SBIR Phase I: Microwave Surface-Wave Plasma Source for Large-Area, High-Throughput, High-Quality Thin-Film Manufacturing for Solar Panels and Semiconductors

这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目旨在开发一种创新的微波表面波等离子体源，用于低成本、大面积、高通量的共形薄膜生长。一种可扩展的架构将被设计成产生高压、低温、窄禁带、高密度和无损伤的微波等离子体，而不需要外部磁场。该项目有望展示用于高效串联太阳能电池的高质量氢化纳米晶和非晶硅薄膜的高速和大面积沉积。该项目的更广泛的商业影响将是为光伏电池和其他半导体器件应用提供一种新的具有高速、大面积和高质量薄膜生长的等离子体源的潜力。目前的等离子体增强化学气相沉积(PECVD)和等离子体增强原子层沉积(PEALD)电容式系统在大面积应用时，由于射频电压大、放电不均匀以及在两个有源平行板之间产生弧光和表面缺陷而受到限制。在这个项目中，将开发一种微波表面波等离子体源来克服这些挑战。此外，Starfire Industries还将与伊利诺伊大学等离子体-材料相互作用中心合作，为学生提供教育机会。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project aims to develop an innovative microwave surface-wave plasma source for low-cost, large-area, high-throughput conformal thin-film growth. A scalable architecture will be designed to generate high-pressure, low-temperature, narrow-gap, high-density, and damage-free microwave plasmas without the need for external magnetic fields. This project is expected to demonstrate the high-speed and large-area deposition of high-quality hydrogenated nanocrystalline and amorphous silicon thin films for high-efficiency tandem solar cells.The broader/commercial impact of this project will be the potential to provide a new plasma source with high-speed, large-area and high-quality thin film growth for applications in photovoltaic cells and other semiconductor devices. When scaled to large-areas, current Plasma-Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD) and Plasma-Enhanced Atomic Layer Deposition (PEALD) capacitive systems have limitations due to large transient Radio Frequency (RF) voltages, discharge non-uniformity and generation of arcs and surface defects between two active parallel plates. In this project, a microwave surface-wave plasma source will be developed to overcome these challenges. In addition, Starfire Industries will partner with the Center for Plasma-Material Interactions at the University of Illinois to provide educational opportunities to students.