SBIR Phase I: Low Temperature Synthesis for Device Quality Semiconductor Films

这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将开发一种无需热处理就能生产半导体器件的综合方法。它的目标是为轻型光伏组件低温沉积具有重要商业价值的铜铟二硒化物(CIS)薄膜的迫切行业需求。目前的技术使用昂贵的气相方法，不适合大规模制造或在塑料衬底上沉积。这项研究将开发一种新的分子水平概念来在室温下沉积电子级的CIS薄膜。第一阶段的研究将用一种精确设计的电化学方法证明独联体薄膜的概念。薄膜特性的表征将验证该方法。第二阶段将扩展这些概念，以生产一种创新的设备配置，使用比最先进的材料更少、更安全的材料。项目的成功将带来一种全新的光伏设备，使用更便宜的材料和更简单的方法制造。它的规模扩大将使用廉价的商业设备。该方法的实施将提高单位功率额定值，降低制造成本。这些因素将转化为更广泛的商业市场，用于远程、移动或并网发电、建筑集成、航天器和卫星应用。该项目的初步商业应用将是太阳能电池的生产。可能会在其他光伏设备上得到更广泛的应用。项目的成功将极大地影响太阳能电池的生产、半导体合成和纳米级沉积。低温、低成本的特性将为任何使用分子层沉积方法合成的材料带来巨大的竞争优势。这种多功能的方法为新型纳米结构和超晶格提供了一系列令人兴奋的可能性，应用范围从量子井激光到太阳能电池和高强度结构材料。紧随其后的产品将是太阳能电池。更低的成本和大规模生产将使这种电池能够与地面电力的电价竞争。在聚合物衬底上沉积将扩大其在空间应用中的用途。

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will develop an integrated method to produce semiconductor devices without heat treatment. It targets an urgent industry need for low temperature deposition of commercially important copper indium diselenide (CIS) thin-films for lightweight photovoltaic modules. Present technology uses expensive vapor phase methods that are unsuitable for large-scale manufacturing or for deposition on plastic substrates. This research will develop a new molecular level concept to deposit electronic grade CIS films at room temperature. Phase I research will demonstrate the proof-of-concept for CIS film with a precisely designed electrochemical approach. Characterization of film properties will validate the approach. Phase II will extend the concepts to produce an innovative device configuration with fewer and safer materials than the state-of-the-art. Project success will lead to a totally new photovoltaic device made with cheaper materials and simpler methods. Its scale-up will use inexpensive commercial equipment. Method implementation will raise specific power ratings and lower manufacturing cost. These factors will translate into a wider spectrum of commercial markets for remote, mobile, or grid-tied power generation, building integration, spacecraft and satellite applications.The initial commercial application of this project will be in the production of solar cells. Broader application to other photovoltaic devices is likely. Project success will greatly impact solar cell production, semiconductor synthesis and nanoscale deposition. The low-temperature, low-cost features will introduce an enormous competitive advantage for any material synthesized with the molecular layer deposition method. The versatile method presents an exciting range of possibilities for novel nanostructures and superlattices, with applications ranging from quantum well lasers to solar cells and high strength structural materials. The immediate product will be a solar cell. Lower cost and mass production will allow this cell to compete with electricity prices for terrestrial power. Deposition on polymer substrates will extend its use for space applications.