US20130284094A1 - Modular System for Continuous Deposition of a Thin Film Layer on a Substrate - Google Patents
Modular System for Continuous Deposition of a Thin Film Layer on a Substrate Download PDFInfo
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- US20130284094A1 US20130284094A1 US13/937,765 US201313937765A US2013284094A1 US 20130284094 A1 US20130284094 A1 US 20130284094A1 US 201313937765 A US201313937765 A US 201313937765A US 2013284094 A1 US2013284094 A1 US 2013284094A1
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L31/18—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
- H01L31/186—Particular post-treatment for the devices, e.g. annealing, impurity gettering, short-circuit elimination, recrystallisation
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C14/00—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material
- C23C14/22—Coating by vacuum evaporation, by sputtering or by ion implantation of the coating forming material characterised by the process of coating
- C23C14/56—Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating; Arrangements for maintaining the vacuum, e.g. vacuum locks
- C23C14/568—Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C23—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; CHEMICAL SURFACE TREATMENT; DIFFUSION TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL; INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL
- C23C—COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL
- C23C16/00—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes
- C23C16/44—Chemical coating by decomposition of gaseous compounds, without leaving reaction products of surface material in the coating, i.e. chemical vapour deposition [CVD] processes characterised by the method of coating
- C23C16/54—Apparatus specially adapted for continuous coating
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- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L31/18—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
- H01L31/1828—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof the active layers comprising only AIIBVI compounds, e.g. CdS, ZnS, CdTe
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- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L31/00—Semiconductor devices sensitive to infrared radiation, light, electromagnetic radiation of shorter wavelength or corpuscular radiation and specially adapted either for the conversion of the energy of such radiation into electrical energy or for the control of electrical energy by such radiation; Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment thereof or of parts thereof; Details thereof
- H01L31/18—Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof
- H01L31/186—Particular post-treatment for the devices, e.g. annealing, impurity gettering, short-circuit elimination, recrystallisation
- H01L31/1864—Annealing
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E10/00—Energy generation through renewable energy sources
- Y02E10/50—Photovoltaic [PV] energy
- Y02E10/543—Solar cells from Group II-VI materials
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- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
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Abstract
Description
- The present application claims priority to and is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/638,687 titled “Modular System and Process for Continuous Deposition of a Thin Film Layer on a Substrate” of Pavol, et al. filed on Dec. 15, 2009, which is incorporated by reference herein.
- The subject matter disclosed herein relates generally to the field of thin film deposition processes wherein a thin film layer, such as a semiconductor material layer, is deposited on a substrate. More particularly, the disclosed subject matter is related to a system and process for depositing a thin film layer of a photo-reactive material on a glass substrate in the formation of photovoltaic (PV) modules.
- Thin film photovoltaic (PV) modules (also referred to as “solar panels” or “solar modules”) based on cadmium telluride (CdTe) paired with cadmium sulfide (CdS) as the photo-reactive components are gaining wide acceptance and interest in the industry. CdTe is a semiconductor material having characteristics particularly suited for conversion of solar energy (sunlight) to electricity. For example, CdTe has an energy bandgap of 1.45 eV, which enables it to convert more energy from the solar spectrum as compared to lower bandgap (1.1 eV) semiconductor materials historically used in solar cell applications. Also, CdTe converts energy more efficiently in lower or diffuse light conditions as compared to the lower bandgap materials and, thus, has a longer effective conversion time over the course of a day or in low-light (e.g., cloudy) conditions as compared to other conventional materials.
- Solar energy systems using CdTe PV modules are generally recognized as the most cost efficient of the commercially available systems in terms of cost per watt of power generated. However, the advantages of CdTe not withstanding, sustainable commercial exploitation and acceptance of solar power as a supplemental or primary source of industrial or residential power depends on the ability to produce efficient PV modules on a large scale and in a cost effective manner.
