Patent ID: 7785921
Filing Date: 2010-08-31
Classification: C23C,H01L,Y02E,Y02P

Abstract:
1. A method of forming a sputtering target, comprising: forming a sputtering layer comprising a first material which comprises an alkali-containing transition metal directly on a second material of a support structure, wherein: the second material does not negatively impact a performance of a copper indium selenide (CIS) based semiconductor absorber layer of a solar cell; the support structure comprises a barrier layer comprising the second material formed on a backing structure of a third material that is different from the second material; the first material comprises a transition metal selected from a group consisting of Mo, W, Ta, V, Ti, Nb, Zr and alloys thereof, and an alkali metal selected from a group consisting of Li, Na, and K; the second material is selected from a group consisting of Mo, W, Ta, V, Ti, Nb, Zr, alloys thereof and nitrides thereof; the backing structure comprises stainless steel; and the barrier layer is capable of blocking diffusion of at least one of Fe, Ni or Cr atoms which negatively impact the performance of the CIS based semiconductor absorber layer from the stainless steel toward the sputtering layer.