WO2015138728A1 - Système de contact arrière à film mince multicouche pour dispositifs photovoltaïques souples sur substrats polymères - Google Patents

Système de contact arrière à film mince multicouche pour dispositifs photovoltaïques souples sur substrats polymères Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2015138728A1
WO2015138728A1 PCT/US2015/020184 US2015020184W WO2015138728A1 WO 2015138728 A1 WO2015138728 A1 WO 2015138728A1 US 2015020184 W US2015020184 W US 2015020184W WO 2015138728 A1 WO2015138728 A1 WO 2015138728A1
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Prior art keywords
disposing
layer
molybdenum
polymer substrate
pressure
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PCT/US2015/020184
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English (en)
Inventor
Lawrence M. Woods
Hobart STEVENS
Joseph H. Armstrong
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Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc.
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Priority claimed from US14/210,209 external-priority patent/US9209322B2/en
Application filed by Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. filed Critical Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc.
Publication of WO2015138728A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015138728A1/fr

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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/0248—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies
    • H01L31/036—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes
    • H01L31/0392—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes including thin films deposited on metallic or insulating substrates ; characterised by specific substrate materials or substrate features or by the presence of intermediate layers, e.g. barrier layers, on the substrate
    • H01L31/03926—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes including thin films deposited on metallic or insulating substrates ; characterised by specific substrate materials or substrate features or by the presence of intermediate layers, e.g. barrier layers, on the substrate comprising a flexible substrate
    • H01L31/03928—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof characterised by their semiconductor bodies characterised by their crystalline structure or particular orientation of the crystalline planes including thin films deposited on metallic or insulating substrates ; characterised by specific substrate materials or substrate features or by the presence of intermediate layers, e.g. barrier layers, on the substrate comprising a flexible substrate including AIBIIICVI compound, e.g. CIS, CIGS deposited on metal or polymer foils
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
    • H01L31/02—Details
    • H01L31/0224—Electrodes
    • H01L31/022408—Electrodes for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier
    • H01L31/022425—Electrodes for devices characterised by at least one potential jump barrier or surface barrier for solar cells
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
    • Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
    • Y02E10/541—CuInSe2 material PV cells

Definitions

  • This disclosure relates to photovoltaic modules arid methods of manufacturing photovoltaic modules and, more particularly, to photovoltaic modules and methods of manufacturing photovoltaic modules in which mechanical distortion in the modules is substantially reduced or eliminated.
  • PV photovoltaic
  • CIGS Copper-Indium- Gallium-Selenide
  • Polymer substrates are of great significance since high-temperature variations of the material are adequate to accommodate CIGS processing while the material maintains its dielectric properties, which enables monolithic integration without any additional insulating films.
  • a fundamental challenge in flexible CIGS devices is in the deposition of a metallic back contact onto the polymer prior to the deposition of the CIGS p-type absorber layer.
  • This back contact makes ohmic contact to the CIGS and allows for current to flow through the device and be collected through interconnects to the leads attached to the electrical load.
  • this back contact which is usually a metal, must maintain high electrical conductivity, both before and after device processing. It must also survive the deposition environment for the subsequent thin film deposition steps.
  • a polymer substrate and back contact structure for a photovoltaic element includes a polymer substrate having a device side at which the photovoltaic element can be located and a back side opposite the device side.
  • a layer of dielectric is formed at the back side of the polymer substrate.
  • a metal structure is formed at the device side of the polymer substrate.
  • a photovoltaic element is provided.
  • the photovoltaic element includes a CIGS photovoltaic structure and a polymer substrate having a device side at which the CIGS photovoltaic structure can be located and a back side opposite the device side.
  • a layer of dielectric is formed at the back side of the polymer substrate.
  • a metal structure is formed at the device side of the polymer substrate between the polymer substrate and the CIGS photovoltaic structure.
  • a method for forming a photovoltaic element includes the following steps: (1) disposing a first adhesion layer on a back side of a polymer substrate; (2) disposing a dielectric layer on the first adhesion layer; (3) after the step of disposing the dielectric layer, disposing a metal structure on a device side of the polymer substrate, the device side being opposite of the back side; and (4) disposing a CIGS photovoltaic structure on the metal structure.
