JP2010245189A - Method of manufacturing thin film solar cell - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of manufacturing a thin film solar cell, by which the thin film solar cell capable of having a Cd-free buffer layer formed without using a wet process and is extremely low in toxicity can be manufactured inexpensively through an all-dry process of superior productivity, and which is extremely superior in practicality. <P>SOLUTION: In the method of manufacturing the thin film solar cell having, on a substrate 1, a lower electrode 2, a light absorption layer 3, a buffer layer 4, a window layer 5, and an upper electrode 6 stacked in this order, the buffer layer 4 composed of a ZnO thin film is formed on the light absorption layer 3 by blowing a zinc complex gas or a mixed gas of the zinc complex gas and an oxidation gas onto the light absorption layer 3 under atmosphere release while the substrate 1 is heated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a thin film solar cell.

Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ (CZTS) is a semiconductor having a direct transition type energy band structure, and has a light absorption coefficient of 10 ⁴ cm ⁻¹ with a forbidden band width of 1.4 to 1.5 eV. It has advantages such as the abundance of elements in the earth's crust and extremely low toxicity, and it is a material suitable for environmental safety and resource saving of solar cell elements, and is promising as a light absorption layer material for thin-film solar cells. One of the candidates.

  Thus, for example, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, a thin film solar cell using CZTS as a light absorption layer has been proposed. As shown in FIG. 1, the thin-film solar cell using CZTS as a light absorption layer is formed on, for example, a soda lime glass substrate 1, a lower electrode 2 (Mo), a light absorption layer 3 (CZTS), a buffer layer 4 (CdS). ), The window layer 5 (ZnO: Al) and the upper electrode 6 (Al) are laminated in this order.

  By the way, as the CdS thin film for forming the buffer layer 4, so-called CBD-CdS formed by a solution growth method (CBD method) is generally used.

JP 2009-26891 A

  However, the lower electrode 2, the light absorption layer 3, the window layer 5 and the upper electrode 6 other than the buffer layer 4 are usually formed by a so-called dry process in which all are not brought into contact with the liquid phase, such as a vacuum deposition method or a sputtering method. On the other hand, the solution growth method is a wet process, and waste liquid treatment is troublesome, and there is a problem that precise film thickness control cannot be performed as compared with a dry process. The CdS thin film contains a small amount of Cd, which is a toxic substance.

  Therefore, although a buffer layer replacing CBD-CdS has been conventionally demanded, there is currently no suitable alternative film that can be formed by a dry process with high light transmittance and high resistivity.

  In the present invention, in view of the present situation as described above, as a result of repeated experiments, CBD is sprayed by blowing a zinc complex gas or a mixed gas of a zinc complex gas and an oxidizing gas while heating the substrate at a predetermined temperature under the atmosphere. An all-dry process that has been found and completed to form a high-resistance ZnO thin film with sufficient characteristics as a buffer layer to replace CdS, and that can form a buffer layer that does not contain Cd without using a wet process, and is excellent in mass productivity The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a thin-film solar cell that is extremely practical and capable of manufacturing a low-toxic thin-film solar cell at low cost.

  The gist of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

  A method of manufacturing a thin-film solar cell in which a lower electrode 2, a light absorption layer 3, a buffer layer 4, a window layer 5, and an upper electrode 6 are laminated in this order on a substrate 1, wherein the substrate 1 is heated A buffer layer 4 made of a ZnO thin film is formed on the light absorption layer 3 by spraying a zinc complex gas or a mixed gas of a zinc complex gas and an oxidizing gas on the light absorption layer 3 in the open air. It concerns on the manufacturing method of a thin film solar cell.

A method of manufacturing a thin-film solar cell in which a lower electrode 2, a light absorption layer 3, a buffer layer 4, a window layer 5, and an upper electrode 6 are laminated in this order on a substrate 1, and the substrate 1 is heated. On the other hand, by blowing a zinc complex gas or a mixed gas of a zinc complex gas and an oxidizing gas onto the light absorption layer 3 under the atmosphere, the film thickness is 40 to 100 nm and the light transmittance at a wavelength of 400 to 1000 nm is 95. The buffer layer 4 made of a high-resistance ZnO thin film having an electrical resistivity of 10 ³ Ωcm or more at a% or more is formed on the light absorption layer 3.

