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Veeco’s PV-Series™ Thermal Deposition Sources
DESCRIPTION
The challenge in taking thin film CIGS solar manufacturing to high-volume production from R&D is in providing high capacity, high reliability and high deposition rate thermal deposition sources for copper, indium, gallium and selenium. Deposition sources must be reliable and deliver stable flux over time in capacities sufficient for a week or more of uptime. These performance parameters are of particular importance in achieving low manufacturing costs.
Veeco’s PV-Series Thermal Deposition Sources are installed on CIGS coating systems. The sources are installed in such a manner the permits a substrate of glass or other flexible materials such as stainless steel or plastic, to pass through the coating system. As the substrate moves through the system, over the sources, the sources spray or deposit source material (copper, indium, gallium and selenium) onto the surface of the substrate. Veeco sources are capable of depositing on substrates as large as 120cm (see figure above).
With over 20 years of experience in thin film technology, Veeco provides innovative thermal deposition source equipment to enable CIGS solar cell manufacturing in mass production. We’ve taken our proven products for wireless and optical applications and optimized the deposition sources for CIGS solar manufacturing. Our focus is on providing reliable sources with high material utilization while ensuring the highest level of performance. These revolutionary sources provide the only proven solution for thin film solar manufacturers to quickly transition from R&D to high volume production. Critical to the CIGS deposition process, Veeco’s sources provide large capacities, high temperature operation and long term stability.
INNOVATIVE ASPECT
The industry challenge for CIGS thin films is transitioning an R&D process to high volume manufacturing. The challenge results from the requirement to evaporate materials at temperatures up to 1500°C with high output and the capacity to last one week. Veeco has solved this problem from our materials expertise and by leveraging our experience in manufacturing high capacity, high reliability thermal sources in the optical and wireless markets.
Veeco sources have become the production standard for CIGS manufacturers because of their large capacities, high temperature operation and long term stability—all critical factors in the CIGS deposition process. Veeco’s PV-Series Thermal Deposition Sources for CIGS feature multiple innovative design factors that enable them to operate and produce efficient solar cells at low cost. Providing the largest available capacities (from 65cc to 15,000cc), the sources enable long production uptimes, minimizing material loading cycles and system vents.
The PV-Series SUMO® Sources for Copper, Indium and Gallium incorporate a patented crucible design that contains the Cu, In and Ga material providing large capacity, uniformity and stability. The crucible design and source construction minimizes the energy needed to heat the material thereby reducing radiation losses to the substrate and reducing power consumption during operation. Finally, the deposition source architecture is modular that enables in-field service and maintenance maximizing deposition system uptime.
The PV-Series Valved Source for Selenium incorporates design features that solve many of the problems associated with CIGS manufacturing. One of the biggest manufacturing challenges with CIGS is that a large amount of selenium is required during the deposition process. Veeco’s selenium deposition source has the largest capacity available on the market, capable of holding 15,000cc of Se that can last for up to one week. The source incorporates an all-metal valve that regulates the amount of source material delivered to the substrate allowing near instantaneous flux adjustments minimizing downtime due to process instabilities. This source is compatible with a variety of linear nozzle configurations that provide for maximum material utilization and uniform material distribution across the substrate reducing material waste.
BENEFITS
As described above there are multiple benefits that the PV-Series Thermal Deposition Sources deliver;
1. Increases system uptime by nearly 10%
2. High material utilization that can reduce material costs by up to 60%. This equates to a $5M savings for a 50MW factory
3. Sources are capable of depositing Cu up to 20g/hr providing the highest throughput of any thermal deposition source
4. Production sources are available today allowing fastest time to market for CIGS manufacturers
5. Excellent performance that produces <±5% film thickness uniformity maximizing device yield
6. Easily integrated into Veeco’s FastFlex™ Web Coating Systems and FastLine™ Glass Coating Systems as well as other glass/web coating systems
