Safety in thin film semiconductor deposition

✍ Scribed by R.G. Wolfson; S.M. Vernon

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 1987
• Weight: 503 KB
• Volume: 19
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0379-6787
• DOI: 10.1016/0379-6787(87)90076-7

✦ Synopsis

Special safety precautions are required in thin film photovoltaics manufacture because of the hazardous nature of the source gases used for deposition. Most of these gases are pyrophoric or flammable and dangerously unstable in air but it is the toxicity of some that causes the greatest concern. Therefore the issue addressed here is the control of toxic airborne substances to minimize the hazards associated with their use. Safety considerations are discussed with specific reference to the chemical vapor deposition of silicon from the chlorosilanes, the chemical vapor deposition of group III-V compound semiconductors using the metalorganic-hydride chemistry and the plasma deposition of amorphous silicon and silicon-germanium alloys using silane and germane.