Methods for plasma activation of evaporated precursors in a process chamber
View Patent ↗The present disclosure generally provides a method for forming a photovoltaic device including evaporating a source material to form a large molecule processing gas and flowing the large molecule processing gas through a gas distribution showerhead and into a processing area of a processing chamber having a substrate therein. The method includes generating a small molecule processing gas, and reacting the small molecule processing gas with a film already deposited on a substrate surface to form a semiconductor film. Additionally, apparatuses that may use the methods are also provided to enable continuous inline CIGS type solar cell formation.
1. A method for forming a device, comprising:
evaporating a source precursor to form a molecule processing gas;
flowing the molecule processing gas through a gas distribution showerhead and into a processing area of a processing chamber having a substrate therein;
electrically biasing the gas distribution showerhead to increase energy level of the molecule processing gas within the processing area without igniting a plasma;
flowing a plasma initiation gas into the processing area of the processing chamber;
igniting a plasma from the plasma initiation gas to energize the molecule processing gas to a level of excitement; and
exposing a surface of the substrate to the energized molecule processing gas.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plasma initiation gas comprises oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, argon, krypton, xenon, or radon.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the plasma initiation gas is flowed with the molecule processing gas through the gas distribution showerhead.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
electrically biasing the substrate.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the plasma is ignited in a remote plasma source.
6. A method for forming a device, comprising:
evaporating a source material to form a molecule processing gas;
flowing the molecule processing gas through a gas distribution showerhead and into a processing area of a processing chamber having a substrate therein;
electrically biasing the gas distribution showerhead to increase energy level of the molecule processing gas within the processing area without igniting a plasma;
flowing a plasma initiation gas into the processing area of the processing chamber;
igniting a plasma from the plasma initiation gas to energize the molecule processing gas to a level of excitement; and
exposing a surface of the substrate to the energized molecule processing gas to form a film on the surface of the substrate.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the source material comprises a multi-element precursor.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plasma initiation gas comprises oxygen, nitrogen, or hydrogen.
9. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plasma initiation gas comprises helium, argon, krypton, xenon, or radon.
10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the plasma initiation gas is flowed with the molecule processing gas through the gas distribution showerhead.
11. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
electrically biasing the substrate.
12. The method of claim 6 , wherein the plasma is ignited in a remote plasma source.