Passivation method and passivation apparatus
By generating alumina thin films through magnetron sputtering and plasma oxidation technology, the problems of high equipment cost and safety hazards in existing technologies have been solved, and a high-quality and uniform passivation film layer has been achieved, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion performance of photovoltaic cells.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- 拉普拉斯(西安)科技有限责任公司
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-06-30
AI Technical Summary
In the existing technology, the preparation of Al2O3 passivation film requires the use of expensive PECVD or ALD equipment and toxic trimethylaluminum, resulting in high equipment costs and safety hazards, as well as insufficient film quality and uniformity.
By employing magnetron sputtering and inductively coupled plasma ionization technology, aluminum atomic thin films are generated by magnetron sputtering of aluminum target materials, and then oxidized into aluminum oxide thin films using plasma ionization. This avoids the use of expensive equipment and toxic substances, and improves the quality and uniformity of the film layer.
It reduced equipment costs, minimized safety hazards, improved the quality and uniformity of the film, and enhanced photoelectric conversion performance.
Smart Images
Figure CN122303808A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application relates to the field of semiconductor or photovoltaic material processing, specifically to a passivation method and passivation equipment. Background Technology
[0002] Passivation includes chemical passivation and field passivation. Chemical passivation reduces the defect state density by coordinating and saturating non-metallic atoms such as H, O, N, and C with dangling bonds on the silicon surface. Field passivation involves depositing or growing a charged thin film on the surface of the solar cell, forming a junction, such as a p+ / p or n+ / n high-low junction, or PN junction. This generates an electric field parallel to the normal direction of the silicon surface, shielding certain charge carriers and reducing their concentration. The opposite charge carriers will also have a reduced recombination rate due to the lack of recombination targets.
[0003] Among them, Al2O3 carries a high negative charge density, reaching approximately 10. 13 With a charge on the order of C / cm², Al₂O₃ exhibits extremely strong field passivation, effectively shielding surface electrons, even when electrons are majority carriers. This high negative charge is primarily due to parameters in its passivation film, such as interstitial O₂ and Al³⁺ vacancies. Another contributing factor is the formation of a SiOx transition layer at the Al₂O₃-Si interface, which provides excellent chemical passivation. In summary, Al₂O₃ possesses exceptional passivation properties and promising future prospects.
[0004] In traditional photovoltaic (PV) cell production, complete square silicon wafers are often laser-cut into halves for assembly into PV modules of various sizes. After the wafers are cut, the exposed sides must be protected using Al2O3 passivation. In related technologies, Al2O3 films are typically prepared using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) or atomic layer deposition (ALD), usually through the reaction of trimethylaluminum with water vapor. Using this method, PECVD and ALD equipment are expensive, as are the consumables. Furthermore, trimethylaluminum is a toxic substance, requiring strict control of gas leaks during the process; any leak could easily lead to personnel safety accidents. Summary of the Invention
[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this application is proposed. Embodiments of this application provide a passivation method and a passivation apparatus.
[0006] In a first aspect, one embodiment of this application provides a passivation method, comprising: providing a substrate having a cross-section; conveying the substrate to a first process chamber of a passivation apparatus, introducing a first process gas into the first process chamber, and using a target material containing aluminum to perform magnetron sputtering on the substrate to deposit a first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate, wherein the first process gas is used to generate a first plasma bombarding the target material, the first thin film includes aluminum atoms, and the passivation apparatus includes at least a first process chamber and a second process chamber; conveying the substrate to a second process chamber, introducing a second oxygen gas into the second process chamber, and using a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ion source to oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first thin film to generate a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film, wherein the second thin film includes aluminum oxide.
[0007] In some embodiments, after providing a substrate with a cross section, the following steps are performed cyclically a preset number of times: the substrate is transported to a first process chamber, a first process gas is introduced into the first process chamber, and a magnetron sputtering is performed on the substrate using a target to deposit a first thin film on the cross section of the substrate; the substrate is transported to a second process chamber, a second oxygen gas is introduced into the second process chamber, and a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ion source is used to oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first thin film to generate a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film.
