METHODS AND DEVICES FOR PROCESSING A PRECURSOR LAYER IN A GROUP VIA ENVIRONMENT
Methods and devices for high-throughput printing of a precursor material for forming a film of a group IB-IIIA-chalcogenide compound are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises forming a precursor layer on a substrate, the precursor is subsequently processed in a VIA environment.
1 . A method comprising:
forming a precursor layer on a substrate:
heating the precursor layer in an elongate furnace with a group VIA-based environment; and
advancing the substrate along a path through the furnace in slidable contact over an anti-stiction surface during at least the heating step, wherein material of the anti-stiction surface in slidable contact with the substrate has a thermal conductivity of 600 to 800 W/(m-K).
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein heating occurs in the furnace with at least one anti-stiction plate within the furnace.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the anti-stiction surface extends only along a bottom inner surface of the furnace.
4 . The method of claim 1 wherein the furnace comprises a non-porous, non gas permeable material.
5 . The method of claim 1 wherein the furnace comprises muffle with heater element spaced apart and not in contact with the muffle.
6 . The method of claim 1 wherein the furnace comprises a material different from the material used for the anti-stiction surface.
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein the anti-stiction surface is formed from a gas porous material.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the anti-stiction surface comprises of a material with a coefficient of friction of about 0.5 or less at 500 C.
9 . The method of claim 1 wherein the anti-stiction surface comprises of a material with a coefficient of friction of about 0.4 or less at 500 C.
10 . The method of claim 1 wherein the anti-stiction surface comprises of a material with a coefficient of friction of about 0.2 or less at 500 C.
11 . The method of claim 1 wherein the anti-stiction surface comprises of a material with a coefficient of friction of about 0.1 or less at 500 C.
12 . The method of claim 1 wherein the substrate is pulled along a path through the furnace over a high-temperature anti-stiction material at one location and over a low temperature anti-stiction material at a different location along the path.
13 . The method of claim 1 further comprising vaporizing a first group VIA material and then condensing the VIA material onto the substrate.
14 . The method of claim 13 further comprising vaporizing a second group VIA material and then condensing the second VIA material onto the substrate and any material already thereon.
15 . The method of claim 1 wherein the anti-stiction material is configured as a plurality of hearth plates lining at least the bottom surface of the furnace.
16 . The method of claim 1 further comprising heating the substrate to a first plateau temperature.
17 . The method of claim 1 further comprising heating the substrate to a second plateau temperature, lower than the first.
18 . The method of claim 1 further comprising providing a VIA vapor source in close proximity to a substrate at a temperature lower than a condensation temperature of the VIA vapor.
19 . The method of claim 1 further comprising heating a VIA material printed on a sacrificial substrate or conveyor to vaporize the VIA material in close proximity to the substrate.
20 . The method of claim 1 further comprising heating a second VIA material printed on the sacrificial substrate or conveyor to vaporize the second VIA material in close proximity to the substrate.
21 . The method of claim 20 wherein the reduced height portion is no more than half of interior chamber portions before or after the reduced height portion.
22 . The method of claim 20 wherein the reduced height portion is no more than 0.9 of interior chamber height of portions before or after the reduced height portion.
23 . The method of claim 20 wherein the reduced height portion is no more than 0.75 of interior chamber height of portions before or after the reduced height portion.
24 . The method of claim 20 wherein the reduced height portion is no more than half of exterior chamber portions before or after the reduced height portion.
25 . The method of claim 20 wherein the reduced height portion is no more than 0.9 of exterior chamber height of portions before or after the reduced height portion.
26 . The method of claim 20 wherein the reduced height portion is no more than 0.75 of exterior chamber height of portions before or after the reduced height portion.