# US 8,785,304 B2 · P-I-N structures and methods for forming P-I-N structures having an i-layer formed via hot wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD)

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- Number: US 8,785,304 B2
- Document ID: US8785304B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/570,928
- Filed: 2012-08-09
- Published: 2013-02-28
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2011-08-26
- Assignees: Applied Materials, Inc.
- Applicants: Sukti Chatterjee
- Inventors: Sukti Chatterjee
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8785304B2

## CPC

- H10F 10/17: Photovoltaic cells having only PIN junction potential barriers
- C23C 16/24: Deposition of silicon only
- C23C 16/44: characterised by the method of coating (C23C16/04 takes precedence)
- H10F 71/103: {including only Group IV materials}
- H10F 77/1645: {including microcrystalline silicon}
- H10P 14/24: using chemical vapour deposition [CVD]
- H10P 14/3211: {Silicon, silicon germanium or germanium}
- H10P 14/3241: {being conductive materials}
- H10P 14/3251: {consisting of three or more layers}
- H10P 14/3408: {Silicon carbide}
- H10P 14/3411: {Silicon, silicon germanium or germanium}
- H10P 14/3444: {P-type}
- Y02E 10/545: Microcrystalline silicon PV cells
- Y02E 10/548: Amorphous silicon PV cells
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide p-i-n structures and methods for forming p-i-n structures useful, for example, in photovoltaic cells. In some embodiments, a method for forming a p-i-n structure on a substrate may include forming a bi-layer p-type layer on the substrate by: depositing a microcrystalline p-type layer atop the protective layer; and depositing an amorphous p-type layer atop the microcrystalline p-type layer; depositing an amorphous i-type layer via hot wire chemical vapor deposition atop the amorphous p-type layer; and depositing an amorphous n-type layer atop the amorphous i-type layer. A p-i-n structure may include a bi-layer p-type layer disposed above a substrate, the bi-layer p-type layer having a microcrystalline p-type layer and an amorphous p-type layer disposed atop the microcrystalline p-type layer; an amorphous i-type layer disposed atop the bi-layer p-type layer; and an n-type layer disposed atop the i-type layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for forming a p-i-n structure on a substrate, comprising:
forming a bi-layer p-type layer on the substrate by:
depositing a microcrystalline p-type layer atop a protective layer; and
depositing an amorphous p-type layer atop the microcrystalline p-type layer;
depositing an amorphous i-type layer via hot wire chemical vapor deposition atop the amorphous p-type layer; and
depositing an amorphous n-type layer atop the amorphous i-type layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
depositing a protective layer atop the substrate; and
forming the bi-layer p-type layer atop the protective layer.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the protective layer comprises zinc oxide (ZnO).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the microcrystalline p-type layer comprises silicon (Si) or silicon carbide (SiC).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the amorphous p-type layer comprises silicon (Si), silicon carbide (SiC), or boron doped silicon.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the amorphous i-type layer comprises silicon or silicon and hydrogen (Si—H).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the amorphous n-type layer comprises silicon (Si) or phosphorus doped silicon.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
depositing a metal back layer atop the p-i-n structure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8, wherein the metal back layer comprises at least one of zinc oxide (ZnO), aluminum (Al), gold (Au), titanium (Ti), chromium (Cr), silver (Ag), copper (Cu), or platinum (Pt).

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate includes a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layer formed thereon and wherein the p-i-n structure is formed atop the TCO layer.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the TCO layer comprises at least one of tin oxide (SnO), zinc oxide (ZnO), or cadmium stannate (Cd2SnO4).