[0008] In some embodiments, the target material includes aluminum. A first process gas is introduced into a first process chamber, and a substrate is magnetron sputtered using a target containing aluminum to deposit a first thin film on a cross-section of the substrate. This includes: introducing a first process gas and first oxygen into the first process chamber, and reactive magnetron sputtering of the substrate using a target to deposit a first thin film on a cross-section of the substrate, wherein the first thin film comprises aluminum oxide and aluminum atoms.
[0009] In some embodiments, the passivation apparatus further includes a third process chamber. Before introducing a first process gas into the first process chamber and using a target containing aluminum to magnetron sputter the substrate to deposit a first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate, the method further includes: transporting the substrate to the third process chamber; evacuating the third process chamber; introducing a fourth process gas into the third process chamber and using a third plasma generated by a second inductively coupled plasma ion source to perform surface activation treatment on the cross-section of the substrate.
[0010] In some embodiments, a first process gas is introduced into a first process chamber, and a substrate is magnetron sputtered using a target containing aluminum to deposit a first thin film on a cross-section of the substrate. This includes: introducing a first process gas and a second process gas into the first process chamber, and magnetron sputtering the substrate using a target to deposit a first thin film on a cross-section of the substrate, wherein a fourth plasma formed after the second process gas is ionized can enhance the photoelectric conversion performance of the first thin film.
[0011] In some embodiments, transporting a substrate to a second process chamber, introducing a second oxygen gas into the second process chamber, and using a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ionization source to oxidize aluminum atoms in a first thin film to form a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film includes: transporting a substrate to a second process chamber, introducing a second oxygen gas and a third process gas into the second process chamber, and using a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ionization source to oxidize aluminum atoms in a first thin film to form a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film, wherein a fifth plasma formed after the third process gas is ionized can improve the photoelectric conversion performance of the second thin film.
[0012] In some embodiments, the first process gas includes a first argon gas, and the second process gas includes a first hydrogen gas; wherein the flow rate of the first argon gas is in the range of 500 sccm to 5000 sccm; and the flow rate of the first hydrogen gas is in the range of 100 sccm to 2000 sccm.
[0013] In some embodiments, the third process gas includes second hydrogen and / or water vapor; wherein the flow rate of the second oxygen is in the range of 1000 sccm to 5000 sccm; and the ratio of the flow rate of the third process gas to the flow rate of the second oxygen is in the range of 1:30 to 1:100.
[0014] Secondly, one embodiment of this application provides a passivation apparatus, comprising: at least one process apparatus having a first process chamber capable of receiving a first process gas and a substrate having a cross section, the process apparatus being configured to perform magnetron sputtering on the substrate using a target material containing aluminum to deposit a first thin film on the cross section of the substrate, wherein the first process gas is used to generate a first plasma bombarding the target material, and the first thin film comprising aluminum atoms; and at least one oxidation apparatus having a second process chamber connected to the first process chamber, the second process chamber being capable of receiving a second oxygen and the substrate after coating by the process apparatus, the oxidation apparatus being configured to oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first thin film using a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ion source to generate a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film, wherein the second thin film comprises aluminum oxide.
[0015] In some embodiments, there are multiple process units, and the number of oxidation units is the same as the number of process units, with multiple process units and multiple oxidation units arranged alternately.
[0016] In some embodiments, the passivation apparatus further includes a pretreatment device having a third process chamber connected to a first process chamber, the third process chamber being capable of receiving a substrate and a fourth process gas, and the third process chamber being capable of being evacuated by a vacuum pump assembly, the pretreatment device being configured to use a third plasma generated by a second inductively coupled plasma ion source to perform surface activation treatment on the cross-section of the substrate, and to transport the surface-activated substrate to the first process chamber.
[0017] The passivation method and passivation equipment proposed in this application have the following advantages.
[0018] First, it eliminates the need for expensive PECVD or ALD equipment, thus saving on equipment costs.
[0019] Second, the passivation method and passivation equipment proposed in this application only require metal or non-metal targets and a first process gas for generating the first plasma. They are non-toxic, harmless, and low in cost. Furthermore, they do not require the use of toxic trimethylaluminum, thus reducing safety hazards.