  • a method for forming a photovoltaic element includes the following steps: (1) disposing a dielectric layer on a back side of a polymer substrate; (2) disposing a metallic film layer on a device side of the polymer substrate, the device side being opposite of the back side; (3) disposing a molybdenum cap layer on the metallic film layer at least partially using a vacuum-based sputter deposition process at a pressure of less than 20 millitorr; and (4) disposing a CIGS photovoltaic structure on the molybdenum cap layer.
  • a method for forming a photovoltaic element includes the following steps: (1) disposing a backside metal layer on a back side of a polymer substrate using a vacuum-based sputter deposition process at a pressure of less than 6 millitorr; (2) disposing a metallic film layer on a device side of the polymer substrate, the device side being opposite of the back side; (3) disposing a molybdenum cap layer on the metallic film layer; and (4) disposing a CIGS photovoltaic structure on the molybdenum cap layer.
  • a photovoltaic element includes a polymer substrate having a device side and a back side opposite the device side.
  • a dielectric layer is disposed on the back side of the polymer substrate, and a metallic film layer is disposed on the device side of the polymer substrate.
  • a molybdenum cap layer is disposed on the metallic film layer, and the molybdenum cap layer has a density of at least 85% of the bulk density of molybdenum.
  • a CIGS photovoltaic structure is disposed on the molybdenum cap layer.
  • FIG. 1 includes a graph of intrinsic stress in Mo as a function of Ar pressure during a vacuum-based sputtering Mo deposition process.
  • FIG. 2 includes a schematic cross-sectional view of a back contact for a flexible monolithically integrated CIGS photovoltaic device on a polymer utilizing a metallic multilayer as a top contact and an oxide as a back-side coating, according to some exemplary embodiments.
  • FIG. 3 includes an image of a dielectric-polymer-metal-Mo-CIGS stack structure, according to some exemplary embodiments.
  • FIG. 4 includes a schematic cross-sectional view of a device including a bilayer Mo cap layer, according to some exemplary embodiments.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a method for forming a photovoltaic element, according to some exemplary embodiments.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates another method for forming a photovoltaic element, according to some exemplary embodiments.
  • FIG. 7 includes a schematic cross-sectional view of a device including a backside Mo layer, according to some exemplar y embodiments.
  • Mo molybdenum
  • CIGS devices For CIGS devices, molybdenum (Mo) has been a common choice of material for a back contact, regardless of the substrate. While Mo can be deposited in a straightforward manner using DC sputtering or other thin film deposition methods, the wide range of stress states possible with sputtering can particularly complicate deposition onto flexible substrates, particularly those that do not exhibit significant stiffness, such as polymers. Unlike rigid substrates where the film stresses can readily be borne by the substrate, film stresses can have a significant impact upon the life, surface topology, and physical properties of flexible substrates, particularly substrates made from polymers.
  • This class of substrates while exhibiting excellent dielectric properties that allow monolithic integration, also typically exhibits high and inconsistent thermal expansion coefficient compared to the metals and semiconductors of the CIGS layer stack.
  • thermal expansion coefficient compared to the metals and semiconductors of the CIGS layer stack.
  • FIG. 1 contains a graph of intrinsic stress state of sputtered Mo as a function of Argon pressure during a vacuum-based sputtering Mo deposition process.
  • a careful balance of intrinsic and extrinsic stresses in the back contact deposition step is thus desirable to provide a viable flexible photovoltaic device.
  • the method of deposition, deposition pressure, rates, web process gasses, web speed, and number of passes are all variables that are balanced to provide the best back contact for the device.
  • the polymeric substrate can be, for example, polyimide, polybenzobisoxazole (PBO), insulated metal foils, or other such material for flexible, monolithically integrated CIGS modules using a high-temperature CIGS deposition process, such as multi-source evaporation.
  • PBO polybenzobisoxazole
  • insulated metal foils or other such material for flexible, monolithically integrated CIGS modules using a high-temperature CIGS deposition process, such as multi-source evaporation.
