Nuvosun, Inc.

Miasole

Seagate Technology Incorporated

Conner Peripherals, Inc.

Scivac

Velocidata, Inc.

Dow Global Technolgoies LLC

Vitriflex, Inc.

Torohead, Inc.

Raycom Technologies, Inc.

Dennis R Hollars

Robert B Zubeck

Bruce Hachtmann

Delbert F Waltrip

Josef Bonigut

Robert M Smith

David B Pearce

Gary L Payne

Arthur C Wall

Thomas M Valeri

Uri Cohen

Liguang Gong

Hyung Jai Lee

Ravi Prasad

Gang Grant Peng

Taesun Ernest Kim

Carl T Petersen, Iii

Qing Qian

Martin Rosenblum

Yao-Tzung Roger Shih

David P Danson

Kenneth Lee

John C Bruno

Preston Clover

Puthur Paulson

Rocky Taylor

Don Person

Bruce D Hachtmann

Xiaodong Liu

A multilayer stack is described. The multilayer stack includes: (i) one or more inorganic barrier layers for reducing transport of gas or vapor molecules therethrough; (ii) an inorganic reactive layer disposed adjacent to one or more of the inorganic barrier layers, and the reactive layer capable of reacting with the gas or the vapor molecules; and (iii) wherein, in an operational state of the multilayer stack, the vapor or the gas molecules that diffuse through one or more of the inorganic barrier layers react with the inorganic reactive layer, and thereby allow said multilayer stack to be substantially impervious to the gas or the vapor molecules.

Inorganic multilayer stack and methods and compositions relating thereto

The present invention provides methods to sputter deposit films comprising alkali metal compounds. At least one target comprising one or more alkali metal compounds and at least one metallic component is sputtered to form one or more corresponding sputtered films. The at least one target has an atomic ratio of the alkali metal compound to the at least one metallic component in the range from 15:85 to 85:15. The sputtered film(s) incorporating such alkali metal compounds are incorporated into a precursor structure also comprising one or more chalcogenide precursor films. The precursor structure is heated in the presence of at least one chalcogen to form a chalcogenide semiconductor. The resultant chalcogenide semiconductor comprises up to 2 atomic percent of alkali metal content, wherein at least a major portion of the alkali metal content of the resultant chalcogenide semiconductor is derived from the sputtered film(s) incorporating the alkali metal compound(s). The chalcogenide semiconductors are useful in microelectronic devices, including solar cells.

High rate sputter deposition of alkali metal-containing precursor films useful to fabricate chalcogenide semiconductors

Methods and systems for forming a layer from a fluid mixture on a web are provided. The system includes a fluid delivery apparatus for delivering the fluid mixture onto the web. The fluid delivery apparatus includes a cascade device and a chemical dispenser device. The system also includes a fluid stirring apparatus comprising at least one fan positioned over the web and configured to generate a flow pattern that stirs the fluid mixture on the web while the layer is being formed, without the at least one fan contacting the fluid mixture. The system further includes a fluid removal apparatus having a rinsing device and a suction device. The rinsing device is configured to dispense a rinsing fluid onto the web. The suction device is configured to remove by suction the rinsing fluid and a remaining portion of the fluid mixture remaining on the web after formation of the layer.

Web based chemical bath deposition apparatus

An improved method for interconnecting thin film solar cells to form solar cell modules is provided, the method comprising using a flat metallic mesh formed from a thin metallic strip to provide a current collection grid over a thin film solar cell. The method is particularly useful for forming interconnections between thin film solar cells deposited on flexible substrates. The rectangular cross sectional shape of the mesh elements provides an increased area of electrical contact to the solar cell compared to the small tangential area provided by elements of circular cross section. Mesh elements can be made higher rather than wider to improve conductivity without proportionally increasing shading loss. Various coatings can be applied to the mesh to improve its performance, provide corrosion resistance, and improve its cosmetic appearance.

Solar cell interconnection method using a flat metallic mesh

Disclosed is a highly automated method of interconnecting flexible solar cells to form solar modules having a wide variety of sizes and electrical characteristics. The method is fast and economical, providing many attributes of a 'pseudo monolithic integration' scheme that has previously been attainable only on rigid substrates.

Flexible solar cell interconnection systems and methods

A method of manufacturing improved thin-film solar cells entirely by sputtering includes a high efficiency back contact/reflecting multi-layer containing at least one barrier layer consisting of a transition metal nitride. A copper indium gallium diselenide (Cu(InGa)Se) absorber layer (X ranging from 1 to approximately 0.7) is co-sputtered from specially prepared electrically conductive targets using dual cylindrical rotary magnetron technology. The band gap of the absorber layer can be graded by varying the gallium content, and by replacing the gallium partially or totally with aluminum. Alternately the absorber layer is reactively sputtered from metal alloy targets in the presence of hydrogen selenide gas. RF sputtering is used to deposit a non-cadmium containing window layer of ZnS. The top transparent electrode is reactively sputtered aluminum doped ZnO. A unique modular vacuum roll-to-roll sputtering machine is described. The machine is adapted to incorporate dual cylindrical rotary magnetron technology to manufacture the improved solar cell material in a single pass.