[0020] Third, by using magnetron sputtering, a first thin film containing aluminum atoms can be generated first, and then a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ion source can oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first thin film into aluminum oxide, thereby obtaining a second thin film. The passivation film generated in this way has fewer aluminum impurities, which improves the quality and uniformity of the film layer. Attached Figure Description
[0021] The above and other objects, features, and advantages of this application will become more apparent from the more detailed description of the embodiments of this application in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The drawings are provided to further illustrate the embodiments of this application and form part of the specification. They are used together with the embodiments of this application to explain this application and do not constitute a limitation thereof. In the drawings, the same reference numerals generally represent the same components or steps.
[0022] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a flowchart of a passivation method provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.
[0023] Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of the structure of a half-wafer after coating provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.
[0024] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a flowchart of a passivation method provided in another exemplary embodiment of this application.
[0025] Figure 4 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of the passivation device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.
[0026] Figure label:
[0027] 301, Half silicon wafer; 3011, Top surface; 3012, Cross-section; 302, Front composite film layer; 303, Passivation film; 500, Passivation equipment; 501, Process equipment; 502, Oxidation equipment; 503, Pretreatment equipment; 504, Feeding equipment; 505, Wafer feeding equipment; 506, Wafer unloading equipment; 507, Unloading equipment. Detailed Implementation
[0028] The technical solutions of the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.
[0029] Exemplary methods
[0030] Figure 1 The diagram shown is a flowchart of a passivation method provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.
[0031] like Figure 1 As shown in the figure, this application provides a passivation method, including the following steps 101 and 102.
[0032] Step 101: Provide a substrate with a cross-section.
[0033] Step 102: The substrate is transported to the first process chamber, a first process gas is introduced into the first process chamber, and a target material containing aluminum is used to perform magnetron sputtering on the substrate to deposit a first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate.
[0034] The first process gas is used to generate a first plasma that bombards the target material, and the first thin film comprises aluminum atoms. The passivation apparatus 500 includes at least a first process chamber and a second process chamber.
[0035] Specifically, the first process chamber has a high-energy electric field, which ionizes the first process gas into a first plasma. The first plasma bombards the target material, causing the target material to sputter out target particles. The target particles impact the cross-section, forming a first thin film on the cross-section. The magnetron sputtering in step 101 can also include reactive sputtering. If reactive sputtering is used, a reactive gas (such as the first oxygen mentioned later) needs to be introduced into the first process chamber. The compound generated after the target particles react with the reactive gas will be deposited on the cross-section to form the first thin film.
[0036] For example, the target material containing aluminum can be a target material including alumina and / or aluminum.
[0037] For example, the first process gas includes a first argon (Ar) gas, and the first plasma is a first argon plasma generated after the first argon gas is ionized.
[0038] For example, the substrate can be a silicon wafer, amorphous silicon, glass substrate, plastic substrate, perovskite composite layer substrate, etc., and the thickness of the substrate ranges from 0.1 mm to 0.15 mm. Figure 2 The diagram shown is a schematic representation of the structure of a half-wafer silicon wafer after coating, provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application. Figure 2 As shown, the upper surface 3011 of the half-silicon wafer 301 is coated with a front composite film layer 302, and the cross-section 3012 of the half-silicon wafer 301 is coated with a passivation film 303. The substrate can be, by way of example, a half-silicon wafer 301 obtained by cutting a whole silicon wafer, and the cross-section can be cross-section 3012. The passivation method and passivation equipment provided in this application provide a passivation film 303 (i.e., a film layer composed of at least one first thin film and at least one second thin film).
[0039] For example, the passivation apparatus 500 can be a physical vapor deposition (PVD) apparatus. The PVD apparatus can be a vertical structure or a horizontal structure. If a horizontal structure is used, a vertical clamping fixture can be used to fix the substrate with the cross-section of the substrate facing upward; if a vertical structure is used, a horizontal clamping fixture can be used to fix the substrate with the cross-section of the substrate facing sideways.
