Finite Element Analysis of An Evaporation System to Synthesize Kesterite thin Films

Abstract

Currently, there is an interest within the scientific community in thin-film solar cells with a Kesterite (Cu2ZnSnS4) type absorber layer, since they report a theoretical efficiency greater than 32 %. The synthesis of Kesterites by evaporation has allowed for efficiencies at the laboratory level of 11.6 %. Although these are good results, the design of the evaporation chamber and the distribution of the electrodes is essential to control synthesis parameters and evaporate each precursor in the corresponding stage. This project seeks to design an evaporation chamber that can achieve a vacuum of 10-5 mbar, increase the deposition surface and avoid each precursor evaporation in a non-corresponding stage. This last objective was studied using Comsol multiphysics R. (licensed product) software, with the adequate disposition of metallic precursors (zinc, copper, and tin) determined by analyzing heat distribution. It was concluded that the lower the evaporation temperature of the precursor, the smaller the height of the copper electrode in the system. This is because, with a lower height the concentration of heat in the container is lower.