Hostname: page-component-5c6d5d7d68-vt8vv Total loading time: 0.001 Render date: 2024-08-15T05:56:45.787Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

High Throughput, Low Cost Deposition of Alumina Passivation Layers by Spatial Atomic Layer Deposition

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2011

Ad Vermeer ,
F. Roozeboom ,
P. Poodt  and
Roger Gortzen
Ad Vermeer
Affiliation:
SolayTec B.V., Dillenburgstraat 9G, 5652AM Eindhoven, The Netherlands
F. Roozeboom
Affiliation:
TNO, De Rondom 1, 5612AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
P. Poodt
Affiliation:
TNO, De Rondom 1, 5612AP Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Roger Gortzen
Affiliation:
SolayTec B.V., Dillenburgstraat 9G, 5652AM Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Get access

Abstract

Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a gas phase deposition technique for depositing very high quality thin films with an unsurpassed conformality. The main drawback of ALD however is the very low deposition rate (~ 1 nm/min). Recently, record deposition rates for alumina of up to 1 nm/s were reached using spatial ALD, while maintaining the typical assets regarding film quality as obtained by conventional, slow ALD [1]. This allows for ALD at high throughput numbers.

One interesting application is passivation of crystalline silicon solar cells. Applying a thin alumina layer is reported to increase solar cell efficiency and enables the use of thinner wafers, thus reducing the main cost factor [2]. In this paper we report on the latest progress made by SoLayTec that delivered a working prototype of a system realizing full area single sided deposition of alumina on 156 x 156 mm2, mono- and multi crystalline silicon wafers for solar cell applications. The alumina layers showed excellent passivation. Based on this concept, a high-throughput ALD deposition tool is being developed targeting throughput numbers of up to 3000 wafers/hr, making ALD ready for mass production. This will bring on new opportunities in other applications.

Keywords

atomic layer depositionpassivationphotovoltaic
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1323: Symposium C – Advanced Materials Processing for Scalable Solar-Cell Manufacturing , 2011 , mrss11-1323-c04-04
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Poodt, P. et al. , Advanced Materials 22, 3564 (2010).Google Scholar
2. Hoex, et al. , J. Appl. Phys. B104B 44903 (2008).Google Scholar
3. George, S., Chem. Rev. 110, 111 (2010), and references therein.Google Scholar
4. Kessels, W.M.M., Profijt, H.B., Potts, S.E. and van de Sanden, M.C.M, in ALD of nanostructured materials, Knez, M. and Pinna, N., Editors, VCH-Wiley, 2011.Google Scholar
5. Puurunen, R.L., J. Appl. Phys. 97, 121301 (2005).Google Scholar
6. Granneman, E., Fischer, P., Pierreux, D., Terhorst, H. and Zagwijn, P., Surf. Coat. Technol. 201, 8899 (2007).Google Scholar
7. Maas, D.J., van Someren, B., Lexmond, A.S., Spee, C.I.M.A., Duisterwinkel, A.E. and Vermeer, A.J.P.M., European Patent 2159304 (A1), (2010) and WO Patent 2010/024671, (2010).Google Scholar
8. Poodt, P., Lankhorst, A., Roozeboom, F., Spee, K., Maas, D. and Vermeer, A., Advanced Materials 22, 3564 (2010).Google Scholar
9. Schmidt, J., Merkle, A., Brendel, R., Hoex, B., van de Sanden, M.C.M. and Kessels, W.M.M., Prog. Photovoltaics 16, 461 (2008).Google Scholar
10. Benick, J., Hoex, B., van de Sanden, M.C.M., Kessels, W.M.M., Schultz, O. and Glunz, S.W., Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 253504 (2008).Google Scholar
11. Sinke, W. et al. ., Proc. 24th PVSEC, Germany, Hamburg 845 (2009).Google Scholar
12. Vermeer, A.J.P.M. and Janssen, G.P., European Patent 2281921 (A1), (2011).Google Scholar
13. Werner, F., Stals, W., Görtzen, R., Veith, B., Brendel, R., Schmidt, Jan, Proc. SiliconPV Freiburg, Germany (2011).Google Scholar