[0040] For example, the target material can be a planar target material or a rotating target material.
[0041] Step 103: The substrate is transported to the second process chamber, a second oxygen is introduced into the second process chamber, and the aluminum atoms in the first thin film are oxidized by the second plasma generated by the first inductively coupled plasma ion source to form a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film.
[0042] The second film includes aluminum oxide.
[0043] Specifically, in the second process chamber, the first inductively coupled plasma (ICP) ion source can ionize the second oxygen into the second plasma, which will oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first thin film to generate an aluminum oxide thin film (i.e., the second thin film), thereby improving the quality and uniformity of the film layer.
[0044] For example, the first inductively coupled plasma ion source is a linear scanning inductively coupled plasma ion source.
[0045] For example, the power range of the first inductively coupled plasma ion source is 1KW to 15KW.
[0046] The passivation film composed of a first film and a second film prepared in this manner has the following advantages.
[0047] First, it eliminates the need for expensive PECVD or ALD equipment, thus saving on equipment costs.
[0048] Second, the passivation method and passivation equipment proposed in this application only require metal or non-metal targets and a first process gas for generating the first plasma. They are non-toxic, harmless, and low in cost. Furthermore, they do not require the use of toxic trimethylaluminum, thus reducing safety hazards.
[0049] Third, by using magnetron sputtering, a first thin film containing aluminum atoms can be generated first, and then a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ion source can oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first thin film into aluminum oxide, thereby obtaining a second thin film. The passivation film generated in this way has fewer aluminum impurities, which improves the quality and uniformity of the film layer.
[0050] In some embodiments, after providing a substrate with a cross section, the following steps are performed cyclically a preset number of times: the substrate is transported to a first process chamber, a first process gas is introduced into the first process chamber, and a magnetron sputtering is performed on the substrate using a target to deposit a first thin film on the cross section of the substrate; the substrate is transported to a second process chamber, a second oxygen gas is introduced into the second process chamber, and a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ion source is used to oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first thin film to generate a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film.
[0051] For example, the preset number of times ranges from 1 to 10.
[0052] In the above embodiments, by repeatedly performing the steps of generating the first thin film and the second thin film, multiple layers of the first thin film and the second thin film can be deposited alternately on the cross-section, thereby forming a thicker film layer (e.g., 40mm to 60mm) to meet the film layer thickness and uniformity required by different processes.
[0053] In some embodiments, the target material includes aluminum. When a first process gas is introduced into a first process chamber and a target containing aluminum is used to perform magnetron sputtering on a substrate to deposit a first thin film on a cross-section of the substrate, the first process gas and first oxygen can be introduced into the first process chamber, and reactive magnetron sputtering can be performed on the substrate using the target to deposit a first thin film on a cross-section of the substrate. The first thin film includes aluminum oxide and aluminum atoms.
[0054] Specifically, the first process gas is ionized into a first plasma in the first process chamber. The first plasma impacts the target material, which can sputter aluminum particles from the target material. The first oxygen can be partially ionized into a second oxygen plasma in the process chamber. The second oxygen plasma reacts with the aluminum particles to generate a thin film with aluminum oxide on the cross-section of the substrate. Some aluminum particles are not oxidized and are directly deposited on the cross-section.
[0055] In the above embodiments, the first thin film is prepared by using an aluminum target, a first process gas, and a first oxygen, which reduces the cost and eliminates the use of toxic gases, thus reducing safety hazards.
[0056] In some embodiments, the target material includes alumina. When a first process gas is introduced into a first process chamber and a target containing aluminum is used to perform magnetron sputtering on a substrate to deposit a first thin film on a cross-section of the substrate, the first process gas can be introduced into the first process chamber and the target can be used to perform magnetron sputtering on the substrate to deposit a first thin film on a cross-section of the substrate.
[0057] Specifically, the first process gas is ionized into a first plasma in the process chamber. The first plasma impacts the target material, which can sputter alumina particles and aluminum particles from the target material. The alumina particles and aluminum particles can be deposited on the cross-section.
