Tolerance of Three-Stage CIGS Deposition to Variations Imposed by Roll-to-Roll Processing: Final Technical Report, May 2003 - September 2005

    Research output: NRELSubcontract Report

    Abstract

    Three-stage co-evaporation of CIGS imposes stringent limits on the parameter space if high-efficient devices are to result. Substrate temperatures during the 1st stage (as well as during the 2nd and 3rd stage), Se partial pressure, and amount of Na supplied are critical for good nucleation, proper In-Ga-selenide precursor phase, and diffusion of Cu into the precursor, as well as diffusion of Gathrough the film. In addition, the degree of Cu-rich excursion impacts maximum performance and process tolerance. Enveloping the above is the basic time-temperature profile inextricably linked to the metals delivery rates. Although high-efficiency, three-stage deposited CIGS devices on the R&D scale are grown at about 20-45 minutes to thicknesses of 2 to 2.5 m, the latter is not a viableapproach for an economic manufacturing process. At Global Solar Energy, Inc., CIGS films are typically grown in about 6 minutes to thicknesses of less than 2 m. At the same time, the emissivity and thermal conductivity of stainless steel is vastly different from that of glass, and the reduced growth time poses restrictions on the substrate temperature ramp rates and diffusion of species(reaction kinetics). Material compatibility in the highly corrosive Se environment places limitations on the substrate heaters; i.e., substrate temperatures. Finally, one key advantage of a RTR deposition approach (compact equipment) restricts post CIGS Se exposure and cool-down rates to be vastly different than those practiced in the laboratory.
    Original languageAmerican English
    Number of pages25
    StatePublished - 2006

    Bibliographical note

    Work performed by Global Solar Energy, Inc., Tucson, Arizona

    NREL Publication Number

    • NREL/SR-520-39119

    Keywords

    • CIGS
    • high-efficient devices
    • module
    • PV
    • roll-to-roll (RTR) processing
    • three-stage co-evaporation

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