Patent application number | Description | Published |
20090242046 | Valve module - A system for pressurizing and exhausting a vented chamber is disclosed. The present disclosure includes a unitary module having two integrated valves for each supported chamber, a single inlet port for each chamber, a single vent exhaust port and a single pressurized port. In addition, a number of pressure gauge ports are provided to allow the pressure at various points to be monitored. In addition, the unitary module optionally includes a leak check port. Using this port, the operator can test the integrity of all valves within the module. | 10-01-2009 |
20110244625 | Continuously Optimized Solar Cell Metallization Design through Feed-Forward Process - An improved, lower cost method of processing substrates, such as to create solar cells, is disclosed. The doped regions are created on the substrate, using a mask or without the use of lithography or masks. After the implantation is complete, visual recognition is used to determine the exact region that was implanted. This information can then be used by subsequent process steps to crate a suitable metallization layer and provide alignment information. These techniques can also be used in other ion implanter applications. In another aspect, a dot pattern selective emitter is created and imaging is used to determine the appropriate metallization layer. | 10-06-2011 |
20110320030 | Thermal Control of a Proximity Mask and Wafer During Ion Implantation - An improved method of processing substrates, such as to create solar cells, is disclosed. The use of shadow masks may cause alignment errors associated with the differing thermal expansion characteristics of the shadow mask and the substrate. To counteract this error, mechanisms are used to insure that the thermal expansion of the shadow mask and the substrate are equal or substantially equal. In some embodiments, the shadow mask is produced with a type and quantity of material so that its thermal expansion matches that of the substrate. In other embodiments, heating and cooling mechanisms are applied to the shadow mask so that its thermal expansion matches that of the substrate. In other embodiments, heating and cooling mechanisms are applied to the substrate so that its thermal expansion matches that of the shadow mask. Furthermore, both the mask and substrate can be heated and/or cooled simultaneously. | 12-29-2011 |
20120064661 | CONTINUOUSLY OPTIMIZED SOLAR CELL METALLIZATION DESIGN THROUGH FEED-FORWARD PROCESS - An improved, lower cost method of processing substrates, such as to create solar cells, is disclosed. The doped regions are created on the substrate, using a mask or without the use of lithography or masks. After the implantation is complete, visual recognition is used to determine the exact region that was implanted. This information can then be used by subsequent process steps to crate a suitable metallization layer and provide alignment information. These techniques can also be used in other ion implanter applications. In another aspect, a dot pattern selective emitter is created, and imaging is used to determine the appropriate metallization layer. | 03-15-2012 |
20120064662 | CONTINUOUSLY OPTIMIZED SOLAR CELL METALLIZATION DESIGN THROUGH FEED-FORWARD PROCESS - An improved, lower cost method of processing substrates, such as to create solar cells, is disclosed. The doped regions are created on the substrate, using a mask or without the use of lithography or masks. After the implantation is complete, visual recognition is used to determine the exact region that was implanted. This information can then be used by subsequent process steps to crate a suitable metallization layer and provide alignment information. These techniques can also be used in other ion implanter applications. In another aspect, a dot pattern selective emitter is created and imaging is used to determine the appropriate metallization layer. | 03-15-2012 |
20120083102 | Integrated Shadow Mask/Carrier for Pattern Ion Implantation - An improved, lower cost method of processing substrates, such as to create solar cells is disclosed. In addition, a modified substrate carrier is disclosed. The carriers typically used to carry the substrates are modified so as to serve as shadow masks for a patterned implant. In some embodiments, various patterns can be created using the carriers such that different process steps can be performed on the substrate by changing the carrier or the position with the carrier. In addition, since the alignment of the substrate to the carrier is critical, the carrier may contain alignment features to insure that the substrate is positioned properly on the carrier. In some embodiments, gravity is used to hold the substrate on the carrier, and therefore, the ions are directed so that the ion beam travels upward toward the bottom side of the carrier. | 04-05-2012 |
20120183199 | SUBSTRATE IDENTIFICATION AND TRACKING THROUGH SURFACE REFLECTANCE - A method of identifying individual silicon substrates, and particularly solar cells, is disclosed. Every solar cell possesses a unique set of optical properties. The method identifies these properties and stores them in a database, where they can be associated to a particular solar cell. Unlike conventional tracking techniques, the present method requires no dedicated space on the surface of the silicon substrate. This method allows substrates to be tracked through the manufacturing process, as well as throughout the life of the substrate. | 07-19-2012 |
20120214273 | ANGLED MULTI-STEP MASKING FOR PATTERNED IMPLANTATION - An improved method of tilting a mask to perform a pattern implant of a substrate is disclosed. The mask has a plurality of apertures, and is placed between the ion source and the substrate. The mask and substrate are tilted at a first angle relative to the incoming ion beam. After the substrate is exposed to the ion beam, the mask and substrate are tilted at a second angle relative to the ion beam and a subsequent implant step is performed. Through the selection of the aperture size and shape, the cross-section of the mask, the distance between the mask and the substrate and the number of implant steps, a variety of implant patterns may be created. In some embodiments, the implant pattern includes heavily doped horizontal stripes with lighter doped regions between the stripes. In some embodiments, the implant pattern includes a grid of heavily doped regions. | 08-23-2012 |
20120244692 | INTEGRATED SHADOW MASK/CARRIER FOR PATTERN ION IMPLANTATION - An improved, lower cost method of processing substrates, such as to create solar cells is disclosed. In addition, a modified substrate carrier is disclosed. The carriers typically used to carry the substrates are modified so as to serve as shadow masks for a patterned implant. In some embodiments, various patterns can be created using the carriers such that different process steps can be performed on the substrate by changing the carrier or the position with the carrier. In addition, since the alignment of the substrate to the carrier is critical, the carrier may contain alignment features to insure that the substrate is positioned properly on the carrier. In some embodiments, gravity is used to hold the substrate on the carrier, and therefore, the ions are directed so that the ion beam travels upward toward the bottom side of the carrier. | 09-27-2012 |
20130087189 | METHOD OF CREATING TWO DIMENSIONAL DOPING PATTERNS IN SOLAR CELLS - An improved method of fabricating an interdigitated back contact (IBC) solar cell is disclosed. A first mask is used to perform a patterned ion implantation of n-type dopant to create the back surface field. A second mask is then used to create the p-type emitter on the same surface. The second mask may be aligned to the n-type implant, and may be used in a plurality of orientations to create the desired p-type emitter. In some embodiments, a p-type blanket implant is performed as well. In some embodiments, a doping gradient is created. | 04-11-2013 |