Enhanced plating chemistries and methods for preparation of group IBIIIAVIA thin film solar cell absorbers
AssigneeSoloPower, Inc.
InventorsSerdar Aksu, Jiaxiong Wang, Mustafa Pinarbasi
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Abstract
The present invention provides a method and precursor structure to form a Group IBIIIAIVA solar cell absorber layer. The method includes forming a Group IBIIIAVIA compound layer on a base by forming a precursor layer on the base through electrodepositing three different films, and then reacting the precursor layer with selenium to form the Group IBIIIAVIA compound layer on the base. The three films, described by the precursor layer, include in one embodiment a first alloy film comprising copper, indium and gallium, a second alloy film comprising copper and selenium formed on the first alloy film; and a selenium film formed on the second alloy film.
Claims18
A method of forming a Group IBIIIAVIA compound layer on a base comprising:
- forming a precursor layer on the base, comprising:
- electrodepositing a first film on the base using a first electrodeposition solution, the first film comprising a copper-indium-gallium ternary alloy;
- electrodepositing a second film on the first film using a second electrodeposition solution, the second film comprising one of a copper-selenium alloy, an indium-selenium alloy and a gallium-selenium alloy;
- and
- electroplating a third film comprising selenium on the second film;
- and
- reacting the precursor layer with selenium thereby forming the Group IBIIIAVIA compound layer on the base.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.