[0058] In the above embodiments, the first thin film is prepared by using an alumina target and a first process gas, which has a lower cost and does not use toxic gases, thus reducing safety hazards.
[0059] In some embodiments, the passivation apparatus 500 further includes a third process chamber. Before introducing a first process gas into the first process chamber and using a target material containing aluminum to perform magnetron sputtering on the substrate to deposit a first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate, the substrate can be transported to the third process chamber and then the third process chamber is evacuated. Finally, a fourth process gas is introduced into the third process chamber, and a third plasma generated by a second inductively coupled plasma ion source is used to perform surface activation treatment on the cross-section of the substrate.
[0060] Specifically, the second inductively coupled plasma ion source can ionize the fourth process gas into a third plasma. The third plasma bombards the substrate, which can remove impurities from the substrate surface and raise the temperature of the substrate, thereby improving the coating effect of the substrate when performing subsequent steps 102 and 103.
[0061] For example, the fourth process gas includes the second argon gas, and the third plasma includes the second argon plasma.
[0062] For example, the second inductively coupled plasma ion source is a linear scanning inductively coupled plasma ion source.
[0063] For example, the power range of the second inductively coupled plasma ion source is 1KW to 15KW.
[0064] In some embodiments, when a first process gas is introduced into a first process chamber and a substrate is magnetron sputtered using a target containing aluminum to deposit a first thin film on a cross-section of the substrate, a first process gas and a second process gas can be introduced into the first process chamber and the substrate can be magnetron sputtered using a target to deposit a first thin film on a cross-section of the substrate. In this embodiment, the fourth plasma formed after the second process gas is ionized can enhance the photoelectric conversion performance of the first thin film.
[0065] Specifically, the second process gas can be partially ionized into a fourth plasma within the first process chamber. The fourth plasma can fill the molecular gaps between aluminum atoms and oxygen atoms, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion performance of the first thin film.
[0066] For example, the second process gas includes a first hydrogen gas. The first hydrogen gas can be partially ionized into a first hydrogen plasma within the first process chamber. The first hydrogen plasma can fill the molecular gaps between aluminum atoms and oxygen atoms, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion performance of the first thin film.
[0067] In some embodiments, when the substrate is transported to the second process chamber, a second oxygen gas is introduced into the second process chamber, and a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ion source is used to oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first thin film to form a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film, the substrate can be transported to the second process chamber, a second oxygen gas and a third process gas are introduced into the second process chamber, and a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ion source is used to oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first thin film to form a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film. In this embodiment, the fifth plasma formed after the third process gas is ionized can improve the photoelectric conversion performance of the second thin film.
[0068] Specifically, the third process gas can be partially ionized into a fifth plasma within the second process chamber. This fifth plasma can fill the molecular gaps between aluminum and oxygen atoms, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion performance of the second thin film.
[0069] For example, the third process gas includes second hydrogen and / or water vapor. The second hydrogen and / or water vapor can be partially ionized in the second process chamber into second hydrogen plasma and / or water vapor plasma, which can fill the molecular gaps between aluminum atoms and oxygen atoms, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion performance of the second thin film.
[0070] In some embodiments, the first process gas includes a first argon gas, and the second process gas includes a first hydrogen gas; wherein the flow rate of the first argon gas is in the range of 500 sccm to 5000 sccm; and the flow rate of the first hydrogen gas is in the range of 100 sccm to 2000 sccm.
[0071] In some embodiments, the flow rate of the first oxygen is in the range of 100 sccm to 2000 sccm.
[0072] In some embodiments, the gas pressure in the first process chamber during the process (i.e., after evacuation) is lower than 4 × 10⁻⁶. - 5 Pa, the temperature range of the first process chamber during the process is 80℃~200℃.
[0073] In the above embodiments, by setting the parameters of gas flow rate, temperature and pressure, the first thin film can have better photoelectric conversion efficiency and uniformity.
[0074] In some embodiments, the third process gas includes second hydrogen and / or water vapor; wherein the flow rate of the second oxygen is in the range of 1000 sccm to 5000 sccm; and the ratio of the flow rate of the third process gas to the flow rate of the second oxygen is in the range of 1:30 to 1:100.
