Abstract: A apparatus for vacuum sputter deposition is described. The apparatus includes, a vacuum chamber; three or more sputter cathodes within the vacuum chamber for sputtering material on a substrate; a gas distribution system for providing a processing gas including H2 to the vacuum chamber; a vacuum system for providing a vacuum inside the vacuum chamber; and a safety arrangement for reducing the risk of an oxy-hydrogen explosion, wherein the safety arrangement comprises a dilution gas feeding unit connected to the vacuum system for dilution of the H2-content of the processing gas.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an electrochemical device may comprise: depositing an electrode layer over a substrate using a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process in a deposition chamber, wherein the chamber pressure is greater than about 10 mTorr, and the substrate temperature is between about room temperature and about 450° C. or higher; and annealing the electrode layer for crystallizing the electrode layer, wherein the annealing temperature is less than or equal to about 450° C. Furthermore, the chamber pressure may be as high as 100 mTorr. Yet furthermore, the post-deposition annealing temperature may be less than or equal to 400° C. The electrochemical device may be a thin film battery with a LiCoO2 electrode and the PVD process may be a sputter deposition process.

Abstract: Methods of forming a passivation film stack on a surface of a silicon-based substrate are provided. In one embodiment, the passivation film stack includes a silicon nitride layer and an aluminum oxide layer disposed between the silicon nitride layer and the silicon-based substrate. The aluminum oxide layer is deposited such that the aluminum oxide layer has a low hydrogen (H) content less than about 17 atomic % and a mass density greater than about 2.5 g/cm3. The silicon nitride layer is deposited on the aluminum oxide layer such that the silicon nitride layer has a low hydrogen (H) content less than about 5 atomic %, and a mass density greater than about 2.7 g/cm3. Reduced amount of hydrogen content in the aluminum oxide layer and the silicon nitride layer prevents gas bubbles from forming in the layers and at the interface of the passivation film stack that cause the film stack to blister.

Abstract: Method of depositing a TCO layer on a substrate, of depositing precursors of a solar cell and precursors of a solar cell are described. The methods includes DC sputtering a ZnO-containing transparent conductive oxide layer over the substrate, the substrate having a size of 1.4 m2 or above and texturing the ZnO-containing transparent conductive oxide layer, wherein the textured ZnO-containing transparent conductive oxide layer has a root means square roughness of 60 nm or below.

Abstract: A method for controlling surface morphology of a transparent conductive oxide film (TCO) is provided. A substrate is provided as a basis for forming a solar cell. Onto the substrate, a seed layer is deposited. Then, the method includes depositing the transparent conductive oxide film (TCO) above the seed layer. The seed layer is adapted to control the surface morphology of the transparent conductive oxide film. The surface of the transparent conductive oxide film is etched in order to provide a front contact of the solar cell.

Abstract: Methods and devices for manufacturing a TCO layer of a thin film solar cell over a transparent substrate are described. Thereby, a first ZnO-containing layer is puttered with a sputtering method selected from the group consisting of: DC-sputtering, MF-sputtering, pulsed-sputtering, and combinations thereof, over the substrate with a first set of deposition parameters, a second ZnO-containing layer is puttered with a sputtering method selected from the group consisting of: DC-sputtering, MF-sputtering, pulsed-sputtering, and combinations thereof, over the first ZnO-containing layer with a second set of deposition parameters, at least one of the deposition parameters of the second set of deposition parameters is different from the corresponding parameter of the first set of deposition parameters; and the second ZnO-containing layer is textured.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing a layer stack for a thin-film solar cell and layer stacks are provided. The layer stack includes a transparent substrate having a first refraction index, a transparent conductive oxide layer comprising ZnO, wherein the transparent conductive oxide layer is deposited over the substrate and has a second refraction index, and a further layer, which is deposited between the transparent conductive oxide layer and the substrate, wherein the layer has a third refraction index in a range from the first refraction index to the second refraction index, the layer comprises a metal, and wherein the layer composition has a metal content of 0.5 to 10 weight-%.

Abstract: Methods of depositing a TCO layer on a substrate and precursor for solar cells are described.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing a coated article (1) by deposition of at least one metal oxide layer (3, 4) on a substrate (2). An oxygen-containing sputtering atmosphere is first produced in a coating chamber. A metal oxide layer is deposited on the substrate in that oxygen-containing atmosphere by sputtering a nitrogen-containing, ceramic target.

Abstract: In the present invention a sub-stoichiometric ceramic ZnOx:Al target, with 0.3<x<1, is used for depositing a ZnO:Al layer in a reactive sputtering process. The process is carried out in an Ar/O2 atmosphere. The diagram depicts the deposition rate R depending on the oxygen flow in a sputtering process according to the present invention compared with a conventional sputter process using a stoichiometric ZnO target. The upper line x<1 indicates the deposition rate R when using the inventive target and process. The lower line x=1, for comparison only, indicates the deposition rate R when using a stoichiometric ceramic ZnO target. It can be seen from the diagram that both processes are quite stable as there are no steep slopes when varying the oxygen flow. However, the line x<1 is above the line x=1. Therefore, a working point P may be selected which has a higher deposition rate R than a corresponding working point P of a corresponding ceramic target.