Photovoltaic sputtering targets fabricated from reclaimed materials
A method of: providing one or more spent sputtering targets comprising a photovoltaic compound and grinding the photovoltaic compound in an inert environment to form a powder.
1. A method comprising:
providing a sputtering target assembly comprising:
a photovoltaic sputtering target comprising a photovoltaic compound;
a backing plate;
an indium layer bonding the photovoltaic sputtering tar et to the backing plate;
removing the photovoltaic sputtering target from the backing plate by melting the indium; and
grinding the photovoltaic sputtering target in an inert environment to form a powder.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
washing the removed photovoltaic sputtering target with deionized water; and
drying the removed photovoltaic sputtering target.
3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
removing any remaining indium from the photovoltaic sputtering target using hydrochloric acid.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming a new photovoltaic sputtering target from the powder.
5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the new photovoltaic sputtering target is formed by pressing.
6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
combining the powder with additional photovoltaic compound.
7. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:
assessing the composition of the powder; and
adding one or more individual elements to the powder to correct the composition of the new photovoltaic sputtering target.
8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic compound is Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 .
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic compound is Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 , CuGaSe 2 , or CuInSe 2 .
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the photovoltaic sputtering target is a pressed target.
11. A method comprising:
providing a sputtering target assembly comprising:
a photovoltaic sputtering target comprising a photovoltaic compound;
a backing plate;
an indium layer bonding the photovoltaic sputtering target to the backing plate;
wherein a surface of the photovoltaic sputtering target has a nonuniform wear pattern exposing a portion of the backing plate or the indium layer through a hole in the photovoltaic sputtering target;
removing the photovoltaic sputtering target from the backing plate by melting the indium; and
grinding the photovoltaic sputtering target in an inert environment to form a powder.
12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
removing any remaining indium from the photovoltaic sputtering target using hydrochloric acid.
13. The method of claim 11 further comprising:
washing the removed photovoltaic sputtering target with deionized water; and
drying the removed photovoltaic sputtering target.
14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
forming a new photovoltaic sputtering target from the powder.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the new photovoltaic sputtering target is formed by pressing.
16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
combining the powder with additional photovoltaic compound.
17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising:
assessing the composition of the powder; and
adding one or more individual elements to the powder to correct the composition of the new photovoltaic sputtering target.
18. The method of claim 11 , wherein the photovoltaic compound is Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 .
19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the photovoltaic compound is Cu 2 ZnSnSe 4 , CuGaSe 2 , or CuInSe 2 .
20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the photovoltaic sputtering target is a pressed target.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein the backing plate comprises copper.
22. The method of claim 11 , wherein the backing plate comprises copper.