- Certain factors affect the efficiency of CdTe PV modules in terms of cost and power generation capacity of the modules. For example, CdTe is relatively expensive and, thus, efficient utilization (i.e., minimal waste) of the material is a primary cost factor. In addition, the energy conversion efficiency of the module is a factor of certain characteristics of the deposited CdTe film layer. Non-uniformity or defects in the film layer can significantly decrease the output of the module, thereby adding to the cost per unit of power. Also, the ability to process relatively large substrates on an economically sensible commercial scale is a crucial consideration.
- CSS (Close Space Sublimation) is a known commercial vapor deposition process for production of CdTe modules. Reference is made, for example, to U.S. Pat. No. 6,444,043 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,423,565. Within the deposition chamber in a CSS process, the substrate is brought to an opposed position at a relatively small distance (i.e., about 2-3 mm) opposite to a CdTe source. The CdTe material sublimes and deposits onto the surface of the substrate. In the CSS system of U.S. Pat. No. 6,444,043 cited above, the CdTe material is in granular form and is held in a heated receptacle within the vapor deposition chamber. The sublimed material moves through holes in a cover placed over the receptacle and deposits onto the stationary glass surface, which is held at the smallest possible distance (1-2 mm) above the cover frame. The cover is heated to a temperature greater than the receptacle.
- While there are advantages to the CSS process, the system is inherently a batch process wherein the glass substrate is indexed into a vapor deposition chamber, held in the chamber for a finite period of time in which the film layer is formed, and subsequently indexed out of the chamber. The system is more suited for batch processing of relatively small surface area substrates. The process must be periodically interrupted in order to replenish the CdTe source, which is detrimental to a large scale production process. In addition, the deposition process cannot be readily stopped and restarted in a controlled manner, resulting in significant non-utilization (i.e., waste) of the CdTe material during the indexing of the substrates into and out of the chamber, and during any steps needed to position the substrate within the chamber.
- Accordingly, there exists an ongoing need in the industry for an improved system and method for economically feasible large scale production of efficient PV modules, particularly CdTe based modules.
- Aspects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the following description, or may be obvious from the description, or may be learned through practice of the invention.
- In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a process is provided for vapor deposition of a thin film layer, such as a CdTe layer, on a photovoltaic (PV) module substrate. A “thin” film layer is generally recognized in the art as less than 10 microns (μm), although the invention is not limited to any particular film thickness. The process includes conveying substrates in serial arrangement through a vapor deposition apparatus in a vacuum chamber wherein a thin film of a sublimed source material is deposited onto an upper surface of the substrates. The substrates are conveyed through the vapor deposition apparatus at a controlled constant linear speed such that leading and trailing sections of the substrates in a conveyance direction are exposed to the same vapor deposition conditions within the vapor deposition apparatus. The substrates are post-heated as they are conveyed out of the vapor deposition apparatus such that a substantially uniform temperature profile is maintained along the length of the substrates until the entire substrate is conveyed out of the vapor deposition apparatus. The substrates are then controllably cooled before being removed from the vacuum chamber.
- In an alternate process embodiment, the substrates are post-heated as they are conveyed out of the vapor deposition apparatus in a manner such that a controlled gradually decreasing temperature gradient is established along the length of the substrates until the entire substrate is conveyed out of the vapor deposition apparatus. The decreasing temperature gradient is of a nature such that damage to the substrate, such as warping, breaking, and so forth, is prevented.
- Variations and modifications to the processes discussed above are within the scope and spirit of the invention and may be further described herein. In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a system is provided for vapor deposition of a thin film layer, such as a CdTe film layer, on photovoltaic (PV) module substrates. The system includes a vacuum chamber, which may be defined by a plurality of interconnected modules in a particular embodiment. The vacuum chamber includes a vapor deposition apparatus configured for depositing a thin film of a sublimed source material onto an upper surface of substrates conveyed therethrough. A conveyor system is operably disposed within the vacuum chamber and is configured for conveying the substrates in a serial arrangement through the vapor deposition apparatus at a controlled constant linear speed. A post-heat section is disposed within said vacuum chamber immediately downstream of the vapor deposition apparatus in the conveyance direction of the substrates. The post-heat section is configured to maintain the substrates conveyed from the vapor deposition apparatus at a desired heated temperature profile that prevents thermal damage to the substrates until the entire substrate has exited the vapor deposition apparatus. The post-heat section may include one or more post-heat modules having controllable heat zones
- In a particular embodiment, the post-heat section is configured to heat the substrates such that a substantially uniform temperature profile is maintained along the length of the substrates until the entire substrate is conveyed out of said vapor deposition apparatus.
