Introduction

The invention allows to grow thin film solar cells by means of Pulsed Electron Deposition process (PED), with a net reduction of the costs thanks to lower temperatures and excellent stoichiometric transfer of the material from the target to the substrate. These ideas provide a solution of two critical issues: the uniformity of the deposition over large areas and the increase of the PED stability of the process over time.

Technical features

The invention allows to grow thin film solar cells by means of Pulsed Electron Deposition process (PED) and provide a solution of two critical issues: the uniformity of the deposition over large areas and the increase of the PED stability of the process over time, through the optimization of an array of PED sources arranged below a substrate moved conveniently and by heating the substrate via the Joule effect (limiting dispersions and massive elements that usually reaches very high temperatures in the chamber heating all the walls and the device located inside). Thanks to the features of the PED technique, the growth of the CIGS layer occurs preserving completely the stoichiometry of the target material even at low temperatures (300°C). The ideas arise from the need to insert the technique PED inside a continuous production line of photovoltaic modules and allow both to maintain performance of the other sources for long periods both grow mini-modules 16x16cm2 ​​thanks to a suitable arrangement of an array of sources PED.

Possible Applications

• Continuous production line of CIGS photovoltaic modules.

Advantages

• Increase of the PED stability of the process over time;
• Uniformity of the deposition over large areas;
• Heating the substrate via the Joule effect (limiting dispersions);
• Suitable for CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) solar cells;