  • a stress-balanced back contact is formed using a dielectric film on the back side of the polymer substrate, a primary high- conductivity but low-modulus and low-cost metallic film layer, for example, aluminum (Al), applied to the front side of the polymer, followed by a thin cap of Mo over the Al film layer.
  • the Mo may be disposed onto the Al with or without added oxygen.
  • FIG. 2 contains a schematic cross-sectional view of a back contact for a flexible monolithically integrated CIGS photovoltaic device on a polymer utilizing a metallic multilayer as a top contact and an oxide as a back-side coating, according to some exemplary embodiments.
  • the polymer substrate 14 may be prepared to receive the disposed materials by plasma cleaning, annealing, or other processes best suited for a given combination of substrate and photovoltaic (PV) device.
  • the plasma treatment involves one or more gases. The amounts and percentage of each gas may vary to optimize the treatment for a particular material being deposited. The power density of the plasma and the duration of treatment may also be varied to optimize the treatment.
  • the device 10 includes the dielectric film 12, which can be, for example, an oxide such as S1O2, AI2O3, a nitride, an oxynitride such as an oxynitride of Al or Si, and which, in this particular exemplary embodiment, is AI2O3, formed at the back side of the polymer substrate 14.
  • the dielectric film 12 can be, for example, an oxide such as S1O2, AI2O3, a nitride, an oxynitride such as an oxynitride of Al or Si, and which, in this particular exemplary embodiment, is AI2O3, formed at the back side of the polymer substrate 14.
  • Other dielectric coating possibilities include high-temperature silicone, silicone resins, and other polyimides that may not have the structural properties to function as a stand-alone substrate, but that have high-temperature and high-emissivity properties and that are capable of adding compressive stress to the polymer substrate.
  • An optional adhesion layer 13 may be formed on the back side of the polymer substrate 14 before the dielectric film 12 is formed.
  • the adhesion layer 13 can include at least one of molybdenum, aluminum, chromium, titanium, titanium nitride (TiN), a metal oxide, and a metal nitride.
  • the optional adhesion layer 13 can be made very thin, i.e., thin enough to have very low conductivity and having little to no impact on the back side emissivity.
  • the optional adhesion layer 13 may oxidize some during subsequent oxide deposition of the dielectric film 12, forming, for example, Mo oxide, Cr oxide, Ti oxide, etc.
  • the polymer substrate 14 can be, for example, polyimide, polybenzobisoxazole (PBO), insulated metal foil, or other such material.
  • Another optional adhesion layer 15 can be formed over the polymer substrate 14 to aid in adhesion of the subsequent metallic film layer 16.
  • the adhesion layer 15 can include at least one of molybdenum, aluminum, chromium, titanium, titanium nitride (TiN), a metal oxide, and a metal nitride.
  • the metallic film 16 is formed on the front side of the polymer substrate 14 or formed on the front side of the adhesion layer 15 if it is present.
  • the metallic film 16 can be a high- conductivity but low-modulus and low-cost metallic film made of, for example, aluminum, copper, brass, bronze, or other such material.
  • the thin cap layer 18 of Mo is formed over the metallic film 16.
  • the Mo cap layer 18 may be formed with or without added oxygen.
  • the CIGS layer 20 is formed over the Mo cap layer 18, which enables the proper chemical, mechanical and electrical interface to the CIGS layer 20.
  • a buffer layer 22, formed of, for example, CdS, may be formed over the CIGS layer 20, and a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) layer 24 may be formed over the buffer layer 22.
  • TCO transparent conductive oxide
  • FIG. 3 contains an image of the dielectric-polymer-metal-Mo-CIGS stack structure of the inventive concept, with various (four) thicknesses of the AI2O3 back side dielectric layer 12.
  • the four exemplary thicknesses of the dielectric layer 12 are O.Onm (no back side dielectric layer or coating), 210nm, 350nm and 640nm.
  • stress balancing is achieved.