[0075] In some embodiments, the temperature of the second process chamber during the process is approximately 200°C.
[0076] In the above embodiments, by setting the above gas flow rate and temperature parameters, the second thin film can have better photoelectric conversion efficiency and uniformity.
[0077] In some embodiments, the flow rate of the second argon gas ranges from 100 sccm to 300 sccm.
[0078] In some embodiments, the gas pressure in the third process chamber during the process (i.e., after evacuation) is approximately 10 Pa.
[0079] Figure 3 The diagram shown is a flowchart of a passivation method provided in another exemplary embodiment of this application.
[0080] like Figure 3 As shown in the embodiment of this application, a passivation method is also provided, including the following steps 401 to 405.
[0081] Step 401: Place the stacked substrates in the fixture and fix them in place.
[0082] Step 402: The fixture is transported to the third process chamber, the third process chamber is evacuated, the fourth process gas is introduced into the third process chamber, and the third plasma generated by the second inductively coupled plasma ion source is used to perform surface activation treatment on the cross-section of the substrate.
[0083] Step 403: The fixture is transported to the first process chamber, the first process gas is introduced into the first process chamber, and the substrate is magnetron sputtered using a target material containing aluminum to deposit a first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate.
[0084] Step 404: The fixture is transported to the second process chamber, a second oxygen is introduced into the second process chamber, and the aluminum atoms in the first thin film are oxidized by the second plasma generated by the first inductively coupled plasma ion source to form a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film.
[0085] In this process, steps 403 and 404 are executed a preset number of times according to different process requirements, so that the passivation layer composed of at least one first film and at least one second film reaches a preset thickness.
[0086] Step 405: After transporting the substrate out of the second process chamber, remove the substrate from the fixture and sort the substrate.
[0087] Table 1 below shows the test data of silicon wafers after coating with the passivation method provided in the embodiments of this application, where Eff represents photoelectric conversion efficiency, Voc represents open circuit voltage, Isc represents short circuit current, and P represents power.
[0088] Table 1 Performance Test Table of Silicon Wafers After Coating
[0089]
[0090] As shown in Table 1, depositing a passivation film on the substrate in steps 102 and 103 can significantly improve the substrate's photoelectric conversion efficiency. The more times steps 102 and 103 are repeated, the higher the substrate's photoelectric conversion efficiency becomes. Performing surface activation treatment on the substrate before executing steps 102 and 103 can further improve the substrate's photoelectric conversion efficiency.
[0091] Exemplary device
[0092] The above text combined Figures 1 to 3 The method embodiments of this application are described in detail below, in conjunction with... Figure 4 The present application provides a detailed description of the device embodiments. It should be understood that the descriptions of the method embodiments correspond to the descriptions of the device embodiments; therefore, any parts not described in detail can be found in the foregoing method embodiments.
[0093] Figure 4 The diagram shown is a schematic diagram of the passivation device provided in an exemplary embodiment of this application.
[0094] like Figure 4 As shown in the illustration, this application provides a passivation apparatus 500, which includes at least one process device 501 and at least one oxidation device 502. The process device 501 has a first process chamber capable of receiving a first process gas and a substrate with a cross-section. The process device 501 is configured to perform magnetron sputtering on the substrate using a target material containing aluminum to deposit a first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate. The first process gas is used to generate a first plasma bombarding the target material, and the first thin film comprises aluminum atoms. The oxidation device 502 has a second process chamber connected to the first process chamber. The second process chamber is capable of receiving a second oxygen gas and the substrate after coating by the process device 501. The oxidation device 502 is configured to oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first thin film using a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ion source to generate a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film. The second thin film comprises aluminum oxide.
[0095] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, there are multiple process units 501, and the number of oxidation units 502 is the same as the number of process units 501. Multiple process units 501 and multiple oxidation units 502 are arranged alternately.
