Patent ID: 8512528

Claim:
A method for manufacture of thin film photovoltaic cells in a system with single-chamber configuration having multiple compartments therein, the method comprising: providing a substrate into a first compartment within a chamber, the substrate being optically transparent and being characterized by a lateral dimension of about 1 meter or greater for manufacture a thin film photovoltaic cell; forming an electrode layer overlying the substrate; transferring the substrate within the chamber to a second compartment to subject the electrode layer to a copper bearing sputtering target; forming a copper-bearing layer overlying the electrode layer; transferring the substrate within the chamber to a third compartment to subject the copper-bearing layer to an indium sputtering target; forming an indium layer overlying the copper-bearing layer, thereby forming a Cu-rich Cu—In composite film having a Cu:In atomic ratio of 1.2:1 and greater; transferring the substrate to a fourth compartment within the chamber, the compartment comprising a plurality of nozzles for supplying gas phase sulfur-bearing species and one or more heaters for supplying thermal energy; and performing a thermal treatment process to form a photovoltaic absorber layer by reacting the Cu-rich Cu—In composite film with the sulfur-bearing species.