Patent application number | Description | Published |
20100112212 | ADJUSTABLE GAS DISTRIBUTION APPARATUS - Embodiments of the present invention generally provide apparatus and methods for altering the contour of a gas distribution plate within a process chamber without breaking vacuum conditions within the chamber. In one embodiment, a central support device adjusted to vary the height of a central region of a gas distribution plate with respect to the periphery of the gas distribution plate. In another embodiment, a plurality of central support devices is adjusted to vary the height of a central region of a gas distribution plate with respect to the periphery of the plate. In yet another embodiment, a plurality of central support devices and a plurality of mid-range support devices are adjusted to vary the height of certain regions of the gas distribution plate with respect to other regions of the gas distribution plate. In one embodiment, the contour of the gas distribution plate is altered based on changes detected within the process chamber. | 05-06-2010 |
20110114177 | MIXED SILICON PHASE FILM FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY THIN FILM SILICON SOLAR CELLS - A method and apparatus for forming solar cells is provided. In one embodiment, a photovoltaic device includes a first p-i-n junction cell formed on a substrate, wherein the p-i-n junction cell comprises a p-type silicon containing layer, an intrinsic type silicon containing layer formed over the p-type silicon containing layer, and a n-type silicon containing layer formed over the intrinsic type silicon containing layer, wherein the intrinsic type silicon containing layer comprises a first pair of microcrystalline layer and amorphous silicon layer. | 05-19-2011 |
20120107996 | SURFACE TREATMENT PROCESS PERFORMED ON A TRANSPARENT CONDUCTIVE OXIDE LAYER FOR SOLAR CELL APPLICATIONS - Embodiments of the invention provide methods of a surface treatment process performing on a transparent conductive oxide layer used in solar cell devices. In one embodiment, a method of performing a surface treatment process includes providing a substrate having a transparent conductive oxide layer disposed thereon in a processing chamber, supplying a gas mixture including an oxygen containing gas into the processing chamber, and performing a surface treatment process using the gas mixture on the surface of the transparent conductive oxide layer. | 05-03-2012 |
20130004681 | MINI BLOCKER PLATE WITH STANDOFF SPACERS - Embodiments of the present invention provide a plasma processing chamber having a mini blocker plate for delivering processing gas to a processing chamber and methods to use the mini blocker plate to improve uniformity. The blocker plate assembly comprising a mini blocker plate having a plurality of through holes, and two or more standoff spacers configured to position the mini blocker plate at a distance away from a blocker plate. | 01-03-2013 |
20130102133 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR FABRICATING SILICON HETEROJUNCTION SOLAR CELLS - A method for fabricating a semiconductor layer within a plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) apparatus. The PECVD apparatus includes a plurality of walls defining a processing region, a substrate support, a shadow frame, a gas distribution showerhead, a gas source in fluid communication with the gas distribution showerhead and the processing region, a radio frequency power source coupled to the gas distribution showerhead, and one or more VHF grounding straps electrically coupled to at least one of the plurality of walls. The VHF grounding straps provide a low-impedance current path between at least one of the plurality of walls and at least one of a shadow frame or the substrate support. The method further includes delivering a semiconductor precursor gas and a dopant precursor gas and delivering a very high frequency (VHF) power to generate a plasma to form a first layer on the one or more substrates. | 04-25-2013 |
20130183796 | METHODS OF MANUFACTURING SOLAR CELL DEVICES - Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a process for making solar cells. Particularly, embodiments of the invention provide simultaneously co-firing (e.g., thermally processing) metal layers disposed both on a first and a second surface of a solar cell substrate to complete the metallization process in one step. By doing so, both the metal layers formed on the first and the second surfaces of the solar cell substrate are co-fired (e.g., simultaneously thermally processed), thereby eliminating manufacturing complexity, cycle time and cost to produce the solar cell device. Embodiments of the invention may also provide a method and solar cell structure that requires a reduced amount of a metallization paste on a rear surface of the substrate to form a rear surface contact structure and, thus, reduce the cost of the formed solar cell device. | 07-18-2013 |
