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Sputtering Materials has released new analytical results showing improvements in high density (99 %+) CIG planar targets for thin film solar manufacturers. In particular the results are aimed at improving the deposition of CIG based films and assisting companies into volume production. The company said that it has spent over three years developing a process for casting CIG and CIG doped targets for research and production, SMI is also working on similarly difficult alloys to cast.

"The experience we have gained developing CIG PVD targets over the past 3 and a half years has given us valuable experience that helped refine our planar targets into the industry leading quality material that thin film CIGS manufacturers can depend on," said Greg Howard, Vice President of Sputtering Materials, Inc. Planar target sizes range from 2" dia to 6" dia and up to 6" x 6" tile casting for multi-tile CIG target assemblies. SMI can also provide larger custom sizes on a development basis.

Sputtering Materials believes that casted targets offer a greater deposited material density enabling greater control and better material utilization.

Image 1: SEM/EDS (Area) Image of Casted CIG Planar Target with 500 micron scale.Note: the black specks in the image are Silicon media used in sample preparation.

Image 2:  Summary results

  Element                                            Weight %
  Silicon                                                2.8
  Copper                                             39.7
  Gallium                                            10.5
  Indium                                            47.0