  • the stack of dielectric-polymer-metal-Mo-CIGS according to the inventive concept has very little compressive stress compared to similar Mo-only back contact films. This is due to the presence of the metal film 16.
  • the substrate With the addition of the dielectric film 12 on the back side, the substrate begins to flatten and at a thickness of, for example, 640nm, all stresses are balanced.
  • depositing a film that can maintain sufficient electrical conductivity while surviving a high-temperature CIGS deposition process in which it is subjected to high temperatures (exceeding 400 °C) in a selenium (Se)-rich environment is a major advancement in the scale-up of flexible monolithically integrated CIGS devices.
  • Mo presents a challenge in that, not only can the material exhibit dramatically different inherent stresses due to variations in process parameters, but mismatches in the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between Mo and the underlying substrate coupled with high-temperature processing, the stiffness of the substrate, and ultimately, the mechanical properties of the subsequent films, can all lead to large stresses in the resultant multilayer construction.
  • Mo can be deposited in various intrinsic stress states ranging from tensile to compressive in nature, as shown in FIG. 1. With as-deposited Mo films, a transition between tensile and compressive intrinsic stresses in Mo occurs approximately at 6 mTorr with the compressive stress state exhibiting a maxima at approximately 1.2 Pa.
  • the stress state is balanced, and as the top surface has multiple metal, semiconductor, and oxide layers, a corresponding Mo layer applied to the bottom side of the substrate is required to balance the multiple layers on the top side, although in most cases the type of Mo film used on the back side (for stress balancing) is deposited differently and to a different thickness than the Mo film on the front (for back side electrical conductor).
  • Wrinkle reduction is one of the primary reasons that batch processing of panels through the patterning cell is performed to prevent damage to the closely-moving ink head printing operations. However balancing the front and back stresses is much more difficult when the stress levels are high.
  • Table 1 illustrates the challenge in depositing a metal, particularly Mo, onto a high-temperature polymeric substrate.
  • Mo and Al have a much higher modulus by an order of magnitude than the polymer, while the thermal expansion may be a closer match between Al and the polymer than Mo.
  • the yield stress of the Al is much lower than Mo, and the stress at 5% elongation of the polymer is closer to Al than Mo.
  • the ultimate stress of the Mo is nearly twice that of the polymer.
  • the overall stress state in the polymer is reduced, and, as a result, a more planar, wrinkle-free substrate is provided.
  • Mo is used for a proper interface to CIGS, but is a major reason for the high stresses in the substrate, according to the inventive concept, its use has been minimized to the minimum required to mask the work function of the underlying primary metallic film, as shown in Table 2.
  • the primary metallic film of choice is aluminum (Al), although formulations using copper (Cu) and other highly electrically conductive materials, for example, brass or bronze, can be used.
  • the CIGS device relies on the proper work function of its metallic back contact to function properly.
  • AlMo stack of some exemplary embodiments provides several advantages over conventional single or multi-layer Mo back contacts.
  • the film can be made with the bulk of the stress state dictated by the Al film 16, which is far thicker than the Mo cap 18. Thus, the overall stress state in the front side metallization is reduced.
  • the AlMo stack achieves a far greater electrical in-plane conductivity than the baseline Mo film, exceeding an order of magnitude improvement as is shown in Table 2. This results in the ability to carry greater current than prior devices, and enables greater cell pitch (width) for monolithically integrated modules. Larger cells equates to fewer interconnects, which reduces the interconnect-related losses. Measurements with samples indicate an order of magnitude reduction in sheet resistance, dropping from baseline 2 ⁇ /square to 0.2 ⁇ /square. This improvement allows for cell width (pitch) to increase to almost double that demonstrated in baseline conditions, thereby reducing the interconnects by a factor of two as well.
  • Mo has adequate electrical conductivity for some applications, it constrains the performance of CIGS that possesses high current density (> 30 mA/cm 2 ).
  • the stacked material of the embodiments provides very little sheet resistance.
  • Table 2 also compares the electrical properties of Cu, Al and Mo.
  • Mo has approximately half the electrical conductivity of Al and less than 1/3 the electrical conductivity of Cu.