- In an alternate embodiment, the post-heat section is configured to heat the substrates in a manner such that a controlled gradually decreasing temperature gradient profile is established along the length of the substrates until the entire substrate is conveyed out of the vapor deposition apparatus.
- Variations and modifications to the embodiments of the system assembly discussed above are within the scope and spirit of the invention and may be further described herein.
- These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following description and appended claims.
- A full and enabling disclosure of the present invention, including the best mode thereof, is set forth in the specification, which makes reference to the appended drawings, in which:
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FIG. 1 is a plan view of an embodiment of a system in accordance with aspects of the invention; and, -
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the embodiment of the system ofFIG. 1 . - Reference now will be made in detail to embodiments of the invention, one or more examples of which are illustrated in the drawings. Each example is provided by way of explanation of the invention, not limitation of the invention. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment, can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment. Thus, it is intended that the present invention encompass such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
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FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate an embodiment of asystem 10 configured for vapor deposition of a thin film layer on a photovoltaic (PV) module substrate 14 (referred to hereafter as a “substrate”). The thin film may be, for example, a film layer of cadmium telluride (CdTe). Although the invention is not limited to any particular film thickness, as mentioned, it is generally recognized in the art that a “thin” film layer on a PV module substrate is generally less than about 10 microns (μm). It should be appreciated that the present system is not limited to vapor deposition of a particular type of film layer, and that CdTe is just one type of film layer that may be deposited by thesystem 10. - Referring to
FIG. 1 , thesystem 10 includes avacuum chamber 16, which may be defined by any configuration of components. In the particular illustrated embodiment, thevacuum chamber 16 is defined by a plurality of interconnected modules, as discussed in greater detail below. In general, thevacuum chamber 16 may be considered as the section or portion of thesystem 10 wherein a vacuum is drawn and maintained for the various aspects of the vapor deposition process. - The
system 10 includes apreheat section 18 within thevacuum chamber 16. Thepreheat section 18 may be one or a plurality of components that preheat thesubstrates 14 as they are conveyed through thevacuum chamber 16. In the illustrated embodiment, thepreheat section 18 is defined by a plurality ofinterconnected modules 20 through which thesubstrates 14 are conveyed. - The
vacuum chamber 16 also includes avapor deposition apparatus 24 downstream of thepreheat section 18 in the direction of conveyance of thesubstrates 14. Thisapparatus 24 may be configured as avapor deposition module 22 and is the component configuration wherein a source material, such as granular CdTe material, is sublimated and deposited onto thesubstrate 14 as a thin film layer. It should be readily appreciated that various vapor deposition systems and processes are known in the art, such as the CSS systems discussed above, and that thevapor deposition apparatus 24 is not limited to any particular type of vapor deposition system or process. - The
vacuum chamber 16 also includes a cool-downsection 26 downstream of thevapor deposition apparatus 24. In the illustrated embodiment, the cool-downsection 26 is defined by a plurality of interconnected cool-downmodules 28 through which thesubstrates 14 are conveyed prior to being removed from thesystem 10, as described in greater detail below. - The
system 10 also includes a conveyor system that is operably disposed within thevacuum chamber 16. In the illustrated embodiment, thisconveyor system 16 includes a plurality of individual conveyors 66, with each of the modules in thesystem 10 including a respective one of the conveyors 66. It should be appreciated that the type or configuration of the conveyors 66 is not a limiting factor of the invention. In the illustrated embodiment, the conveyors 66 are roller conveyors driven by a motor drive 67 (FIG. 2 ) that is controlled so as to achieve a desired conveyance rate of thesubstrates 14 through a respective module, and thesystem 10 overall. - The
