SBIR Phase II: Spray Deposited Transparent Conducting Zinc Oxide Films

该小型企业创新研究（SBIR）第二阶段项目旨在开发一种具有成本效益的非真空技术，用于存款p型透明导电氧化物（TCO）薄膜。缺乏有效的p型TCO一直是电光工业的一个长期问题。它是推进具有n型吸收体的光伏技术的关键部件。一期项目开发了尖端的喷雾热解技术，用于存款宽禁带p型氧化锌（p-ZnO）薄膜。该项目在新的沉积系统方面取得了重要突破，并通过廉价的喷雾热解实现了p-ZnO薄膜。ZnO薄膜的结构和电光数据验证了新沉积方法的可行性，并提供了一个令人信服的项目成功的措施。第二阶段项目将推进沉积系统，提高对掺杂问题的科学认识，推导工艺与性能的相关性以优化电光性能，并将技术集成到现有技术中。由于对清洁能源的需求和微电子革命，新光电产品的更广泛影响/商业潜力正在成倍增长。该沉积方法提供了优于当前真空方法的成本和可制造性优势;它显著地通用于存款许多其他技术半导体，这些技术半导体适合于喷雾沉积。p-ZnO薄膜可用于短波长发光二极管、激光二极管、节能窗、平板显示器、气体传感器和其他光电应用。它可以将光伏技术扩展到n型吸收器和多结柔性太阳能电池，以提高效率。这项技术的商业化将提供能源安全，避免未来的电力危机，并减少全球变暖。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project seeks to develop a cost-effective, non-vacuum technology to deposit p-type transparent conducting oxide (TCO) films. The lack of effective p-type TCOs has been a long-standing problem for the electro-optic industry. It is the crucial component to advance photovoltaic technology with n-type absorbers. The Phase I project developed cutting-edge spray pyrolysis technology to deposit wide-gap p-zinc oxide (p-ZnO) films. The project achieved important breakthroughs, both in terms of the new deposition system, as well as achieving p-ZnO films with inexpensive spray pyrolysis. The structural and electro-optical data for the ZnO films validate the feasibility of the new deposition approach and provide a compelling measure of project success. The Phase II project will advance the deposition system, improve the scientific understanding of doping issues, derive process-property correlations to optimize the electro-optical properties, and integrate technology into existing technology. The broader impact/commercial potential for new optoelectronic products is increasing exponentially, owing to the demand for clean energy and the microelectronics revolution. The deposition method offers cost and manufacturability advantages over current vacuum methods; it is remarkably versatile to deposit a number of other technological semiconductors that are amenable to spray deposition. The p-ZnO films can be used for short-wavelength light-emitting diodes, laser diodes, energy efficient windows, flat panel displays, gas sensors and other opto-electronic applications. It can extend photovoltaic technology to n-type absorbers and multi-junction flexible solar cells for higher efficiency. The commercialization of this technology will provide energy security, avert future power crises and reduce global warming.