  • the work function of Al is significantly lower than that of Mo, and that Al would diffuse readily into CIGS, a cap of Mo is retained to shield the low Al work function from CIGS.
  • Cu would diffuse into the CIGS during deposition when using Cu, brass or bronze as metal layer 16.
  • the best electrical properties are retained while providing the proper work function interface to ensure a successful photoelectric effect.
  • the thin Mo cap 18 presents a much lower electrical resistance pathway through the P2 laser scribe, e.g., via scribe, into the higher conductivity Al.
  • POR process of record
  • the overall reduced stress state in the back contact film provides options for the back side film.
  • an inexpensive alumina (AI2O3) film that is a good insulator and provides some level of moisture protection for the polymer can be employed.
  • other oxide films can be employed to enhance bonding strength to packaging, and oxynitrides can be substituted for better moisture protection as well.
  • Mo is a relatively expensive film in the CIGS device, and is approximately 35 times the cost of Al.
  • Mo reduction and substitution of common elements reduces the cost of the back contact dramatically. Even in replacing the back-side Mo with AI2O3 should have a noticeable effect.
  • heating of substrates in a vacuum includes conductive heating (direct contact to a substrate) and/or radiative heating (energy radiating from one source to another). Radiative heating is the most common means of transferring thermal energy to the substrate, but the degree to which energy is conveyed is dependent upon the substrate's absorptivity (ability to absorb energy) and emissivity (ability to radiate heat into the environment). Metals typically have lower emissivity than, for example, oxide films; thus, metal surfaces do not give up their heat as easily as oxides.
  • a polymer coated with metal on both sides can trap the heat within the sandwiched polymer substrate.
  • a surface coated with a high-emittance coating such as an oxide or nitride, can provide radiative cooling to that surface and the substrate.
  • a cooler back side coating and substrate helps to keep the substrate from degrading and embrittling during high device-side temperatures, and thus enables higher device-side temperatures that can lead to higher quality solar absorber layers.
  • Mo cap layer 18 be relatively dense to minimize diffusion of metal, such as aluminum or copper, from metallic film layer 16 into CIGS layer 20.
  • Mo cap layer 18 has a density of at least 85% of the bulk density of molybdenum so that Mo cap layer 18 acts as a diffusion barrier, thereby potentially enabling aluminum, copper, or other metal, of metallic film layer 16, to be disposed adjacent to Mo cap layer 18 without significant diffusion of the metal through Mo cap layer 18.
  • High density of Mo cap layer 18 is obtained, for example, by using a low-pressure vacuum-based sputter deposition process to deposit Mo cap layer 18.
  • Mo cap layer 18 is deposited by a vacuum-based sputter deposition process at a pressure of less than 20 millitorr (mTorr), preferably at less than 6 mTorr, to obtain high density of Mo cap layer 18.
  • mTorr millitorr
  • Mo cap layer 18 is deposited by a vacuum-based sputter deposition process at a pressure of less than 20 millitorr (mTorr), preferably at less than 6 mTorr, to obtain high density of Mo cap layer 18.
  • Mo cap layer 18 includes a plurality of sublayers, where a sublayer closest to metallic film layer 16 has a high density, and one or more other sublayers further from metallic film layer 16 have lower densities.
  • FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a device 400, which is similar to device 10 of FIG. 2, but where Mo cap layer 18 is replaced with a bilayer Mo cap layer 418.
  • Mo cap layer 418 includes a first sublayer 426 disposed on metallic film layer 16 and a second sublayer 428 disposed on first sublayer 426.
  • First sublayer 426 has a high density and therefore acts as a diffusion barrier to prevent diffusion of metal from metallic film layer 16 into CIGS layer 20.
  • Second sublayer 428 has a lower density than first sublayer 426 and therefore does not substantially inhibit diffusion.
  • first sublayer 426 is deposited by a vacuum-based sputter deposition process at a pressure of less than 20 mTorr, preferably at less than 6 mTorr, to obtain high density
  • second sublayer 428 is deposited by a vacuum-based sputter deposition process at a pressure greater than that used to deposit first sublayer 426, such that second sublayer 428 has a lower density than first sublayer 426.