A method of manufacturing a thin film solar cell in which a lower electrode 2, a light absorption layer 3, a buffer layer 4, a window layer 5, and an upper electrode 6 are laminated in this order on a substrate 1, A lower electrode 2 made of a Mo thin film is formed, a light absorption layer 3 made of a Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film is formed on the Mo thin film, and the substrate 1 is heated on the Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film while being exposed to the atmosphere. By spraying a zinc complex gas or a mixed gas of zinc complex gas and oxidizing gas, the film thickness is 40 to 100 nm, the light transmittance at a wavelength of 400 to 1000 nm is 95% or more, and the electric resistivity is 10 ³ Ωcm or more. A buffer layer 4 made of a resistance ZnO thin film is formed, a window layer 5 made of a ZnO: Al thin film is formed on the high resistance ZnO thin film, and an upper electrode 6 made of an Al thin film is formed on the ZnO: Al thin film. The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a thin-film solar cell.

  The method for manufacturing a thin-film solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the lower electrode 2, the light absorption layer 3, the window layer 5, and the upper electrode 6 are each formed by a dry process. It is related to.

  Moreover, the said ZnO film | membrane is formed, heating the said board | substrate 1 at 200-300 degreeC, It concerns on the manufacturing method of the thin film solar cell of any one of Claims 1-4 characterized by the above-mentioned.

  The thin film solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the ZnO film is formed while the substrate 1 is reciprocated in a direction orthogonal to the injection direction of the mixed gas. This relates to the manufacturing method.

  Since the present invention is as described above, a buffer layer that does not contain Cd can be formed without using a wet process, and a thin film solar cell with extremely low toxicity can be manufactured at a low cost by an all-dry process excellent in mass productivity. This is a method for manufacturing a thin-film solar cell with excellent practicality.

It is a schematic explanatory sectional drawing of a CZTS type thin film solar cell. It is a schematic explanatory drawing of a mixed gas spraying apparatus.

  Embodiments of the present invention that are considered suitable (how to carry out the invention) will be briefly described with reference to the drawings, illustrating the operation of the present invention.

  The substrate 1 on which the lower electrode 2 and the light absorption layer 3 are formed is heated on the light absorption layer 3 by spraying a zinc complex gas or a mixed gas of a zinc complex gas and an oxidizing gas to the substrate 1 while being open to the atmosphere. Then, a high-resistance ZnO thin film is formed, and this high-resistance ZnO thin film is used as the buffer layer 4.

  At this time, since the buffer layer that has been conventionally formed by the solution growth method that is a wet process is formed by an atmospheric open chemical vapor deposition method (atmospheric open CVD method) that is a dry process, By forming the lower electrode 2, the light absorption layer 3, the window layer 5, and the upper electrode 6 by a dry process, a thin film solar cell can be manufactured by an all-dry process.

  Therefore, waste liquid treatment is not necessary because no solution is used, and an all-dry process enables integrated production, fewer manufacturing processes, and lower manufacturing costs. It becomes possible to manufacture a thin-film solar cell with extremely low toxicity. In addition, a flatter buffer layer can be obtained, and a thin film solar cell having good characteristics can be manufactured.

  Furthermore, since the ZnO thin film does not contain a toxic element such as Cd, for example, by adopting CZTS having extremely low toxicity as the light absorbing layer 3, it is possible to manufacture a thin film solar cell having further excellent environmental properties.