Manufacturing apparatus and method for large-scale production of thin-film solar cells

Rotatable magnetron sputtering apparatuses are described for depositing material from a target while reducing premature burn through issues. The rotatable magnetron sputtering apparatus includes electric coils wound on pole pieces to modulate the magnetic fields at the ends of the magnetron magnetic assembly. Changing the direction of electric current moves the sputtering region alternately around its normal central position to decrease the rate of erosion depth at the ends of the target material.

Target utilization improvement for rotatable magnetrons

Manufacturing method for large-scale production of thin-film solar cells

Thin-film solar cells

A sputtering apparatus and method for high rate deposition of electrically insulating and semiconducting coatings with substantially uniform stoichiometry. At least one set of vertically mounted, dual and triple rotatable cylindrical (or planar) magnetrons with associated vacuum pumps, form semi-isolated sputtering modules. The sputtering modules can be independently controlled for the sequential deposition of layers of similar or different materials. Constant voltage operation of AC power with an optional reactive gas flow feedback loop maintains constant coating stoichiometry during small changes in pumping speed caused by substrate motion. The coating method is extremely stable over long periods (days) of operation, with the film stoichiometry being selectable by the voltage control point. The apparatus may take the form of a circular arrangement of modules for batch coating of wafer-like substrates, or the modules may be arranged linearly for the coating of large planar substrates

Sputtering apparatus and process for high rate coatings

A sputtering apparatus and method for high rate deposition of electrically insulating and semiconducting coatings with substantially uniform stoichiometry. Vertically mounted, dual rotatable cylindrical magnetrons with associated vacuum pumps form semi-isolated sputtering modules, which can be independently controlled for the sequential deposition of layers of similar or different materials. Constant voltage operation of AC power with an optional reactive gas flow feedback loop maintains constant coating stoichiometry during small changes in pumping speed caused by substrate motion. The coating method is extremely stable over long periods (days) of operation, with the film stoichiometry being selectable by the voltage control point. The apparatus may take the form of a circular arrangement of modules for batch coating of wafer-like substrates, or the modules may be arranged linearly for the coating of large planar substrates.

A cylindrical carriage sputtering system for disk, wafer, and flat panel substrates (,) comprising a cylindrical shaped vacuum sealed passageway formed by two concentric inner (,) and outer hollow cylinders (,), along with a top and a bottom sealing flange (,). A central hollow cylinder (,), disposed between the inner (,) and outer cylinder (,), includes substrate-carrying openings and serves as a cylindrical carriage which substantially fills the sealed passageway and is rotatable in predetermined steps. Novel substrate processing devices (,) for deposition, heating, and cooling are attached around the circumference of the inner and outer cylindrical walls. Vacuum pumps are located between substrate processing devices (,). The openings in the cylindrical carriage are each fitted with thermally isolated substrate holders (,) for supporting a multiplicity of substrates (,). Unique entrance and exit vacuum load-locks with integrated robotic means are provided for transferring disk substrates (,) into and out of the system. The sputtering system is designed to allow the processing of substrates (,) at temperatures of up to about 1000&deg; C. on either stationary or pass-through sputtering modes.

Cylindrical carriage sputtering system

An apparatus in accordance with the present invention provides a single or multi-layer coating to the surface of a plurality of substrates. The apparatus may include a plurality of buffer and sputtering chambers, and an input end and an output end, wherein said substrates are transported through said chambers of said apparatus at varying rates of speed such that the rate of speed of a pallet from said input end to said output end is a constant for each of said plurality of pallets. A high throughput sputtering apparatus having a plurality of integrally matched components in accordance with the present invention may further include means for transporting a plurality of substrates through said sputtering chambers at variable velocities; means for reducing the ambient pressure within said sputtering chambers to a vacuum level within a pressure range sufficient to enable sputtering operation; means for heating said plurality of substrates to a temperature conducive to sputtering said coatings thereon, said means for heating providing a substantially uniform temperature profile over the surface of said substrates; and control means for providing control signals to and for receiving feedback input from, said sputtering chambers, means for transporting, means for reducing, and means for heating, said control means being programmable for allowing control over said means for sputtering, means for transporting, means for reducing and means for heating.

Sputtering magnetron

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Dennis R Hollars