First Solar, Inc.

Solar Cells, Inc.

Alan J McMaster

Harold A McMaster

James B Foote

A deposition system (20) for depositing a material layer on a glass sheet substrate includes a lateral alignment mechanism (28) for laterally aligning glass sheet substrates with an ingress seal (48) of a deposition station (22). The lateral alignment mechanism (28) includes a pair of banks (164, 166) of alignment members (168) spaced laterally with respect to each other along the direction of conveyance. Round alignment surfaces (170) of the alignment members (168) are located above conveyor rolls (96) upstream from the housing of the deposition station and are rotatable about associated vertical axes. A positioner (172) moves one of the banks of alignment members (168) laterally with respect to the direction of conveyance toward the other bank of alignment members to laterally align the glass sheet substrate along the direction of conveyance with the ingress seal assembly (48). A rotary drive (174) rotates the alignment members (168) to cooperate with the conveyor rolls in conveying the glass sheet substrate.

Glass substrate deposition system having lateral alignment mechanism

A processing system (20,20') for processing sheet glass G includes a housing (22) and at least one slit seal (38i,38i',38e,38e') constructed to permit continuous passage of sheet glass in an efficient manner without fluttering. The slit seal functions as both an ingress slit seal (38i,38i') and as an egress slit seal (38e,38e'). Each slit seal has side seals (100, 102, 112, 114) and preferably has three stages of vacuum drawn by an associated first, second and third vacuum pumps (80,82,84). The sealing method for use in processing sheet glass has particular utility in connection with depositing semiconductor materials for photovoltaics and can be performed on either discrete glass sheets (28) or a continuous glass ribbon (30).

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Dexter, MI, United States of America

Alan J McMaster