristic;
• a window layer overlying the copper indium disulfide material;
• and
• a second electrode layer overlying the window layer.

A method for forming a thin film photovoltaic device, the method comprising:

• providing a transparent substrate comprising a surface region;
• forming a first electrode layer overlying the surface region;
• forming a copper containing layer overlying the first electrode layer;
• forming an indium layer overlying the copper layer to form a multi-layered structure;
• subjecting at least the multi-layered structure to a thermal treatment process in an environment containing a sulfur bearing species;
• forming a copper indium disulfide material from at least the thermal treatment process of the multi-layered structure, the copper indium disulfide material comprising a copper-to-indium atomic ratio ranging from about 1.2:1 to about 2:1 and a thickness of substantially copper sulfide material having a copper sulfide surface region;
• removing the thickness of the copper sulfide material to expose a surface region having a copper poor surface comprising a copper to indium atomic ratio of less than about 0.95:1;
• subjecting the copper poor surface to a metal cation species including at least an indium species;
• and
• forming a window layer overlying the copper indium disulfide material.