Thus, for example, the lower electrode 2 made of Mo thin film is formed on the substrate 1, the light absorption layer 3 made of Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film is formed on the Mo thin film, and the substrate 1 is formed on the Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film. By blowing a zinc complex gas or a mixed gas of a zinc complex gas and an oxidizing gas in the open air while heating the film, the film thickness is 40 to 100 nm, the light transmittance at a wavelength of 400 to 1000 nm is 95% or more, and the electric resistance A buffer layer 4 made of a high resistance ZnO thin film with a rate of 10 ³ Ωcm or more is formed, a window layer 5 made of ZnO: Al thin film is formed on the high resistance ZnO thin film, and an Al thin film is formed on the ZnO: Al thin film. By forming the upper electrode 6, an all-dry structure including the buffer layer 4 made of a high-resistance ZnO thin film having sufficient characteristics as a substitute film for CBD-CdS is obtained. In the process, it becomes possible to manufacture a CZTS-based thin-film solar cell that does not contain rare elements and toxic elements and is resource-saving and extremely toxic at low cost.

  Specific embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

The present embodiment is a method of manufacturing a thin film solar cell in which a lower electrode 2, a light absorption layer 3, a buffer layer 4, a window layer 5 and an upper electrode 6 are laminated in this order on a substrate 1, and the substrate A lower electrode 2 made of Mo thin film is formed on 1, a light absorption layer 3 made of Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film is formed on the Mo thin film, and the substrate 1 is heated on the Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film while the substrate 1 is heated. By blowing zinc complex gas or a mixed gas of zinc complex gas and oxidizing gas under open conditions, the film thickness is 40 to 100 nm, the light transmittance at a wavelength of 400 to 1000 nm is 95% or more, and the electric resistivity is 10 ³ Ωcm. The buffer layer 4 made of the above high resistance ZnO thin film is formed, the window layer 5 made of ZnO: Al thin film is formed on the high resistance ZnO thin film, and the upper part made of Al thin film is formed on the ZnO: Al thin film. The electrode 6 is formed.

  Specifically, in this embodiment, a CZTS thin film solar cell is manufactured by an all dry process in which the lower electrode 2, the light absorption layer 3, the buffer layer 4, the window layer 5, and the upper electrode 6 are formed by a dry process.

  As the substrate 1, soda lime glass (SLG) is adopted. In addition, not only SLG but quartz glass etc. may be adopted, for example.

  A Mo thin film to be the lower electrode 2 is formed on the SLG substrate 1 by sputtering. Note that not only Mo but also a material having high electrical conductivity and high adhesion to the substrate 1, such as ZnO: Al, may be employed.

Subsequently, a Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film to be the light absorption layer 3 is formed on the Mo thin film as the lower electrode 2.

Specifically, using a sputtering method, Cu, ZnS, and SnS targets are simultaneously sputtered on a Mo thin film to form a mixed film (precursor), and the precursor is placed in an atmosphere containing H ₂ S ( For example, a Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film is formed by sulfiding in an atmosphere of 5 to 20% H ₂ S + N ₂ .

In this embodiment, after the precursor is formed, it is continuously sulfided without breaking the vacuum, so that a higher quality Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film is formed without exposing the precursor to the atmosphere.

  In addition, the laminated film may be formed by sequentially sputtering the above targets without simultaneously sputtering, or the precursor may be formed by other methods such as a vacuum deposition method without being limited to the sputtering method.

Subsequently, a ZnO thin film to be the buffer layer 4 is formed on the Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film as the light absorption layer 3.

Specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the zinc complex 7 (bisacetylacetonato zinc: Zn (C ₅ H ₇ O ₂ ) ₂ ) is vaporized at 125 ° C. by the heater 13 provided inside. Carrier gas supply means (not shown) comprising a vaporizer 8 for generating steam and a cylinder or the like for supplying a carrier gas (nitrogen gas) for conveying the zinc complex vapor to the nozzle 9 as a zinc complex gas to the vaporizer 8 ), An oxidizing gas supply means (not shown) for supplying an oxidizing gas (79% N ₂ + 21% O ₂ ) consisting of nitrogen gas and oxygen gas to the nozzle 9, the vaporizer 8, A carrier gas supply pipe 10 for connecting the carrier gas supply means; a zinc complex gas supply pipe 11 for connecting the vaporizer 8 and the nozzle 9; an acid for connecting the oxidizing gas supply means and the nozzle 9; Formed by using a mixed gas blowing device consisting of the gas supply pipe 12. Further, the zinc complex gas supply pipe 11 and the oxidizing gas supply pipe 12 are joined and connected in the middle, and a mixed gas of zinc complex gas and oxidizing gas is supplied to the nozzle 9 from this joining connection part. .