  • Applicant has additionally determined that it may be desirable to deposit dielectric layer 12 before metal film layer 16 and Mo cap layer 18 (or bilayer Mo cap layer 418) in embodiments including optional adhesion layer 13.
  • adhesion layer 13 is typically at least slightly electrically conductive, and presence of adhesion layer 13 may therefore cause arcing if metallic film layer 16 and/or Mo cap layer 18 are deposited by a sputter process.
  • Deposition of dielectric layer 12, however, insulates adhesion layer 13.
  • deposition of dielectric layer 12 before depositing metallic film layer 16 and Mo cap layer 18 reduces the likelihood of arcing during sputter deposition of metallic film layer 16 and Mo cap layer 18.
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a method 500 for forming a photovoltaic element.
  • a first adhesion layer is disposed on a back side of a polymer substrate.
  • adhesion layer 13 is disposed on the back side of polymer substrate 14 (FIG. 2).
  • a dielectric layer is disposed on the adhesion layer.
  • dielectric layer 12 is disposed on adhesion layer 13.
  • a metal structure is disposed on a device side of the polymer substrate, after the step of disposing the dielectric layer, where the device side is opposite of the back side.
  • step 506 metallic film layer 16 and Mo cap layer 18 are disposed on the device side of substrate 14, after adhesion layer 13 and dielectric layer 12 are disposed on the back side of substrate 14.
  • step 508 a CIGS photovoltaic structure is disposed on the metal structure.
  • CIGS layer 20 is disposed on Mo cap layer 18.
  • FIG. 6 illustrates another method 600 for forming a photovoltaic element.
  • a dielectric layer is disposed on a back side of a polymer substrate.
  • dielectric layer 12 is disposed on the back side of polymer substrate 14 (FIG. 2).
  • a metallic film layer is disposed on a device side of the polymer substrate, where the device side is opposite of the back side.
  • metallic film layer 16 is disposed on the device side of substrate 14.
  • a molybdenum cap layer is disposed on the metallic film layer using a vacuum-based sputter deposition process at a pressure of less than 20 mTorr.
  • Mo cap layer 18 is disposed on metallic film layer 16 using a vacuum-based sputter deposition process at a pressure of less than 20 mTorr.
  • a CIGS photovoltaic structure is disposed on the molybdenum cap layer.
  • CIGS layer 20 is disposed on Mo cap layer 18.
  • dielectric layer 12 is replaced with a backside metal layer, where the backside metal layer balances stress resulting from layers on the device side of polymer substrate 14.
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a device 700, which is similar to device 10 of FIG. 2, but where dielectric layer 12 is replaced with a backside Mo layer 712.
  • backside Mo layer 712 is deposited by a vacuum-based sputter deposition process at a pressure of less than 6 mTorr, preferably at less than 3 mTorr.
  • backside Mo layer 712 is about 10 percent to 30 percent oxygen in the ambient gas during the deposition process, whereas the presence of oxygen can also modify the stress.
  • Backside Mo layer 712 could be formed of a material other than Mo without departing from the scope hereof.
  • the photovoltaic element can comprise a CIGS structure.
  • the dielectric can comprise at least one of SiC , AI2O3, and silicone resin.
  • a thin adhesion layer can be disposed between the layer of dielectric and the back side of the polymer substrate.
  • the adhesion layer can comprise at least one of Mo, Cr, and Ti.
  • the metal structure can comprises a first metal layer, the first metal layer comprising at least one of aluminum, brass, bronze and copper.
  • the metal structure is optionally disposed on the polymer substrate after the dielectric layer is disposed on the polymer substrate.
  • the metal structure can further comprise a layer of molybdenum formed over the first metal layer.
  • the layer of molybdenum otionally has a density of at least 85% of the bulk density of molybdenum.
  • the layer of molybdenum is optionally formed at least partially using a vacuum-based sputter deposition process at a pressure of less than 20 mTorr.