[0096] In the above embodiments, by setting up multiple process devices 501 and oxidation devices 502, a thicker film layer can be deposited on the substrate, and the continuous production line method can also greatly increase the factory's capacity. It has a very large cost and capacity advantage over the existing cross-section passivation film equipment in the photovoltaic industry.
[0097] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4As shown, the passivation apparatus 500 further includes a pretreatment device 503. The pretreatment device 503 has a third process chamber, which is connected to the first process chamber. The third process chamber can receive the substrate and a fourth process gas, and the third process chamber can be evacuated by a vacuum pump assembly. The pretreatment device 503 is configured to use a third plasma generated by a second inductively coupled plasma ion source to perform surface activation treatment on the cross-section of the substrate, and then transport the surface-activated substrate to the first process chamber.
[0098] In the above embodiments, the pretreatment device 503 can be used to activate the surface of the substrate, thereby improving the quality and uniformity of the subsequent coating.
[0099] In some embodiments, such as Figure 4 As shown, the passivation equipment 500 also includes: a loading device 504, a wafer feeding device 505, a wafer ejection device 506, and a unloading device 507. The loading device 504 is configured to load the substrate into a fixture. After the substrate is loaded into the fixture, the fixture is first sent into the wafer feeding chamber of the wafer feeding device 505. The wafer feeding chamber is evacuated to a certain vacuum level, and then the fixture is conveyed to the first process chamber of the process device 501. After being processed by at least one process device 501 and at least one oxidation device 502 arranged alternately, the fixture is conveyed to the wafer ejection chamber of the wafer ejection device 506. The wafer ejection chamber of the wafer ejection device 506 performs a vacuum breaking operation, and finally the unloading device 507 unloads the substrate from the fixture and sorts it for processing.
[0100] The basic principles of this application have been described above with reference to specific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the advantages, benefits, and effects mentioned in this application are merely examples and not limitations, and should not be considered as essential features of each embodiment of this application. Furthermore, the specific details disclosed above are for illustrative and facilitative purposes only, and are not limitations. These details do not limit the application to the necessity of employing the aforementioned specific details for implementation.
[0101] The block diagrams of devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems involved in this application are merely illustrative examples and are not intended to require or imply that they must be connected, arranged, or configured in the manner shown in the block diagrams. As those skilled in the art will recognize, these devices, apparatuses, devices, and systems can be connected, arranged, and configured in any manner. Words such as “comprising,” “including,” “having,” etc., are open-ended terms meaning “including but not limited to,” and are used interchangeably with them. The terms “or” and “and” as used herein refer to the terms “and / or,” and are used interchangeably with them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The term “such as” as used herein refers to the phrase “such as but not limited to,” and is used interchangeably with it.
[0102] It should also be noted that in the apparatus, equipment, and methods of this application, the components or steps can be disassembled and / or recombined. These disassemblies and / or recombinations should be considered as equivalent solutions of this application.
[0103] The above description of the disclosed aspects is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use this application. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein can be applied to other aspects without departing from the scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but rather to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
[0104] The above description has been given for purposes of illustration and description. Furthermore, this description is not intended to limit the embodiments of this application to the forms disclosed herein. Although numerous exemplary aspects and embodiments have been discussed above, those skilled in the art will recognize certain variations, modifications, alterations, additions, and sub-combinations thereof.
Claims
1. A passivation method, characterized in that, include: Provide a substrate with a cross-section; The substrate is transported to the first process chamber of the passivation equipment, a first process gas is introduced into the first process chamber, and the substrate is magnetron sputtered using a target material containing aluminum to deposit a first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate. The first process gas is used to generate a first plasma that bombards the target material. The first thin film includes aluminum atoms. The passivation equipment includes at least the first process chamber and a second process chamber. The substrate is transported to the second process chamber, a second oxygen is introduced into the second process chamber, and a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ion source is used to oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first film to form a second film on the surface of the first film, wherein the second film includes aluminum oxide.