  In this embodiment, the ZnO thin film is formed using the above mixed gas. However, even if the ZnO thin film is formed by spraying only the zinc complex gas (zinc complex vapor) on the substrate 1 without using the oxidizing gas. good.

  The substrate 1 is placed on a substrate heating stage 14 provided in a state of facing the nozzle 9 and capable of reciprocating in a direction orthogonal to the injection direction of the mixed gas injected from the nozzle 9.

  Specifically, the nozzle 9 is provided with a slit 15 that is long in the depth direction in FIG. 2, and the slit 15 is set to be longer than the length in the depth direction in FIG. The heating stage 14 is set so as to be capable of reciprocating in the left-right direction in FIG.

  In this embodiment, the substrate 1 is heated at 200 to 300 ° C. (250 ° C. in this embodiment) by the substrate heating stage 14, and the vaporizer 8, the nozzle 9, the carrier gas supply pipe 10, and the zinc complex. While heating the gas supply pipe 11 and the oxidizing gas supply pipe 12 at a temperature lower than the heating temperature of the substrate 1 (100 ° C. to 200 ° C., in this embodiment, the nozzle 9 is 150 ° C., others are 125 ° C.) Then, the ZnO film is formed while reciprocating the substrate 1 (substrate heating stage 14) in a direction orthogonal to the injection direction of the mixed gas.

At this time, if the heating temperature of the substrate 1 is less than 200 ° C., ZnO does not crystallize, and if it exceeds 300 ° C., it adversely affects the Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film, which is not preferable. Further, if the vaporizer 8, the nozzle 9 and each supply pipe are less than 100 ° C., Zn or the like tends to adhere to the inner wall, and if it exceeds 200 ° C., the possibility that Zn or the like adhering to the inner wall will re-evaporate increases. Therefore, it is not preferable.

In addition, using the mixed gas spraying apparatus and the substrate heating stage 14 configured as described above, the flow rate of each gas is set to 4 l / min for the carrier gas and 1 l / min for the oxidizing gas, the distance between the nozzle and the stage is set to 20 mm, and the substrate By reciprocating the heating stage 14 three times so that the mixed gas is uniformly sprayed on the entire surface of the substrate 1, the light transmittance at a wavelength of 400 to 1000 nm is 95% or more and the electrical resistivity is 10 ³ Ωcm. It has been confirmed that the above high-resistance ZnO thin film can be formed.

Subsequently, a ZnO (ZnO: Al) thin film to which Al serving as the window layer 5 is added is formed on the high resistance ZnO thin film as the buffer layer 4 by a sputtering method. This ZnO: Al has a low resistance (resistivity of 10 ⁻⁴ Ωcm or less) unlike the high resistance ZnO thin film. Note that other materials such as SnO ₂ : Sb may be adopted as long as they are not limited to ZnO: Al and have high light transmittance and low resistance.

  Subsequently, an Al thin film to be the upper electrode 6 is formed on the ZnO: Al thin film as the window layer 5 by a vacuum evaporation method (a film forming method of another dry process such as a sputtering method may be used). Thus, a CZTS thin film solar cell is manufactured. The upper electrode 6 is formed in a comb shape because it is necessary to allow light to reach the light absorption layer 3. In addition to Al, other materials such as Cu and Ag may be adopted as long as the current collected by the window layer 5 can be efficiently extracted to the outside.

  When a CZTS-based thin film solar cell using the high-resistance ZnO thin film as a buffer layer was manufactured, it was confirmed that a conversion efficiency of 5.74% equivalent to the case where CBD-CdS was used as the buffer layer 4 was confirmed. Therefore, it was confirmed that the high resistance ZnO thin film of this example was useful as the buffer layer 4 instead of CBD-CdS.

