Hydrogenated Indium Oxide (IO:H) by Plasma Enhanced Spatial Atomic layer deposition for thin film PV application

Master thesis (2019)

Authors

S. Pandey Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

Contributors

O. Isabella Photovoltaic Materials and Devices - EEMCS (supervisor 1)
G. Pandraud EKL Processing - EEMCS (coach)
S. Vollebregt Electronic Components, Technology and Materials - EEMCS (coach)
Yves Creyghton Holst Centre (supervisor 2)
Faculty
Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science
Copyright: © 2019 Saksham Pandey
Transparency Conductivity Transparent conductive oxide CIGS solar cells Plasma enhanced spatial atomic layer deposition
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Published Date

26-08-2019

Language

English

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Faculty

Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Science

Abstract

Hydrogenated Indium Oxide (IOH) has been recognized as a high performance transparent conductive oxide (TCO) due to its excellent mobility (>100 cm2/Vs) and high transparency (>90%) in the visible and near infrared region of the spectrum. Plasma enhanced spatial atomic layer deposition (PESALD), a new type of deposition process developed recently at TNO has been used to perform the deposition of IOH in this project. Sputtering is a process conventionally used in the industry for the deposition of TCO. However, PESALD offers several benefits when compared to sputtering. The process is continuous, operated at atmospheric pressure allowing large area and high throughput processing. In addition to this, PESALD uses a fully remote plasma source to avoid any substrate damage caused by the bombardment of ions. Ion-induced substrate damage could sometimes pose a problem in magnetron plasma sputter deposition processes. Different process parameters like precursor pickup flow, gas concentration in the plasma, substrate velocity and reactor temperature were altered in order to find improved conditions for IOH depositions. A novel dimethylaminopropyl-dimethylindium (DADI) precursor was used and the impact of its use was studied at different process conditions. In order to find the more optimal conditions, the IOH layers were deposited and characterized on glass substrate. Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), Hall effect measurements, 4 point probe measurements, reflectance and transmittance measurements and X-ray diffraction were used for analysing growth, electrical, optical and structural properties of the layers. SCOUT software is also used for a better optical analysis of the films. Additionally, the degradation of the layers under damp heat and atmospheric conditions is investigated during the course of this project. Finally, the most optimum PESALD process parameters have been used to perform deposition of the TCO on CIGS solar cells.