2. The passivation method according to claim 1, characterized in that, After providing the substrate with the cross-section, the following steps are performed repeatedly for a preset number of times: The substrate is transported to the first process chamber, the first process gas is introduced into the first process chamber, and the substrate is magnetron sputtered using the target to deposit the first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate. The substrate is transported to the second process chamber, the second oxygen is introduced into the second process chamber, and the aluminum atoms in the first thin film are oxidized by the second plasma generated by the first inductively coupled plasma ion source to form the second thin film on the surface of the first thin film.
3. The passivation method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The target material includes aluminum. The process involves introducing a first process gas into the first process chamber and using a target containing aluminum to perform magnetron sputtering on the substrate to deposit a first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate, comprising: The first process gas and the first oxygen are introduced into the first process chamber, and the substrate is subjected to reactive magnetron sputtering using the target material to deposit a first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate, wherein the first thin film comprises aluminum oxide and aluminum atoms.
4. The passivation method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The passivation apparatus further includes a third process chamber. Before introducing a first process gas into the first process chamber and performing magnetron sputtering on the substrate using a target material containing aluminum to deposit a first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate, the method further includes: The substrate is transported to the third process chamber; The third process chamber is evacuated. A fourth process gas is introduced into the third process chamber, and a third plasma generated by a second inductively coupled plasma ion source is used to perform surface activation treatment on the cross-section of the substrate.
5. The passivation method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The step of introducing a first process gas into the first process chamber and using a target material containing aluminum to perform magnetron sputtering on the substrate to deposit a first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate includes: The first process gas and the second process gas are introduced into the first process chamber, and the substrate is magnetron sputtered using the target material to deposit a first thin film on the cross-section of the substrate. The fourth plasma formed after the second process gas is ionized can enhance the photoelectric conversion performance of the first thin film.
6. The passivation method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The step of conveying the substrate to the second process chamber, introducing a second oxygen gas into the second process chamber, and using a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ion source to oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first thin film to form a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film includes: The substrate is transported to the second process chamber, and a second oxygen gas and a third process gas are introduced into the second process chamber. The second plasma generated by the first inductively coupled plasma ion source is used to oxidize the aluminum atoms in the first film to form the second film on the surface of the first film. The fifth plasma formed after the third process gas is ionized can improve the photoelectric conversion performance of the second film.
7. The passivation method according to claim 5, characterized in that, The first process gas includes a first argon gas, and the second process gas includes a first hydrogen gas; The flow rate of the first argon gas ranges from 500 sccm to 5000 sccm. The flow rate of the first hydrogen gas ranges from 100 sccm to 2000 sccm.
8. The passivation method according to claim 6, characterized in that, The third process gas includes second hydrogen and / or water vapor; The flow rate of the second oxygen is in the range of 1000 sccm to 5000 sccm; The ratio of the flow rate of the third process gas to the flow rate of the second oxygen gas is in the range of 1:30 to 1:
100.
9. A passivation device, characterized in that, include: At least one process apparatus having a first process chamber capable of receiving a first process gas and a substrate having a cross section, the process apparatus being configured to magnetron sputter the substrate using a target containing aluminum in a material to deposit a first thin film on the cross section of the substrate, wherein the first process gas is used to generate a first plasma bombarding the target, and the first thin film comprises aluminum atoms. At least one oxidation device having a second process chamber connected to a first process chamber, the second process chamber being capable of receiving a second oxygen and the substrate after coating by the process device, the oxidation device being configured to oxidize aluminum atoms in the first thin film using a second plasma generated by a first inductively coupled plasma ion source to generate a second thin film on the surface of the first thin film, wherein the second thin film comprises aluminum oxide.
10. The passivation apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that, There are multiple process units, and the number of oxidation units is the same as the number of process units. Multiple process units and multiple oxidation units are arranged alternately.
11. The passivation apparatus according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that, Also includes: A pretreatment device having a third process chamber connected to a first process chamber, the third process chamber being able to receive the substrate and a fourth process gas, and the third process chamber being able to be evacuated by a vacuum pump assembly, the pretreatment device being configured to use a third plasma generated by a second inductively coupled plasma ion source to perform surface activation treatment on the cross-section of the substrate, and to transport the surface-activated substrate to the first process chamber.