The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 13, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 30, 2006
Jeroen K. J. Van Duren, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Matthew R. Robinson, East Palo Alto, CA (US);
Brian M. Sager, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Jeroen K. J. Van Duren, Menlo Park, CA (US);
Matthew R. Robinson, East Palo Alto, CA (US);
Brian M. Sager, Palo Alto, CA (US);
Nanosolar, Inc., San Jose, CA (US);
Abstract
A high-throughput method of forming a semiconductor precursor layer by use of a chalcogen-containing vapor is disclosed. In one embodiment, the method comprises forming a precursor material comprising group IB and/or group IIIA particles of any shape. The method may include forming a precursor layer of the precursor material over a surface of a substrate. The method may further include heating the particle precursor material in a substantially oxygen-free chalcogen atmosphere to a processing temperature sufficient to react the particles and to release chalcogen from the chalcogenide particles, wherein the chalcogen assumes a liquid form and acts as a flux to improve intermixing of elements to form a group IB-IIIA-chalcogenide film at a desired stoichiometric ratio. The chalcogen atmosphere may provide a partial pressure greater than or equal to the vapor pressure of liquid chalcogen in the precursor layer at the processing temperature.