  • the layer of molybdenum optionally includes a plurality of sublayers, where a sublayer closest to the first metal layer is formed using a vacuum-based sputter deposition process at a pressure of less than 20 mTorr, and one or more sublayers further from the first metal layer are formed using a vacuum-based sputter deposition process at a pressure of greater than that used to form the sublayer closest to the first metal layer.
  • the metal structure can further comprise a thin adhesion layer disposed between the first metal layer and the device side of the polymer substrate.
  • the thin adhesion layer can comprise at least one of molybdenum, aluminum, titanium and chromium.
  • the metal structure can further comprise a thin adhesion layer in contact with the device side of the polymer layer.
  • the thin adhesion layer can comprise at least one of molybdenum, aluminum, chromium, titanium nitride (TiN), a metal oxide, and a metal nitride.
  • the dielectric layer may be replaced with a backside metal layer fonned using a vacuum- based sputter deposition processes at a pressure of less than 6 mTorr.
  • the backside metal layer can be formed of a Mo layer, where the Mo layer is optionally 10% to 30% oxygen in the ambient gas during the deposition process.

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Abstract

Selon l'invention, une structure de substrat polymère et de contact arrière pour un élément photovoltaïque, et sur un élément photovoltaïque comprennent une structure photovoltaïque CIGS, un substrat polymère comprenant un côté dispositif au niveau duquel l'élément photovoltaïque peut être placé et un côté arrière opposé au côté dispositif. Une couche de diélectrique est formée au niveau du côté arrière du substrat polymère. Une structure métallique est formée au niveau du côté dispositif du substrat polymère.
PCT/US2015/020184 2014-03-13 2015-03-12 Système de contact arrière à film mince multicouche pour dispositifs photovoltaïques souples sur substrats polymères WO2015138728A1 (fr)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US14/210,209 2014-03-13
US14/210,209 US9209322B2 (en) 2011-08-10 2014-03-13 Multilayer thin-film back contact system for flexible photovoltaic devices on polymer substrates

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WO2015138728A1 true WO2015138728A1 (fr) 2015-09-17

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US20050074915A1 (en) * 2001-07-13 2005-04-07 Tuttle John R. Thin-film solar cell fabricated on a flexible metallic substrate
US20120006403A1 (en) * 2009-03-19 2012-01-12 Clariant Finance (Bvi) Limited Solar Cells With A Barrier Layer Based On Polysilazane
US20120192941A1 (en) * 2011-01-14 2012-08-02 Global Solar Energy, Inc. Barrier and planarization layer for thin-film photovoltaic cell
US20130061927A1 (en) * 2011-08-10 2013-03-14 Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. Multilayer Thin-Film Back Contact System For Flexible Photoboltaic Devices On Polymer Substrates
US20130284251A1 (en) * 2012-04-25 2013-10-31 Alexey Krasnov Back contact for photovoltaic devices such as copper-indium-diselenide solar cells

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US20090032108A1 (en) * 2007-03-30 2009-02-05 Craig Leidholm Formation of photovoltaic absorber layers on foil substrates
US8802977B2 (en) * 2008-05-09 2014-08-12 International Business Machines Corporation Techniques for enhancing performance of photovoltaic devices

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US20050074915A1 (en) * 2001-07-13 2005-04-07 Tuttle John R. Thin-film solar cell fabricated on a flexible metallic substrate
US20120006403A1 (en) * 2009-03-19 2012-01-12 Clariant Finance (Bvi) Limited Solar Cells With A Barrier Layer Based On Polysilazane
US20120192941A1 (en) * 2011-01-14 2012-08-02 Global Solar Energy, Inc. Barrier and planarization layer for thin-film photovoltaic cell
US20130061927A1 (en) * 2011-08-10 2013-03-14 Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. Multilayer Thin-Film Back Contact System For Flexible Photoboltaic Devices On Polymer Substrates
US20130284251A1 (en) * 2012-04-25 2013-10-31 Alexey Krasnov Back contact for photovoltaic devices such as copper-indium-diselenide solar cells

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TW201603298A (zh) 2016-01-16

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