Patent ID: 7947524

Claim:
A method for processing a thin film photovoltaic module, the method comprising: providing a plurality of substrates, each of the substrates having a first electrode layer and an overlying absorber layer composed of copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) or copper indium selenide (CIS) material, the absorber material comprising a plurality of sodium bearing species, the sodium bearing species having a concentration of about 5×10 19 atoms per cm 3 and greater; maintaining the plurality of substrates in a controlled environment after formation of at least the absorber layer, the controlled environment having a relative humidity of less than 10% and a temperature ranging from about 10 Degrees Celsius to about 40 Degrees Celsius through one or more processes up to a lamination process; subjecting the plurality of substrates to a liquid comprising water at a temperature from about 10 Degrees Celsius to about 80 Degrees Celsius to process the plurality of substrates after formation of the absorber layer; and subjecting the plurality of substrates having the absorber layer to an environment having a relative humidity of greater than about 10% to a time period of less than four hours.