Reactive magnetron sputtering of transparent and conductive zinc oxide films deposited at high rates onto CIS/CIGS photovoltaic devices

Author

Gillespie, T.J. ; Miles, W.A. ; Cueto, J. A del

Author_Institution

Lockheed Martin Astronaut., Denver, CO, USA

fYear

1997

fDate

29 Sep-3 Oct 1997

Firstpage

487

Lastpage

490

Abstract

Reactively sputtered ZnO from metal targets enjoys dual advantages of higher deposition rates and lower target costs than RF sputtering from ceramic targets. High deposition rate and conductive, aluminum-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) thin-film materials have been fabricated by DC-powered reactive sputtering from a zinc-aluminum metal alloy target. Reliable process control of material properties is exercised by cathode voltage control. Data is presented on the process control and materials properties of the ZnO:Al thin films produced by DC reactive sputtering from metal targets. These materials were incorporated in copper indium diselenide (CIS) photovoltaic devices, and have resulted in AM1.5 efficiencies over 10%

Keywords

aluminium; cathodes; copper compounds; gallium compounds; indium compounds; semiconductor thin films; solar cells; sputtered coatings; ternary semiconductors; voltage control; zinc compounds; AM1.5 efficiencies; CIS/CIGS photovoltaic devices; Cu(In,Ga)Se₂; Cu(InGa)Se₂; CuInSe₂; DC-powered reactive sputtering; ZnO; ZnO:Al; ZnO:Al thin-film materials; cathode voltage control; conductive zinc oxide films; high deposition rate; material properties control; process control; reactive magnetron sputtering; solar cells; transparent zinc oxide films; zinc-aluminum metal alloy target; Ceramics; Conducting materials; Conductive films; Costs; Inorganic materials; Material properties; Process control; Radio frequency; Sputtering; Zinc oxide;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1997., Conference Record of the Twenty-Sixth IEEE

Conference_Location

Anaheim, CA

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3767-0

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1997.654134

Filename

654134