Abstract:
Semi-conductor wafers with thin and thicker regions at controlled locations may be for Photovoltaics. The interior may be less than 180 microns or thinner, to 50 microns, with a thicker portion, at 180-250 microns. Thin wafers have higher efficiency. A thicker perimeter provides handling strength. Thicker stripes, landings and islands are for metallization coupling. Wafers may be made directly from a melt upon a template with regions of different heat extraction propensity arranged to correspond to locations of relative thicknesses. Interstitial oxygen is less than 6×1017 atoms/cc, preferably less than 2×1017, total oxygen less than 8.75×1017 atoms/cc, preferably less than 5.25×1017. Thicker regions form adjacent template regions having relatively higher heat extraction propensity; thinner regions adjacent regions with lesser extraction propensity. Thicker template regions have higher extraction propensity. Functional materials upon the template also have differing extraction propensities.
Abstract:
A semiconductor wafer forms on a mold containing a dopant. The dopant dopes a melt region adjacent the mold. There, dopant concentration is higher than in the melt bulk. A wafer starts solidifying. Dopant diffuses poorly in solid semiconductor. After a wafer starts solidifying, dopant can not enter the melt. Afterwards, the concentration of dopant in the melt adjacent the wafer surface is less than what was present where the wafer began to form. New wafer regions grow from a melt region whose dopant concentration lessens over time. This establishes a dopant gradient in the wafer, with higher concentration adjacent the mold. The gradient can be tailored. A gradient gives rise to a field that can function as a drift or back surface field. Solar collectors can have open grid conductors and better optical reflectors on the back surface, made possible by the intrinsic back surface field.
Abstract:
Patterned substrates for photovoltaic and other uses are made by pressing a flexible stamp upon a thin layer of resist material, which covers a substrate, such as a wafer. The resist changes phase or becomes flowable, flowing away from locations of impression, revealing the substrate, which is subjected to some shaping process. A typical substrate is silicon, and a typical resist is a wax. Workpiece textures include extended grooves, discrete, spaced apart pits, and combinations and intermediates thereof. Platen or rotary patterning apparatus may be used. Rough and irregular workpiece substrates may be accommodated by extended stamp elements. Resist may be applied first to the workpiece, the stamp, or substantially simultaneously, in discrete locations, or over the entire surface of either. The resist dewets the substrate completely where desired.
Abstract:
A method for imparting a pattern to a flowable resist material on a substrate entails providing a resist layer so thin that during a stamp wedging process, the resist never completely fills the space between the substrate and the bottom surface of a stamp between wedge protrusions, leaving gap everywhere therebetween. A gap remains between the resist and the extended surface of the stamp. If the resist layer as deposited is somewhat thicker than the targeted amount, it will simply result in a smaller gap between resist and tool. The presence of a continuous gap assures that no pressure builds under the stamp. Thus, the force on the protrusions i determined only by the pressure above the stamp and is well controlled, resulting in well-controlled hole sizes. The gap prevents resist from being pumped entirely out of any one region, and thus prevents any regions from being uncovered of resist. The stamp can be pulsed in its contact with the substrate, repeatedly deforming the indenting protrusions. Several pulses clears away any scum layer better than does a single press, as measured by an etch test comparison of the degree to which a normal etch for a normal duration etches away substrate material. A method for imparting a pattern to a flowable resist material on a substrate entails providing a resist layer so thin that during a stamp wedging process, the resist never completely fills the space between the substrate and the bottom surface of a stamp between wedge protrusions, leaving a gap everywhere therebetween. A gap remains between the resist and the extended surface of the stamp.
Abstract:
A workpiece is transported using a porous belt, which belt delivers a workpiece to a chuck, upon which the workpiece is held by vacuum. The belt can be porous PTFE. A flexible stamp is preheated, before it is applied to a workpiece, by drawing the stamp toward a heated plate, for instance by vacuum.
Abstract:
A semiconductor wafer forms on a mold containing a dopant. The dopant dopes a melt region adjacent the mold. There, dopant concentration is higher than in the melt bulk. A wafer starts solidifying. Dopant diffuses poorly in solid semiconductor. After a wafer starts solidifying, dopant can not enter the melt. Afterwards, the concentration of dopant in the melt adjacent the wafer surface is less than what was present where the wafer began to form. New wafer regions grow from a melt region whose dopant concentration lessens over time. This establishes a dopant gradient in the wafer, with higher concentration adjacent the mold. The gradient can be tailored. A gradient gives rise to a field that can function as a drift or back surface field. Solar collectors can have open grid conductors and better optical reflectors on the back surface, made possible by the intrinsic back surface field.
Abstract:
A semiconductor wafer is as wide as the industry standard width A (presently 156 mm+/−1 mm) and is longer than the industry standard A by at least 1 mm and as much as the standard equipment can reasonably accommodate, presently approximately 3-20 mm and potentially longer, thus, gaining significant additional surface area for sunlight absorption. Modules may be composed of a plurality of such larger wafers. Such wafers can be processed in conventional processing equipment that has a wafer retaining portion of industry standard size A and a configuration that also accommodates a wafer with a perpendicular second edge longer than A by at least 1 and typically 3-20 mm. Wet bench carriers and transport and inspection stations can be so used.
Abstract:
The present inventions relate to the formation of a thin polymer film on a substrate. Apparatus is described for transforming a solid polymer resist into an aerosol of small particles, electrostatically charging and depositing the particles onto a substrate, and flowing the particles into a continuous layer. Apparatus is further described for transforming solid resist into an aerosol of small particles by heating the resist to form a low viscosity liquid such as is compatible with nebulization and applying the techniques of jet or impact nebulization and aerosol particle sizing to form the aerosol. A method is further described of using ionized gas to confer charge onto the aerosol particles and using a progression of charging devices establish an electric field directing the flow of charged particles to the substrate. The progression of charging devices and associated apparatus results in high collection efficiency for the aerosol particles.
Abstract:
A pressure differential can be applied across a mold sheet and a semiconductor (e.g. silicon) wafer (e.g. for solar cell) is formed thereon. Relaxation of the pressure differential can allow release of the wafer. The mold sheet may be cooler than the melt. Heat is extracted through the thickness of the forming wafer. The temperature of the solidifying body is substantially uniform across its width, resulting in low stresses and dislocation density and higher crystallographic quality. The mold sheet can allow flow of gas through it. The melt can be introduced to the sheet by: full area contact with the top of a melt; traversing a partial area contact of melt with the mold sheet, whether horizontal or vertical, or in between; and by dipping the mold into a melt. The grain size can be controlled by many means.
Abstract:
Semi-conductor wafers with thin and thicker regions at controlled locations may be for Photovoltaics. The interior may be less than 180 microns or thinner, to 50 microns, with a thicker portion, at 180-250 microns. Thin wafers have higher efficiency. A thicker perimeter provides handling strength. Thicker stripes, landings and islands are for metallization coupling. Wafers may be made directly from a melt upon a template with regions of different heat extraction propensity arranged to correspond to locations of relative thicknesses. Interstitial oxygen is less than 6×1017 atoms/cc, preferably less than 2×1017, total oxygen less than 8.75×1017 atoms/cc, preferably less than 5.25×1017. Thicker regions form adjacent template regions having relatively higher heat extraction propensity; thinner regions adjacent regions with lesser extraction propensity. Thicker template regions have higher extraction propensity. Functional materials upon the template also have differing extraction propensities.