system 10 also includes a feed system 48 (FIG. 2 ) that is configured with thevapor deposition apparatus 24 to supply theapparatus 24 with source material, such as granular CdTe material. Thefeed system 48 may take on various configurations within the scope and spirit of the invention, and functions so as to supply the source material without interrupting the continuous vapor deposition process within thevapor deposition apparatus 24 or conveyance of thesubstrates 14 through thevapor deposition apparatus 24. - Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2 in general, theindividual substrates 14 are initially placed onto aload conveyor 46, which may include, for example, the same type of driven roller conveyor 66 that is utilized in the other system modules. Thesubstrates 14 are first conveyed through an entryvacuum lock station 34 that is upstream of thevacuum chamber 16. In the illustrated embodiment, thevacuum lock station 34 includes aload module 36 upstream of abuffer module 38 in the direction of conveyance of thesubstrates 14. A “rough” (i.e., initial)vacuum pump 56 is configured with theload module 36 to drawn an initial vacuum level, and a “fine” (i.e., high)vacuum pump 58 is configured with thebuffer module 38 to increase the vacuum in thebuffer module 38 to essentially the vacuum level within thevacuum chamber 16. Valves 62 (e.g., gate-type slit valves or rotary-type flapper valves) are operably disposed between theload conveyor 46 and theload module 36, between theload module 36 and thebuffer module 38, and between thebuffer module 38 and thevacuum chamber 16. Thesevalves 62 are sequentially actuated by a motor or other type ofactuating mechanism 64 in order to introduce thesubstrates 14 into thevacuum chamber 16 in a step-wise manner without adversely affecting the vacuum within thechamber 16. - Under normal operating conditions, an operational vacuum is maintained in the
vacuum chamber 16 by way of any combination ofvacuum pumps substrate 14 into thevacuum chamber 16, thevalve 62 between theload module 36 andbuffer module 38 is initially closed and the load module is vented. Thevalve 62 between thebuffer module 38 and firstpre-heat module 20 is closed. Thevalve 62 between theload module 36 andload conveyor 46 is opened and the individual conveyors 66 in the respective modules are controlled so as to advance asubstrate 14 into theload module 36. At this point, thefirst valve 62 is shut and thesubstrate 14 is isolated in theload module 36. Therough vacuum pump 56 then draws an initial vacuum in theload module 36. During this time, thefine vacuum pump 58 draws a vacuum in thebuffer module 38. When the vacuum between theload module 36 andbuffer module 38 are substantially equalized, thevalve 62 between the modules is opened and thesubstrate 14 is moved into thebuffer module 38. Thevalve 62 between the modules is closed and thefine vacuum pump 58 increases the vacuum in thebuffer module 38 until it is substantially equalized with theadjacent pre-heat module 20. Thevalve 62 between thebuffer module 38 andpre-heat module 20 is then opened and the substrate is moved into thepre-heat module 20. This process repeats for eachsubstrate 14 conveyed into thevacuum chamber 16. - In the illustrated embodiment, the
preheat section 18 is defined by a plurality ofinterconnected modules 20 that define a heated conveyance path for thesubstrates 14 through thevacuum chamber 16. Each of themodules 20 may include a plurality of independently controlledheaters 21, with theheaters 21 defining a plurality of different heat zones. A particular heat zone may include more than oneheater 21. - Each of the
preheat modules 20 also includes an independently controlled conveyor 66. Theheaters 21 and conveyors 66 are controlled for eachmodule 20 so as to achieve a conveyance rate of thesubstrates 14 through thepreheat section 18 that ensures a desired temperature of thesubstrates 14 prior to conveyance of thesubstrates 14 into a downstreamvapor deposition module 22. - In the illustrated embodiment, the
vapor deposition apparatus 24 includes amodule 22 in which thesubstrates 14 are exposed to a vapor deposition environment wherein a thin film of sublimed source material, such as CdTe, is deposited onto the upper surface of thesubstrates 14. Theindividual substrates 14 are conveyed through thevapor deposition module 22 at a controlled constant linear speed. In other words, thesubstrates 14 are not stopped or held within themodule 24, but move continuously through themodule 22 at a controlled linear rate. The conveyance rate of thesubstrates 14 may be in the range of, for example, about 10 mm/sec to about 40 mm/sec. In a particular embodiment, this rate may be, for example, about 20 mm/sec. In this manner, the leading and trailing sections of thesubstrates 14 in the conveyance direction are exposed to the same vapor deposition conditions within thevapor deposition module 22. All regions of the top surface of thesubstrates 14 are exposed to the same vapor conditions so as to achieve a substantially uniform thickness of the thin film layer of sublimated source material on the upper surface of thesubstrates 14. - The
