Glass Substrates and

Electrodes for CIGS

applications

Berlin, April 19 2012

Frank Best
Agenda

Saint-Gobain Solar Glass

Glass substrates for CIGS
Standard back glass
High strain point glass
Thin glass
Electrodes on glass
Molybdenum electrode
Molybdenum electrode with sodium barrier
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Optimized solutions for different technologies

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SGGDIAMANT SOLAR
®

EVA / PVB
Mo + CIS / CIGS + TCO

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SGG PLANILUX® SP (+ SGGPV-Mo®)

a-Si / µ-Si / CdTe

DIAMANT SOLAR®
SGG

TCO + TF-Si / CdTe

EVA

SGG PLANILUX®
Agenda

Product range Saint-Gobain Solar Glass

Glass substrates for CIGS
Standard back glass
High strain point glass
Thin glass
Electrodes on glass
Molybdenum electrode
Molybdenum electrode with sodium barrier
Standard back glass for CIGS
Standard glass („window glass“)
Thickness 2.9 m, weight: 7.25 kg / m²
Advantages
Widely available
Low cost
Strain point at 510-515°C; Annealing point at
~550°C
Differentiation potential:
Overall quality of glass processing (grinding,
drilling, etc)
Coating quality
Strain Point vs. Annealing Point

Strain point (η = 1014.5 Poise)

At the strain point, stress is relaxed within
several hours only. The strain point is
characterized by temperature T and viscosity
η below which stress in the glass is
permanent
Annealing point (η = 1013 Poise)
The annealing point is characterized by a
temperature T and viscosity η at which the
glass is still too hard to deform, but soft
enough to relax stress (within several
minutes)
Glass viscosity as function of temperature
Sodalime
16
510°C Log()~14.5  TStrain
14
550°C Log()~13  TAnnealing
12
Log Viscosity (P)

Automotive
10

8 700°C Log()~7.6  TSoftening

6 Bottle blowing
Photovoltaic
Fiber drawing
4

2
300 500 700 900 1100 1300 1500

Temperature (°C)
Process temperatures of CIGS
The concept of viscoelasticity

In the intermediate range of temperature (500 – 600°C),

used for CIGS, normal glass has a viscoelastic behavior

Hot glass melt (liquid) is viscous, but also undergoes elastic

deformation which is negligible compared to the viscous
deformation
Cold glass is solid, but also undergoes viscous deformation
which is negligible compared to elastic deformation

In the CIGS photovoltaic range of temperature, neither elastic

nor viscous deformation are negligible with respect to one
another
Viscous deformation of glass
At high temperature: viscous deformation

Irreversible (when cooled down quickly)

Allows the glass forming processes like
Float glass, patterned glass, car glass, bottles, fibers, …
Proportional to applied stress
Proportional to duration of application of the stress
Temperatures in CIGS
Which is the relevant strain point for CIGS technology?

The relevant temperature parameter depends

of the couple [Time, Temperature] seen by
the substrate during the CIGS process
For the majority of CIGS processes, the
temperature seen by the glass substrate
remains below 570°C and the annealing time
below 15min
For the majority of CIGS processes, the
annealing temperature is the relevant
parameter to define the glass type that is the
most adapted
 Intermediate Strain Point and High Strain Point
Which glass type is best suited for CIGS applications?

ISP glass
TStrain ~ 527°C
16
TAnnealing ~ 566°C
14
TStrain > 570°C
12
TAnnealing > 620°C
Log Viscosity (P)

10
HSP
TStrain ~ 510-515°C glass
8
TAnnealing ~ 550-555°C
6 Sodalime

2
300 500 700 900 1100 1300 1500
Note: exact values differ by glass type Temperature (°C)
Intermediate and High Strain point glass
The higher the better?

Increase of the module performance

Note: Increase is strongly dependent on the
CIGS process used (sputtering vs co-
evaporation, selenisation time,…)
Reduced risk of warpage during the CIGS
thermal process
Reduction of the
risk of loss due to
the lamination process
The decision between HSP and ISP depends
on the individual CIGS process
Cost of HSP is usually significantly higher
than ISP glass
Glass thickness
What is the optimum thickness for the CIGS substrate?

2.1 mm
Weight reduction of 28% (-2 kg / m²)
Cost reduction (material, transport), but…
…already offset by complex handling and higher
risk of breakage during transport and processing
Below 2 mm
1.8 mm to 0.7 mm possible
Thin glass widely used in automotive
(laminated)
Cost increase with lower thickness
Summary glass types
We are looking for the optimum, not minimum or maximum

Thin glass leads to cost and weight

advantages
Glass with increased strain point allows to
achieve higher efficiency of the CIGS module

2 mm glass with an intermediate strain point

is the optimal CIGS substrate
Agenda

Product range Saint-Gobain Solar Glass

Glass substrates for CIGS
Standard back glass
High strain point glass
Thin glass
Electrodes on glass
Molybdenum coating
Molybdenum coating with sodium barrier
Deposition of Molybdenum
The coating is typically applied by Magnetron sputtering process

PVD (Physical Vapour Target sputtering by ion

Deposition) Process bombardment
(can be reactive sputtering)

Combination of many coat

zones give high flexibility in
stack design!
Mo coated back glass
Success factors of the Molybdenum electrode

Sheet resistance (<0.35 Ω)

Thickness (300 – 500 nm)
Homogeneity
Durability
Sodium sources in CIGS applications
Two different approaches of adding sodium

Diffusion of Na from Add Na in its own

glass to CIGS process step Na

CIGS CIGS

Mo
Mo
Barrier Layer SiN

Glass Na
Glass Na

Note: layer and glass thicknesses are not proportional

Advantages of each sodium source
The advantage of one technology corresponds to the disadvantage of the
other

1. Use the natural sodium 2. Add sodium during the

content of the substrate
+ reduced capex
+ lower production cost (to
be judged against
performance fluctuations)
CIGS process
+ Controlled Na-supply
+ Na-supply independent of
process parameters
+ also other elements are
blocked
+ overall process more
stable

Conclusion: the additional cost of the barrier layer and the Na-
deposition must be weighed against individual performance
increase of the CIGS coating process
Advantages of Make / Buy solutions
Why should a CIGS manufacturer make or buy the back electrode?

1. Make 2. Buy
+ full control over the coating + reduced capex
process
+ spread of risk
+ differentiation potential,
+ lower cost due to full size coating
quicker implementation of
and specialized suppliers
changes
+ Independence from suppliers

Conclusion: the decision to make or buy depends strongly on

the individual process of the CIGS manufacturer
Let the sun shine
through!