Vapor phase transport system and method for depositing perovskite semiconductors

{
  "publication_number": "US10930494B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Vapor phase transport system and method for depositing perovskite semiconductors",
  "abstract": "Vapor phase transport systems and methods of depositing perovskite films are described. In an embodiment, a deposition method includes feeding a perovskite solution or constituent powder to a vaporizer, followed by vaporization and depositing the constituent vapor as a perovskite film. In an embodiment, a deposition system and method includes vaporizing different perovskite precursors in different vaporization zones at different temperatures, followed by mixing the vaporized precursors to form a constituent vapor, and depositing the constituent vapor as a perovskite film.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A vapor phase transport deposition method comprising: feeding a carrier gas flow and perovskite constituent powder into a vaporizer; vaporizing the perovskite constituent powder in the vaporizer to form a constituent vapor; flowing the constituent vapor through the vaporizer and onto a target substrate; and depositing the constituent vapor as a perovskite film on the target substrate.",
    "2. The method of claim 1, wherein the constituent vapor is flowed through the vaporizer and onto the target substrate in less than two seconds.",
    "3. The method of claim 2, wherein the constituent vapor is flowed through the vaporizer and onto the target substrate is less than 0.5 seconds.",
    "4. The method of claim 2, wherein the perovskite constituent powder comprises a perovskite powder.",
    "5. The method of claim 1, wherein the perovskite constituent powder comprises a mixture of an inorganic precursor powder and an organic precursor powder.",
    "6. The method of claim 5, wherein the inorganic precursor powder comprises at least one inorganic powder selected from the group consisting of PbI 2, SnI 2, PbBr 2, SnBr 2, PbCl 2, SnCl 2, SnF 2, CsI, CsBr, CsCl, RbI, RbBr, RbCl, KI, KBr, and KCl.",
    "7. The method of claim 5, wherein the inorganic precursor powder comprises a lead-tin-halide alloy precursor powder.",
    "8. The method of claim 5, wherein: the organic precursor powder comprises an organic halide powder; and the organic halide powder comprises one or more materials selected from the group consisting of methylammonium iodide (MAI), formamidinium iodide (FAI), dimethylammonium iodide (DMA), phenethylammonium iodide, butylammonium iodide, and guanidinium iodide.",
    "9. The method of claim 1, wherein the perovskite constituent powder is blended with an inert filler.",
    "10. The method of claim 1, wherein the vaporizer maintains a high temperature vaporization zone above 500° C.",
    "11. The method of claim 10, wherein the vaporizer is maintained a pressure of less than 10 Torr.",
    "12. The method of claim 11, wherein the vaporizer is maintained at a pressure of 10 −4 -1 Torr.",
    "13. The method of claim 11, further comprising flowing the constituent vapor through a filter prior to depositing the perovskite film.",
    "14. The method of claim 13, wherein the filter is characterized by a porosity of at least 50 pores per inch.",
    "15. The method of claim 13, wherein the filter is maintained at a temperature below the high temperature vaporization zone temperature.",
    "16. The method of claim 13, wherein the filter comprises a wire mesh or foam.",
    "17. The method of claim 16, wherein the filter is secured across the vapor path through a sub-chamber within the vaporizer through which the constituent vapor flows.",
    "18. The method of claim 17, wherein the filter has substantially two-dimensional incoming and outgoing filter surfaces.",
    "19. The method of claim 1, further comprising feeding a precursor vapor into the vaporizer and mixing the precursor vapor with the constituent vapor.",
    "20. The method of claim 19, further comprising depositing the mixed precursor vapor and the constituent vapor as the perovskite film on the target substrate.",
    "21. The method of claim 20, further comprising vaporizing an organic precursor to form the precursor vapor at a higher pressure than a pressure inside the vaporizer.",
    "22. The method of claim 1, wherein the constituent vapor is flowed onto the target substrate with laminar flow at a chamber pressure of 0.1-10 Torr.",
    "23. The method of claim 1, wherein the constituent vapor is flowed onto the target substrate with molecular flow at a chamber pressure of 10 −4 Torr-0.1 Torr.",
    "24. The method of claim 23, wherein the target substrate is positioned greater than 4 cm from a vapor source exit."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Field Embodiments described herein relate to optoelectronic devices, and more particularly to the deposition of perovskite-based solar cell layers by vapor phase transport. Background Information Photovoltaic cells, also referred to solar cells, are devices that convert radiant photo energy into electrical energy. Monocrystalline solar cells are dominant in the current solar cell industry, offering some of the highest efficiencies and lifetimes. However, the cost associated with the fabrication of monocrystalline solar cells is a driving factor in the development of alternative solar cell technologies. One class of development is thin-film solar cells. Thin-film solar cells are attractive due to the potential to implement economical in-line processes of deposition and patterning sequences. As thin-film solar cells continue to improve in efficiency they may be candidates to displace currently adopted monocrystalline solar cells at a reduced cost, or create new solar cell markets. Furthermore, some thin-film solar cells can be flexible with potential applications on curved surfaces, mobile devices, or other components. Two such emerging thin-film technologies include cadmium telluride (CdTe) and copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS). More recently metal halide perovskite solar cells have gained attention with a rapid surge in reported cell efficiency.",
  "cpc": [
    "H10P 14/6334",
    "B65G 53/16",
    "C23C 14/06",
    "C23C 14/0694",
    "C23C 14/228",
    "C23C 16/045",
    "C23C 16/30",
    "C23C 16/4481",
    "C30B 23/066",
    "H01L 21/02271",
    "H10F 30/00",
    "H10F 77/12",
    "H10K 30/00",
    "H10K 71/164",
    "H10K 85/50",
    "Y02E 10/549"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B65G 53/16",
    "C23C 14/06",
    "C23C 14/22",
    "C30B 23/06",
    "H01L 21/02",
    "H10K 99/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "SWIFT SOLAR INC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "BUSH KEVIN ALEXANDER",
    "HOERANTNER MAXIMILIAN TOBIAS",
    "LEIJTENS TOMAS"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-04-07",
  "publication_date": "2021-02-23",
  "grant_date": "2021-02-23",
  "priority_date": "2019-04-09",
  "application_number": "US-202016842731-A",
  "family_id": "72748001",
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}