Methods of forming a window layer in a cadmium telluride based thin film photovoltaic device
View Patent ↗Methods are generally provided for manufacturing such thin film photovoltaic devices via sputtering a mixed phase layer from a target (e.g., at least including CdSO x , where x is 3 or 4) on a transparent conductive oxide layer and depositing a cadmium telluride layer on the mixed layer. The transparent conductive oxide layer is on a glass substrate.
1. A method of forming a thin film photovoltaic device, the method comprising:
sputtering a mixed phase layer from a target on a transparent conductive oxide layer, wherein the transparent conductive oxide layer is on a glass substrate, and wherein the target comprises CdSOx, where x is 3 or 4; and,
depositing a cadmium telluride layer on the mixed phase layer.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target further comprises cadmium oxide.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target further comprises cadmium sulfide.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target comprises cadmium sulfate.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target comprises cadmium sulfite.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target comprises cadmium sulfite and cadmium sulfate.
7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
depositing a cadmium sulfide layer on the transparent oxide layer.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
depositing a cadmium oxide layer on the transparent conductive oxide layer.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein sputtering the mixed phase layer is achieved in a sputtering atmosphere that is substantially free from oxygen.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein sputtering the mixed phase layer comprises:
co-sputtering the target and a second target, wherein the first target and the second target have differing compositions.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein sputtering the mixed phase layer comprises:
co-sputtering the target, a second target, and a third target, wherein the first target, the second target, and the third target have differing compositions.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target comprises at least two of cadmium sulfide, cadmium oxide, cadmium sulfate, and cadmium sulfite.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target comprises at least three of cadmium sulfide, cadmium oxide, cadmium sulfate, and cadmium sulfite.
14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the target comprises cadmium sulfide, cadmium oxide, cadmium sulfate, and cadmium sulfite.
15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
depositing a resistive transparent buffer layer directly on the transparent conductive oxide layer.
16. The method of claim 7 , wherein the cadmium sulfide layer is deposited on the mixed phase layer.
17. The method of claim 7 , wherein the mixed phase layer is sputtered onto the cadmium sulfide layer.
18. The method of claim 9 , wherein the cadmium oxide layer is deposited on the mixed phase layer.
19. The method of claim 8 , wherein the mixed phase layer is sputtered onto the cadmium oxide layer.
20. The method of claim 15 , wherein the mixed phase layer is formed directly on the resistive transparent buffer layer.