Flash light annealing for thin films

Abstract

A method of making a crystalline film includes providing a film comprising seed grains of a selected crystallographic surface orientation on a substrate; irradiating the film using a pulsed light source to provide pulsed melting of the film under conditions that provide a mixed liquid / solid phase and allowing the mixed solid / liquid phase to solidify under conditions that provide a textured polycrystalline layer having the selected surface orientation. One or more irradiation treatments may be used. The film is suitable for use in solar cells.

Description

[0001] related application [0002] This application is related to co-pending, commonly owned applications Serial Nos. 61 / 111,518, filed November 5, 2008 and 61 / 032,781, filed February 29, 2008, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference The method is incorporated in its entirety. technical field [0003] The disclosed subject matter generally relates to the crystallization of thin films and more particularly to the use of pulsed flood light sources in such crystallization. Background technique [0004] Some solar cells use a crystalline silicon film as a support. Solar cells use smaller supports, and in order to have reasonable efficiencies they require films with low defect densities. Defects within the crystalline silicon film include grain boundaries, which are boundaries between crystal grains, and intra-grain defects, which are defects within crystal grains, such as twin boundaries and stacking faults. In order to increase the efficiency of solar cells, it i...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Therefore, these films are not optimal for use in solar cells

Thus, there is still a lack of practical techniques for growing high-quality crystalline films using the FLA method

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