  In this embodiment, the thickness of each layer other than the buffer layer is as follows, and a thin film solar cell having a total thickness of about 5 μm is obtained. Mo thin film: about 1 μm, CZTS thin film: about 1 to 3 μm, ZnO: Al thin film: about 0.3 μm, Al thin film: about 0.5 μm. Further, the thickness of the ZnO thin film can be appropriately set in the range of 40 nm to 100 nm according to the required transmittance and resistivity.

  Since the present embodiment is as described above, the buffer layer that has been conventionally formed by the solution growth method that is a wet process is formed by the atmospheric open CVD method that is a dry process. By forming the light absorption layer 3, the window layer 5, and the upper electrode 6 by a dry process, a thin film solar cell can be manufactured by an all dry process.

  Therefore, waste liquid treatment is not necessary because no solution is used, and an all-dry process enables integrated production, fewer manufacturing processes, and lower manufacturing costs. It becomes possible to manufacture a thin-film solar cell with extremely low toxicity. In addition, a flatter buffer layer can be obtained, and a thin film solar cell having good characteristics can be manufactured. Furthermore, since the ZnO thin film does not contain a toxic element such as Cd, the use of CZTS having extremely low toxicity as the light absorption layer 3 makes it possible to manufacture a thin film solar cell with even better environmental properties.

  Therefore, this example is an all dry process including the buffer layer 4 made of a high-resistance ZnO thin film having sufficient characteristics as a substitute film for CBD-CdS, and does not contain rare elements and toxic elements, and is extremely toxic in terms of resource saving. A low CZTS thin film solar cell can be manufactured at low cost.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to this embodiment, and the specific configuration of each component can be designed as appropriate.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Board | substrate 2 Lower electrode 3 Light absorption layer 4 Buffer layer 5 Window layer 6 Upper electrode

Claims (6)

  A method of manufacturing a thin-film solar cell in which a lower electrode, a light absorption layer, a buffer layer, a window layer, and an upper electrode are laminated in this order on a substrate, wherein the atmosphere is formed on the light absorption layer while heating the substrate. A method for producing a thin-film solar cell, wherein a buffer layer made of a ZnO thin film is formed on the light absorption layer by blowing a zinc complex gas or a mixed gas of a zinc complex gas and an oxidizing gas under open conditions. A method of manufacturing a thin-film solar cell in which a lower electrode, a light absorption layer, a buffer layer, a window layer, and an upper electrode are laminated in this order on a substrate, wherein the atmosphere is formed on the light absorption layer while heating the substrate. By blowing zinc complex gas or a mixed gas of zinc complex gas and oxidizing gas under open conditions, the film thickness is 40 to 100 nm, the light transmittance at a wavelength of 400 to 1000 nm is 95% or more, and the electric resistivity is 10 ³ Ωcm. A method of manufacturing a thin-film solar cell, comprising: forming a buffer layer made of the above high-resistance ZnO thin film on the light absorption layer. A method of manufacturing a thin film solar cell in which a lower electrode, a light absorption layer, a buffer layer, a window layer, and an upper electrode are laminated in this order on a substrate, wherein the lower electrode made of a Mo thin film is formed on the substrate. A light absorption layer composed of a Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film is formed on the Mo thin film, and the substrate is heated on the Cu ₂ ZnSnS ₄ thin film while being exposed to the atmosphere with zinc complex gas or zinc complex gas and oxidizing gas. By blowing the mixed gas, a buffer layer composed of a high-resistance ZnO thin film having a film thickness of 40 to 100 nm, a light transmittance of 95% or more at a wavelength of 400 to 1000 nm and an electric resistivity of 10 ³ Ωcm or more is formed. A window layer made of a ZnO: Al thin film is formed on a high resistance ZnO thin film, and an upper electrode made of an Al thin film is formed on the ZnO: Al thin film. A method for manufacturing a positive battery.   The method for manufacturing a thin-film solar cell according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the lower electrode, the light absorption layer, the window layer, and the upper electrode are each formed by a dry process.   The method for manufacturing a thin-film solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the ZnO film is formed while heating the substrate at 200 to 300 ° C. 6.   The method for producing a thin-film solar cell according to claim 1, wherein the ZnO film is formed while the substrate is reciprocated in a direction orthogonal to the injection direction of the mixed gas. .

Images