Patent ID: 7998762

Claim:
A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device, the method comprises: loading a substrate into a load lock station, the substrate including a surface region; transferring the substrate in a controlled ambient to a first process station; using a first physical deposition process in the first process station to cause formation of a first conductor layer overlying the surface region of the substrate; transferring the substrate in a controlled ambient to a second process station; using a second physical deposition process in the second process station to cause formation of a first p-type absorber material, the first p-type absorber material comprising at least a first metal chalcogenide material overlying the first conductor layer, the first p-type absorber material being characterized by a first bandgap range and a first thickness range; transferring the substrate in a controlled ambient to a third process station; using a third physical deposition process in the third process station to cause formation of a first n-type window layer, the first n-type window layer comprising at least a second metal chalcogenide material overlying the first p-type absorber material; transferring the substrate in a controlled ambient to a fourth process station; using a fourth physical deposition process in the fourth process station to cause formation of an n++ type semiconductor material; transferring the substrate in a controlled ambient to a fifth process station; using a fifth physical deposition process in the fifth process station to cause formation of an p++ type semiconductor material, the p++ semiconductor material and the n++ semiconductor material forming a tunneling junction layer; transferring the substrate in a controlled ambient to a sixth process station; using a sixth physical deposition process in the sixth process station to cause formation of a second p-type absorber material, the second p-type absorber material comprising at least a third metal chalcogenide material overlying the tunneling junction layer, the second p-type absorber material being characterized by a second bandgap range and a second thickness range; transferring the substrate in a controlled ambient to a seventh process station; using a seventh physical deposition process in the seventh process station to cause formation of a second n-type window layer, the second n-type window layer comprising at least a fourth metal chalcogenide material overlying the second p-type absorber material; transferring the substrate in a controlled ambient to an eighth process station; and using an eighth physical deposition process in the eighth process station to cause formation of a second conductor layer.