vapor deposition module 22 includes arespective conveyor 65, which may be different from the conveyors 66 in the plurality of upstream and downstream modules.Conveyor 65 may be particularly configured to support the vapor deposition process within themodule 22. In the embodiment illustrated, anendless slat conveyor 65 is configured within themodule 22 for this purpose. It should be readily appreciated, however, that any other type of suitable conveyor may also be used. - The
vapor deposition apparatus 24 is configured with a feed system 48 (FIG. 2 ) to continuously supply theapparatus 24 with source material in a manner so as not to interrupt the vapor deposition process or non-stop conveyance of thesubstrates 14 through themodule 22. Thefeed system 48 is not a limiting factor of the invention, and anysuitable feed system 48 may be devised to supply the source material into themodule 22. For example, thefeed system 48 may include sequentially operated vacuum locks wherein an external source of the material is introduced as metered doses in a step-wise manner through the vacuum locks and into a receptacle within thevapor deposition apparatus 24. The supply of source material is considered “continuous” in that the vapor deposition process need not be stopped or halted in order to re-supply theapparatus 24 with source material. So long as the external supply is maintained, thefeed system 48 will continuously supply batches or metered doses of the material into thevapor deposition apparatus 24. - In the illustrated embodiment, a
post-heat section 30 is defined within thevacuum chamber 16 immediately downstream of thevapor deposition module 22. Thispost-heat section 30 may be defined by one or morepost-heat modules 32 having aheater unit 21 configured therewith. Theheat unit 21 may include multiple independently controlled heat zones, with each zone having one or more heaters. As the leading section of asubstrate 14 is conveyed out of thevapor deposition module 24, it moves into thepost-heat module 32. Thepost-heat module 32 maintains a controlled heating profile of the substrate until the entire substrate is moved out of thevapor deposition module 22 to prevent damage to the substrate, such as warping or breaking caused by uncontrolled or drastic thermal stresses. If the leading section of thesubstrate 14 were allowed to cool at an excessive rate as it exited themodule 22, a potentially damaging temperature gradient would be generated longitudinally along thesubstrate 14. This condition could result in the substrate breaking from thermal stress. - In a particular embodiment, the
post-heat section 16 is controlled to establish a substantially uniform or constant temperature throughout thesection 16. For example, in the embodiment wherein thepost-heat section 16 includes a module 324 andheater unit 21, the heater unit maintains a constant temperature along the longitudinal dimension of themodule 32. In this configuration, a substantially uniform temperature profile is generated in thesubstrates 14 as they are conveyed out of thevapor deposition apparatus 24 and through thepost-heat module 32 until theentire substrate 14 is conveyed out of thevapor deposition apparatus 24. - In the embodiment wherein the substrates are maintained at a uniform temperature profile through the
post-heat module 32, the substrates may be conveyed at a first conveyance rate into themodule 32, and conveyed from thepost-heat module 32 into an adjacent cool-down section 26 (e.g., into a first cool-down module 28) at a substantially greater second conveyance rate that is effective to prevent a thermal gradient from being established along the length of thesubstrates 14. In other words, thesubstrates 14 are moved into the cool-downsection 26 as such a rate that a damaging thermal gradient cannot be established along the length of the substrate. In essence, theentire substrate 14 is subjected to the cooling conditions at essentially the same time so that thermal stresses are not induced in the substrate material. In particular embodiments, the first conveyance rate is from about 10 mm/sec to about 40 mm/sec, and the second conveyance rate is from about 200 mm/sec to about 600 mm/sec. Thesubstrates 14 may then be conveyed through the cool-downsection 26 at about the first conveyance rate. - In an alternate embodiment related to the post-heat process, the post-heat section (e.g., post-heat module 32) is controlled in a manner such that a controlled gradually decreasing temperature gradient profile is established along the length of the
