The Effects of Process Power on Arc Rate and （弧率和过程的影响）.pdf

the effects of Process Power on Arc Rate and nodule formation during Sputtering of Aluminum-Doped Zinc Oxide K. Nauman, Advanced Energy Industries, Inc., Fort Collins, CO AbStRAct chemical stability, and internal reflection. Cost and sheet resistance rate high among solar cell manufacturers, and a Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) targets used in PVD majority of manufacturers today prefer AZO, which seems for thin-film solar panel manufacturing are prone to nodule to offer the best cost/performance tradeoff. (See Figure 2.) formation and excessive arcing, degrading target utilization and film quality. The nodules, which are made of compound oxides, are electrically insulating and allow for a charge build-up that creates an arc. Hundreds or even thousands of arcs per second are not uncommon. Effective arc management and nodule growth containment have become increasingly popular topics of interest among process engineers performing AZO deposition. This study examines the effects of process power on nodule formation in AZO processes, as well as arc rate. It also considers ceramic target materials produced with coarse- and fine-grain powder sizes. IntRODuctIOn Figure 2: AZO is often used due to its conductivity properties and relatively low cost. Solar cell thin-film layers are most commonly applied using amorphous silicon (a-Si), cadmium-telluride (CdTe), or CIGS (copper indium gallium diselenide) processes. Each method