The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 13, 2014
Filed:
Oct. 21, 2011
Yangang Andrew Xi, Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Frank Sanford Prescott, Berthoud, CO (US);
Scott Daniel Feldman-peabody, Golden, CO (US);
Donald E. Rhonehouse, The Villages, FL (US);
Mark Jeffrey Pavol, Arvada, CO (US);
Yangang Andrew Xi, Eden Prairie, MN (US);
Frank Sanford Prescott, Berthoud, CO (US);
Scott Daniel Feldman-Peabody, Golden, CO (US);
Donald E. Rhonehouse, The Villages, FL (US);
Mark Jeffrey Pavol, Arvada, CO (US);
First Solar, Inc., Tempe, AZ (US);
Abstract
Process and apparatus are generally provided for forming a thin film photovoltaic device. In one particular embodiment, the process includes: depositing a photovoltaic absorber layer on a glass substrate; heating the glass substrate to an anneal temperature; and quenching the glass substrate to cool the glass substrate to a quenched temperature in less than 10 seconds. The quenched temperature can be about 85° C. to about 200° C. less than the anneal temperature. The quenching atmosphere can have a quenching pressure of about 1 torr or more and can include an inert gas.