substrates 14 until the entire substrate is conveyed out of thevapor deposition apparatus 24. In other words, the leading section of thesubstrate 14 will have a decreased temperature as compared to the trailing section of the substrate as the substrate moves through themodule 32. This decreasing temperature gradient is carefully controlled so that an excessive and potentially damaging gradient is not established. It should be appreciated that thesubstrates 14 can endure some degree of a thermal gradient without being damaged, and this particular embodiment takes advantage of this characteristic by allowing some initial cooling of the leading section of thesubstrate 14. This embodiment allows for thesubstrates 14 to be conveyed through thevapor deposition apparatus 24, into and through thepost-heat module 32, and into and through the cool-downsection 26 at substantially the same constant liner speed. - The gradually decreasing temperature gradient for the
substrates 14 discussed above may be accomplished by maintaining a temperature profile along the length of the post-heat section of about 400 degrees C. to about 600 degrees C. at an inlet thereof and about 200 degrees C. to about 500 degrees C. at an outlet thereof. Individual heating zones within thepost-heat section 26 may be controlled to establish this profile in a linear or step-wise manner along the length of thepost-heat section 26. - As referenced above, a cool-down
section 26 is downstream of thepost-heat section 30 within thevacuum chamber 16. The cool-downsection 26 may include one or more cool-downmodules 28 having independently controlled conveyors 66. The cool-downmodules 28 define a longitudinally extending section within thevacuum chamber 16 in which the substrates having the thin film of sublimed source material deposited thereon are allowed to cool at a controlled cool-down rate prior to thesubstrates 14 being removed from thesystem 10. Each of themodules 28 may include a forced cooling system wherein a cooling medium, such as chilled water, refrigerant, or other medium is pumped through cooling coils 29 configured with themodules 28, as particularly illustrated inFIG. 2 . - An exit
vacuum lock station 40 is configured downstream of the cool-downsection 26. Thisexit station 40 operates essentially in reverse of the entryvacuum lock station 34 described above. For example, the exitvacuum lock station 40 may include anexit buffer module 42 and a downstreamexit lock module 44. Sequentially operatedvalves 62 are disposed between thebuffer module 42 and the last one of themodules 28 in the cool-downsection 26, between theexit buffer module 42 and theexit lock module 44, and between theexit lock module 44 and anexit conveyor 50. Afine vacuum pump 58 is configured with theexit buffer module 42, and arough vacuum pump 56 is configured with theexit lock module 44. Thepumps valves 62 are sequentially operated (essentially in reverse of the entry lock station 34) to move thesubstrates 14 out of thevacuum chamber 16 in a step-wise fashion without loss of vacuum condition within thevacuum chamber 16. - As mentioned, in the embodiment illustrated, the
system 10 is defined by a plurality of interconnected modules, with each of the modules serving a particular function. For example,modules individual substrates 14 into thevacuum chamber 16. The conveyors 66 configured with these respective modules are appropriately controlled for this purpose, as well as thevalves 62 and associatedactuators 64. The conveyors 66 andheater units 21 associated with the plurality ofmodules 20 in thepre-heat section 18 are controlled to pre-heat thesubstrates 14 to a desired temperature, as well as to ensure that thesubstrates 14 are introduced into thevapor deposition module 22 at the desired controlled, constant linear conveyance rate. For control purposes, each of the individual modules may have an associatedindependent controller 52 configured therewith to control the individual functions of the respective module. The plurality ofcontrollers 52 may, in turn, be in communication with acentral system controller 54, as illustrated inFIG. 1 . Thecentral system controller 54 can monitor and control (via the independent controllers 52) the functions of any one of the modules so as to achieve an overall desired conveyance rate and processing of thesubstrates 14 through thesystem 10. - Referring to
FIG. 1 , for independent control of the individual respective conveyor 66, each of the modules may include any manner of active orpassive sensors 68 that detect the presence of thesubstrates 14 as they are conveyed through the module. Thesensors 68 are in communication with themodule controller 52, which is in turn in communication with thecentral controller 54. In this manner, the individual respective conveyor 66 may be controlled to ensure that a proper spacing between thesubstrates 14 is maintained and that thesubstrates 14 are conveyed at the desired constant conveyance rate through thevacuum chamber 16. - The present invention also encompasses various process embodiments for vapor deposition of a thin film layer on a photovoltaic (PV) module substrate. The processes may be practiced with the various system embodiments described above or by any other configuration of suitable system components. It should thus be appreciated that the process embodiments according to the invention are not limited to the system configuration described herein.