20130186464 | BUFFER LAYER FOR IMPROVING THE PERFORMANCE AND STABILITY OF SURFACE PASSIVATION OF SILICON SOLAR CELLS - Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to the fabrication of solar cells and more specifically to a buffer layer for improving the performance and stability of surface passivation of Si solar cells. Generally, a passivation layer stack containing a buffer layer (interlayer) is formed on a surface of the silicon-based substrate. In one embodiment, the passivation layer stack may be formed on the back surface of the substrate. In another embodiment, the passivation layer stack is formed on the back surface of the substrate and a front emitter region (light receiving surface) of the substrate. | 07-25-2013 |
20130199606 | METHODS OF MANUFACTURING BACK SURFACE FIELD AND METALLIZED CONTACTS ON A SOLAR CELL DEVICE - Embodiments of the present invention are directed to a process for making solar cells. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a solar cell device, includes providing a substrate having a first surface and a second surface, selectively disposing a first metal paste in a first pattern on the first surface of the substrate, forming a first dielectric layer over the first metal paste on the first surface of the substrate, forming a second metal paste in a second pattern over the first dielectric layer align with the first metal paste, and simultaneously heating the first and the second metal pastes disposed on the first surface of the substrate to form a first group of contacts on the first surface of the substrate, wherein at least a portion of the second metal paste forms the first group of contacts that each extend through the first dielectric layer to connect with the first metal paste to the first surface of the substrate. | 08-08-2013 |
20130247972 | PASSIVATION FILM STACK FOR SILICON-BASED SOLAR CELLS - Methods of forming a passivation film stack on a surface of a silicon-based substrate are provided. In one embodiment, the passivation film stack includes a silicon nitride layer and an aluminum oxide layer disposed between the silicon nitride layer and the silicon-based substrate. The aluminum oxide layer is deposited such that the aluminum oxide layer has a low hydrogen (H) content less than about 17 atomic % and a mass density greater than about 2.5 g/cm | 09-26-2013 |
20130273262 | STATIC DEPOSITION PROFILE MODULATION FOR LINEAR PLASMA SOURCE - Methods and apparatus for controlling film deposition using a linear plasma source are described herein. The apparatus include a showerhead having openings therein for flowing a gas therethrough, a conveyor to support one or more substrates thereon disposed adjacent to the showerhead, and a power source for ionizing the gas. The ionized gas can be a source gas used to deposit a material on the substrate. The deposition profile of the material on the substrate can be adjusted, for example, using a gas-shaping device included in the apparatus. Additionally or alternatively, the deposition profile may be adjusted by using an actuatable showerhead. The method includes exposing a substrate to an ionized gas to deposit a film on the substrate, wherein the ionized gas is influenced with a gas-shaping device to uniformly deposit the film on the substrate as the substrate is conveyed proximate to the showerhead. | 10-17-2013 |
20140000686 | FILM STACK AND PROCESS DESIGN FOR BACK PASSIVATED SOLAR CELLS AND LASER OPENING OF CONTACT | 01-02-2014 |
20140213016 | IN SITU SILICON SURFACE PRE-CLEAN FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE PASSIVATION OF SILICON SOLAR CELLS - Embodiments of the invention generally relate to methods for fabricating photovoltaic devices, and more particularly to methods for in-situ cleaning of a solar cell substrates. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a solar cell device is provided. The method comprises exposing a single or poly crystalline silicon substrate to a wet clean process to clean the surfaces of the crystalline substrate, loading the crystalline silicon substrate into a processing system having a vacuum environment, exposing at least one surface of the crystalline silicon substrate to an in-situ cleaning process in the vacuum environment of the processing system, and forming one or more passivation layers on at least one surface of the crystalline silicon substrate in the processing system. | 07-31-2014 |
20140273338 | METHODS OF FORMING SOLAR CELLS AND SOLAR CELL MODULES - Embodiments of the present invention are directed to processes for making solar cells by simultaneously co-firing metal layers disposed both on a first and a second surface of a bifacial solar cell substrate. Embodiments of the invention may also provide a method forming a solar cell structure that utilize a reduced amount of a silver paste on a front surface of the solar cell substrate and a patterned aluminum metallization paste on a rear surface of the solar cell substrate to form a rear surface contact structure. Embodiments can be used to form passivated emitter and rear cells (PERC), passivated emitter rear locally diffused solar cells (PERL), passivated emitter, rear totally-diffused (PERT), “iPERC,” Crystalline Reduced-cost Aluminum Fire-Through (CRAFT), pCRAFT, nCRAFT or other high efficiency cell concepts. | 09-18-2014 |