公开(公告)号：US4479455A

公开(公告)日：1984-10-30

申请号：US475289

申请日：1983-03-14

申请人： Joachim Doehler ,  Kevin R. Hoffman ,  Timothy D. Laarman ,  Gary M. DiDio ,  Therese McDonough

发明人： Joachim Doehler ,  Kevin R. Hoffman ,  Timothy D. Laarman ,  Gary M. DiDio ,  Therese McDonough

IPC分类号： H01L31/04 ,  C23C16/44 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/50 ,  C23C16/54 ,  H01L21/205 ,  C23C13/10

CPC分类号： C23C16/545 ,  C23C16/455 ,  C23C16/45578 ,  C23C16/50

摘要： A process gas introduction and channeling system for use with apparatus adapted to produce photovoltaic devices by depositing semiconductor layers onto continuously moving substrate material. The deposition apparatus preferably includes at least one deposition chamber having (1) a region in which process gases are decomposed and (2) a manifold from which process gases are introduced to flow through the downstream decomposition region. In the preferred embodiment, as the process gases flow through the decomposition region, they are disassociated and recombined under the influence of an electromagnetic field. The species and combinations of process gases thus formed are deposited onto the substrate material. The process gas introduction and channeling system described herein, is adapted to direct the process gases introduced into each of the at least one deposition chamber to pass through the decomposition region thereof in a direction substantially parallel to the direction of travel of the substrate material, whereby substantially uniform semiconductor layers are deposited atop the entire surface of the substrate material.

摘要翻译： 一种用于与通过将半导体层沉积到连续移动的衬底材料上来生产光伏器件的设备一起使用的工艺气体引入和沟道系统。 沉积设备优选地包括至少一个沉积室，其具有（1）处理气体被分解的区域和（2）从其引入工艺气体以流过下游分解区域的歧管。 在优选实施例中，当工艺气体流过分解区域时，它们在电磁场的影响下被解离并重组。 如此形成的工艺气体的种类和组合被沉积到基底材料上。 本文所述的工艺气体引入和引导系统适于引导引入到至少一个沉积室中的每一个的工艺气体沿着基本上平行于衬底材料的行进方向的方向通过其分解区域，由此 在衬底材料的整个表面上沉积基本均匀的半导体层。

公开(公告)号：US5180434A

公开(公告)日：1993-01-19

申请号：US667262

申请日：1991-03-11

申请人： Gary M. DiDio ,  Kermit Jones ,  Kevin Hoffman ,  Timothy Laarman ,  Jon Call ,  Prem Nath

发明人： Gary M. DiDio ,  Kermit Jones ,  Kevin Hoffman ,  Timothy Laarman ,  Jon Call ,  Prem Nath

IPC分类号： C23C16/509 ,  C23C16/54 ,  H01J37/32 ,  H01L31/0392 ,  H01L31/052 ,  H01L31/20

CPC分类号： H01J37/3277 ,  C23C16/5096 ,  C23C16/545 ,  H01L31/03921 ,  H01L31/056 ,  H01L31/206 ,  H01J2237/022 ,  H01J2237/332 ,  Y02E10/52 ,  Y02P70/521

摘要： In continuous apparatus for the glow discharge deposition of amorphous silicon alloy solar cells of p-i-n-type configuration in a plurality of interconnected, dedicated deposition chambers, a plasma bar operatively disposed between at least the plasma regions in which the layer pairs of amorphous silicon alloy material defining the major semiconductor junction of the solar cell are deposited. The plasma bar is adapted to initiate a plasma so as to prevent chemically adsorbed contaminants from deleteriously affecting the surface of the first deposited of the layer pair, thereby improving the open circuit voltage of the solar cell. In a similar manner, the plasma bar may also be provided between the layer pairs of amorphous silicon alloy material which combine to define the minor semiconductor junction of the solar cell. Finally, a plasma bar may be disposed between the oxide-based layer of a back reflector for reducing oxygen contamination of the silicon alloy material deposited thereupon.

摘要翻译： 在用于辉光放电沉积针状结构的非晶硅合金太阳能电池在多个互连的专用沉积室中的连续装置中，等离子体棒可操作地设置在至少等离子体区域之间，其中非晶硅合金材料层 限定太阳能电池的主要半导体结。 等离子体棒适于引发等离子体，以防止化学吸附的污染物有害地影响第一层沉积的层对的表面，从而改善太阳能电池的开路电压。 以类似的方式，等离子体棒也可以设置在组合以限定太阳能电池的次半导体结的非晶硅合金材料层之间。 最后，等离子体棒可以设置在后反射器的氧化物基层之间，用于减少沉积在其上的硅合金材料的氧污染。

公开(公告)号：US5090356A

公开(公告)日：1992-02-25

申请号：US723042

申请日：1991-06-28

申请人： Prem Nath ,  Jon Call ,  Gary M. Didio ,  Kevin Hoffman

发明人： Prem Nath ,  Jon Call ,  Gary M. Didio ,  Kevin Hoffman

IPC分类号： C23C16/54

CPC分类号： C23C16/545

摘要： An improved gas gate (34) is adapted to operatively interconnect to adjacent chambers in which process gases are introduced for depositing a first layer (16) upon a substrate (11) in a first chamber (28) and different process gases are introduced for depositing a second layer (18) in the second chamber (30) in continuous low pressure glow dicharge deposition process. A plurality of electrodes (60) and grounded shields (62) are positioned in the isolation passageway (92) of gas gate (34). The electrodes (60) have a potential sufficient to create a plasma from any gas molecule escaping from one of the deposition chambers. After the plasma is formed it is attracted to and captured or plated on the shield (62) preventing the gas plasma from landing on the substrate material (11) or passing through the gas gate. The present invention reduces the back diffusion of gases through the gas gate by actively eliminating free gas molecules by ionizing them to form a plasma and capturing the plasma ions in a permanent fashion.

摘要翻译： 改进的气体浇口（34）适于可操作地互连到邻近的室，其中在第一室（28）中引入工艺气体以将第一层（16）沉积在基板（11）上，并且引入不同的工艺气体用于沉积 在第二室（30）中的连续低压辉光放电沉积工艺中的第二层（18）。 多个电极（60）和接地屏蔽（62）位于气门（34）的隔离通道（92）中。 电极（60）具有足以从任何一个沉积室逸出的任何气体分子产生等离子体的电位。 在形成等离子体之后，其被吸引并被捕获或镀在屏蔽件（62）上，防止气体等离子体着陆在基板材料（11）上或通过气体浇口。 本发明通过电离它们以形成等离子体并以永久的方式捕获等离子体离子来主动消除游离气体分子，从而减少气体通过气体门的反向扩散。