Tesla, Inc.

Applied Materials, Inc.

Solarcity Corporation

Zhigang Xie

Mei Yin Chang

Jiunn Benjamin Heng

Zheng Xu

Wei W Wang

Jianming Fu

Ashish Bodke

Srinivas Gandikota

Xianmin Tang

Muhammad M Rasheed

Kirankumar Neelasandra Savandaiah

Rongjun Wang

Michael Santiago Cox

Lara Hawrylchak

Tza-Jing Gung

Adolph Miller Allen

Zhenbin Ge

Bobby Yang

Peter J Rive

Donny Young

Zhendong Liu

Jianhua Hu

Keyvan Kashefizadeh

Anand J Reddy

Chunguang Xiao

Yangsen Kang

Wei Wang

Embodiments of the invention generally provide a processing chamber used to perform a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process and methods of depositing multi-compositional films. The processing chamber may include: an improved RF feed configuration to reduce any standing wave effects; an improved magnetron design to enhance RF plasma uniformity, deposited film composition and thickness uniformity; an improved substrate biasing configuration to improve process control; and an improved process kit design to improve RF field uniformity near the critical surfaces of the substrate. The method includes forming a plasma in a processing region of a chamber using an RF supply coupled to a multi-compositional target, translating a magnetron relative to the multi-compositional target, wherein the magnetron is positioned in a first position relative to a center point of the multi-compositional target while the magnetron is translating and the plasma is formed, and depositing a multi-compositional film on a substrate in the chamber.

High pressure RF-DC sputtering and methods to improve film uniformity and step-coverage of this process

One embodiment can provide a solar module. The solar module can include one or more moisture-resistant photovoltaic structures. A respective photovoltaic structure can include a base layer, an emitter layer positioned on a first side of the base layer, and a moisture barrier layer positioned on a first side of the emitter layer, thereby reducing the amount of moisture that reaches a junction between the base layer and the emitter layer.

Moisture-resistant solar cells for solar roof tiles

A solar module is provided. The solar module includes a number of photovoltaic structures. Each photovoltaic structure has an interdigitated back contact, and the photovoltaic structures are cascaded, wherein any two adjacent structures are electrically coupled by overlapping their edges.

Cascaded photovoltaic structures with interdigitated back contacts

One embodiment of the present invention provides a solar cell. The solar cell includes a base layer comprising crystalline Si (c-Si), a hole collector situated on a first side of the base layer, and an electron collector situated on a second side of the base layer, which is opposite the first side. The hole collector includes a quantum-tunneling-barrier (QTB) layer situated adjacent to the base layer and a transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layer situated adjacent to the QTB layer. The TCO layer has a work function of at least 5.0 eV.

Hole collectors for silicon photovoltaic cells

One embodiment of the invention can provide a system for fabricating a photovoltaic structure. During fabrication, the system can form a sacrificial layer on a first side of a Si substrate; load the Si substrate into a chemical vapor deposition tool, with the sacrificial layer in contact with a wafer carrier; and form a first doped Si layer on a second side of the Si substrate. The system subsequently can remove the sacrificial layer; load the Si substrate into a chemical vapor deposition tool, with the first doped Si layer facing a wafer carrier; and form a second doped Si layer on the first side of the Si substrate.

System and method for mass-production of high-efficiency photovoltaic structures

Methods for processing substrates are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of processing a substrate within a process chamber having an electrostatic chuck to support a substrate in a processing region of the process chamber and a target disposed opposite the electrostatic chuck, wherein the target comprises a target material to be deposited on the substrate, may include disposing a substrate on the electrostatic chuck; providing a process gas to the processing region; igniting a plasma in the processing region from the process gas while the substrate is disposed on the electrostatic chuck with no chucking voltage provided to clamp the substrate to the electrostatic chuck; and depositing target material on the substrate to form a first barrier layer while no chucking voltage is provided, wherein the target material is sputtered from the target via the plasma.

Methods of preventing plasma induced damage during substrate processing

One embodiment of the present invention provides a sputtering system for large-scale fabrication of solar cells. The sputtering system includes a reaction chamber, a rotary target situated inside the reaction chamber which is capable of rotating about a longitudinal axis, and an RF power source coupled to at least one end of the rotary target to enable RF sputtering. The length of the rotary target is between 0.5 and 5 meters.

Radio-frequency sputtering system with rotary target for fabricating solar cells

Methods for forming titanium nitride layers are provided herein. In some embodiments, a method of forming a titanium nitride layer on a substrate may include providing a substrate into a processing chamber having a target comprising titanium disposed therein; supplying a nitrogen-containing gas into the processing chamber; sputtering a titanium source material from the target in the presence of a plasma formed from the nitrogen-containing gas to deposit a titanium nitride layer on the substrate; and upon depositing the titanium nitride layer to a desired thickness, forming a magnetic field that biases ions in the processing chamber away from the substrate.

Methods for forming a titanium nitride layer

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San Jose, CA, United States of America

Zhigang Xie