International Business Machines Corporation

Nestor Alexander Bojarczuk, Jr

Supratik Guha

Vijay Narayanan

Talia S Gershon

Lars-Ake Ragnarsson

Byungha Shin

Douglas Andrew Buchanan

Theodore Gerard Van Kessel

Teodor Krassimirov Todorov

Matthew Warren Copel

Keith E Fogel

Kevin K Chan

Evgeni Petrovich Gousev

Paul Charles Jamison

Christopher Peter D'Emic

Arunava Gupta

Marinus Hopstaken

Sampath Purushothaman

Michael Patrick Chudzik

Yu Zhu

Vamsi Krishna Paruchuri

Richard Alan Haight

Richard Joseph Gambino

Martin Patrick O'Boyle

Ralph R Ruf

Wade Wai-Chung Tang

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a nitrogen-doped CZTSSe layer for a solar cell is disclosed. A substrate is mounted in a vacuum chamber. A plurality of effusion cells are placed within the vacuum chamber in order to evaporate copper, zinc, tin, sulfur, and/or selenium to form elemental vapors in a region proximate the substrate. An RF-based nitrogen source delivers a nitrogen plasma in the region proximal to the substrate. The elemental vapors and the nitrogen plasma form a gas mixture in the region near the substrate, which then react at the substrate to form a CZTSSe absorber layer for a solar cell.

In situ nitrogen doping of co-evaporated copper-zinc-tin-sulfo-selenide by nitrogen plasma

In one aspect, a spectrometer insert is provided. The spectrometer insert includes: an enclosed housing; a first transparent window on a first side of the enclosed housing; a second transparent window on a second side of the enclosed housing, wherein the first side and the second side are opposing sides of the enclosed housing; and a sample mounting and heating assembly positioned within an interior cavity of the enclosed housing in between, and in line of sight of, the first transparent window and the second transparent window. A method for using the spectrometer insert to locally heat a sample so as to measure temperature-dependent optical properties of the sample is also provided.

Spectrometer insert for measuring temperature-dependent optical properties

Techniques for epitaxial growth of CZT(S,Se) materials on Si are provided. In one aspect, a method of forming an epitaxial kesterite material is provided which includes the steps of: selecting a Si substrate based on a crystallographic orientation of the Si substrate; forming an epitaxial oxide interlayer on the Si substrate to enhance wettability of the epitaxial kesterite material on the Si substrate, wherein the epitaxial oxide interlayer is formed from a material that is lattice-matched to Si; and forming the epitaxial kesterite material on a side of the epitaxial oxide interlayer opposite the Si substrate, wherein the epitaxial kesterite material includes Cu, Zn, Sn, and at least one of S and Se, and wherein a crystallographic orientation of the epitaxial kesterite material is based on the crystallographic orientation of the Si substrate. A method of forming an epitaxial kesterite-based photovoltaic device and an epitaxial kesterite-based device are also provided.

Epitaxial growth of CZT(S,Se) on silicon

Embodiments relate to a method including forming a layer of copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS) on a first layer of molybdenum (Mo) and annealing the CZTS layer and the first Mo layer to form a layer of molybdenum disulfide (MoS) between the layer of CZTS and the first layer of Mo. The method includes forming a back contact on a first surface of the CZTS layer opposite the first Mo layer and separating the first Mo layer and the MoSlayer from the CZTS layer to expose a second surface of the CZTS layer opposite the first surface. The method further includes forming a buffer layer on the second surface of the CZTS layer.

Thin film solar cells

Embodiments relate to a solar cell apparatus including a molybdenum (Mo) contact layer and an annealed absorber layer including zinc and sulfur directly adjacent to the Mo contact layer. The apparatus has no molybdenum disulfide (MoS) layer located between the Mo contact layer and the annealed absorber layer. The apparatus further includes a buffer layer adjacent to the annealed absorber layer.

A field effect transistor (FET) includes a body region and a source region disposed at least partially in the body region. The FET also includes a drain region disposed at least partially in the body region and a molybdenum oxynitride (MoNO) gate. The FET also includes a dielectric having a high dielectric constant (k) disposed between the body region and the MoNO gate.

Method of forming switching device having a molybdenum oxynitride metal gate

A method (and resultant structure) of forming a semiconductor structure, includes forming a mixed rare earth oxide on silicon. The mixed rare earth oxide is lattice-matched to silicon.

Semiconductor structure including mixed rare earth oxide formed on silicon

A method (and resultant structure) of forming a semiconductor structure, includes processing an oxide to have a crystalline arrangement, and depositing an amorphous semiconductor layer on the oxide by one of evaporation and chemical vapor deposition (CVD).

Method of forming lattice-matched structure on silicon and structure formed thereby

A diffusion barrier (and method for forming the diffusion barrier) for a field-effect transistor having a channel region and a gate electrode, includes an insulating material being disposed over the channel region. The insulating material includes nitrogen (N), and is disposed under the gate electrode. The insulating material can be provided either as a layer or distributed within a gate dielectric material disposed under the gate electrode.

Growing community of inventors

Poughkeepsie, NY, United States of America

Nestor Alexander Bojarczuk, Jr