- In a particular embodiment, the process includes establishing a vapor chamber and introducing PV substrates individually into the chamber. The substrates are preheated to a desired temperature as they are conveyed through the vacuum chamber in a serial arrangement. The preheated substrates are then conveyed through a vapor deposition apparatus within the vacuum chamber wherein a thin film of a sublimated source material, such as CdTe, is deposited onto the upper surface of the substrates. The substrates are conveyed through the vapor deposition apparatus at a controlled constant linear speed such that the leading and trailing sections of the substrates in a conveyance direction are exposed to the same vapor deposition conditions within the vapor deposition apparatus so as to achieve a uniform thickness of the thin film layer on the upper surface of the substrates.
- In a unique embodiment, the vapor deposition apparatus is supplied with source material in a manner so as not to interrupt the vapor deposition process or conveyance of the substrates through the vapor deposition apparatus.
- The process may further include cooling the substrates downstream of the vapor deposition apparatus within the vacuum chamber prior to subsequent removal of each of the cooled substrates from the vacuum chamber.
- It may be desired to post-heat the substrates as they exit the vapor deposition apparatus prior to cooling the substrates such that the leading section of the substrates in the direction of conveyance is not cooled until the entire substrate has exited the vapor deposition apparatus. In this manner, the substrate is kept at a relatively constant temperature along its longitudinal length while the trailing section of the substrate is undergoing the deposition process within the vapor deposition apparatus.
- As mentioned, the substrates are conveyed through the vapor deposition apparatus at a constant linear speed. In a unique embodiment, the substrates may be conveyed through the other sections of the vacuum chamber at a variable speed. For example, the substrates may be conveyed at a slower or faster speed, or step-wise, as they are pre-heated before the vapor deposition apparatus, or as they are cooled after the vapor deposition apparatus.
- The process may also include individually introducing the substrates into and out of the vacuum chamber through an entry and exit vacuum lock process wherein the vacuum conditions within the vacuum chamber are not interrupted or changed to any significant degree.
- In order to sustain a continuous vapor deposition process, the process also may include supplying the source material to the vapor deposition apparatus from an externally refillable feed system. The feed process may include continuously introducing metered doses of the source material from the feed system into the vapor deposition apparatus without interrupting the vapor deposition process. For example, the metered doses of source material may be introduced through sequential vacuum locks and deposited into a receptacle within the vapor deposition apparatus. In this manner, the vapor deposition process need not be interrupted to refill the source material within the vapor deposition apparatus.
- This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they include structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
Claims (7)
Priority Applications (1)
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US13/937,765 US20130284094A1 (en) | 2009-12-15 | 2013-07-09 | Modular System for Continuous Deposition of a Thin Film Layer on a Substrate |
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US12/638,687 US8481355B2 (en) | 2009-12-15 | 2009-12-15 | Modular system and process for continuous deposition of a thin film layer on a substrate |
US13/937,765 US20130284094A1 (en) | 2009-12-15 | 2013-07-09 | Modular System for Continuous Deposition of a Thin Film Layer on a Substrate |
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Also Published As
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MY153595A (en) | 2015-02-27 |
DE102010061259A1 (en) | 2011-06-16 |
US20110143481A1 (en) | 2011-06-16 |
DE102010061259B4 (en) | 2021-07-08 |
CN102127747A (en) | 2011-07-20 |
US8481355B2 (en) | 2013-07-09 |
MY170105A (en) | 2019-07-05 |
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