Device and method for precipitating a layer on a substrate

Abstract

A device for depositing a layer containing at least two components on an object, including: a deposition chamber; a source containing a material to be deposited; and a control device, which controls the deposition process, implemented such that a concentration of the component of the material can be modified in its gas phase prior to deposition on the object by selective binding a specified quantity of the component, wherein the selectively bound quantity of the component is controlled by modifying a control parameter that is actively coupled to a binding rate or the component, and wherein the control device contains a gettering element containing a reactive material containing copper and/or molybdenum. Also, a method for depositing a layer containing at least two components on an object, wherein a selectively bound quantity of a component is controlled by modifying a binding rate of the component of the control device.

1 . A device, which deposits a layer comprising at least two components on an object, comprising:
 a deposition chamber, which disposes the object;   a source comprising a material comprising a component to be deposited, on the object; and   a control device, which controls a deposition process, implemented such that a concentration of at least one component of the material to be deposited can be modified in its gas phase prior to deposition on the object by selective binding of a specified quantity of the at least one component, wherein the selectively bound quantity of the at least one component is controlled by modifying a control parameter actively coupled to a binding rate of the component.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control device is implemented such that the selectively bound quantity of the at least one component is controlled during the deposition process of the component. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises a gettering element comprising a material that is chemically inert to the at least one component to be controlled,
 wherein the gettering element is disposed in the deposition chamber and the control device is implemented such that the concentration of the at least one component is modified by physical binding of a specified quantity of the component to the gettering element.   
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control device comprises a gettering element comprising a material that is chemically reactive with the at least one component to be controlled, wherein the gettering element is disposed in the deposition chamber and the control device is implemented such that the concentration of the at least one component is modified by chemical binding of a specified quantity of the component to the gettering element. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the control device is implemented such that a temperature and/or an active binding surface and/or an electrical potential of the gettering element is modified. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the control device comprises at least two gettering elements that are implemented as electrode elements, to which different electrical potentials are applied to provide two differently configured gettering elements. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the control device is implemented such that a different electrical potential is applied to the gettering element relative to a wall of the deposition chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the control device comprises an electrode and is implemented such that a different electrical potential is applied to the gettering element relative to the electrode. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the control device comprises:
 a device, which moves and/or positions the gettering element and/or a masking element for the gettering element, implemented such that the gettering element and/or the masking element can be moved in the deposition chamber to modify a position of the gettering element and/or of the masking element.   
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the gettering element is implemented as a panel element and/or rod element and/or grid element, and/or the gettering element is implemented such that it at least partially encases the source. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein the gettering element is disposed in the deposition chamber and/or forms a part of the deposition chamber. 
     
     
         12 . A device, which deposits a layer comprising at least two components on an object, comprising:
 a deposition chamber, which disposes the object;   a source comprising a material comprising a component to be deposited;   a control device, which controls a deposition process, implemented such that the concentration of at least one component of the material is modified in its gas phase prior to deposition on the object by selective binding of a specified quantity of the at least one component,   wherein the control device comprises a gettering element comprising a reactive material that is disposed in the deposition chamber and is implemented such that the concentration of the at least one component can be modified by chemical and/or physical binding of a specified quantity of the component to the gettering element, and   wherein the reactive material comprises copper and/or molybdenum.   
     
     
         13 . A method for depositing a layer comprising at least two components on an object, the method comprising:
 selectively binding a specified quantity of a component with a control device, which controls the deposition process, to modify a concentration of at least one component in its gas phase prior to deposition on the object,   wherein the selectively bound quantity is controlled by modifying a binding rate of the component of the control device.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the selectively bound quantity of the at least one component is controlled by modifying a temperature and/or an actively binding surface and/or an electrical potential of a gettering element. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the object is a thin-film solar cell substrate. 
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the control device is implemented such that a temperature and/or an active binding surface and/or an electrical potential of the gettering element is modified. 
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the control device comprises at least two gettering elements that are implemented as electrode elements, to which different electrical potentials are applied to provide two differently configured gettering elements. 
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the control device is implemented such that a different electrical potential is applied to the gettering element relative to a wall of the deposition chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 4 , wherein the control device comprises an electrode and is implemented such that a different electrical potential is applied to the gettering element relative to the electrode.