# US 10,309,012 B2 · Wafer carrier for reducing contamination from carbon particles and outgassing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,309,012 B2 - Document ID: US10309012B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/712,741 - Filed: 2015-05-14 - Published: 2016-01-07 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2014-07-03 - Assignees: Tesla, Inc. - Applicants: SolarCity Corporation - Inventors: Yongkee Chae; Jiunn Benjamin Heng; Jianming Fu; Zheng Xu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10309012B2 ## CPC - C23C 16/4404: {Coatings or surface treatment on the inside of the reaction chamber or on parts thereof} - C23C 16/4581: {characterised by material of construction or surface finish of the means for supporting the substrate} - C23C 16/4585: {Devices at or outside the perimeter of the substrate support, e.g. clamping rings, shrouds} - H10P 72/7611: {characterised by edge profile or support profile} - H10P 72/7614: {characterised by a plurality of individual support members, e.g. support posts or protrusions} - H10P 72/7616: {characterised by a coating, a hardness or a material} - H10P 72/7621: {characterised by supporting two or more semiconductor substrates} - 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 (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 ## Abstract A wafer carrier for carrying solar cell wafers during a deposition process is described. The carrier is coated with pyrolytic carbon, silicon carbide, or a ceramic material, and is adapted to receive and support the wafers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for carrying one or more wafers, the apparatus comprising: a carrier coated with a pyrolytic carbon layer: wherein the carrier comprises a number of pockets configured to accommodate the wafers, wherein a respective pocket has a ridged bottom comprising a number of ridges, wherein a top edge of a respective ridge is rounded, and wherein a radius of the rounded top edge is at least 0.1 mm; wherein the pyrolytic carbon layer has a porosity between 0 and 0.1%; wherein at least one edge of the carrier comprises an L-shaped interlocking mechanism that has a horizontal portion and a vertical portion; and wherein the L-shaped interlocking mechanism is configured to interlock with a corresponding L-shaped interlocking mechanism of an adjacent carrier, thereby facilitating an interlocked joint between the carrier and the adjacent carrier to prevent relative lateral shifts between the carrier and the adjacent carrier. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises graphite or carbon fiber composite. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pyrolytic carbon layer has a thickness between 10 and 50 micrometers. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the carrier is adapted to accommodate the wafers of a size and shape of: a 5-inch by 5-inch square; a 6-inch by 6-inch square; a 5-inch by 5-inch pseudo-square; or a 6-inch by 6-inch pseudo-square. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein edges around and within the respective pocket are rounded. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the respective pocket comprises a sloped ramp along the pocket's rim, thereby facilitating wafer loading. ### Claim 7 A semiconductor deposition tool, comprising: a deposition chamber; and a carrier coated with a pyrolytic carbon layer: wherein the carrier comprises a number of pockets configured to accommodate the wafers, wherein a respective pocket has a ridged bottom comprising a number of ridges, wherein a top edge of a respective ridge is rounded, and wherein a radius of the rounded top edge is at least 0.1 mm; wherein the pyrolytic carbon layer has a porosity between 0 and 0.1%; wherein at least one edge of the carrier comprises an L-shaped interlocking mechanism that has a horizontal portion and a vertical portion; and wherein the L-shaped interlocking mechanism is configured to interlock with a corresponding L-shaped interlocking mechanism of an adjacent carrier, thereby facilitating an interlocked joint between the carrier and the adjacent carrier to prevent relative lateral shifts between the carrier and the adjacent carrier. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The deposition tool of claim 7, wherein the carrier comprises graphite or carbon fiber composite. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The deposition tool of claim 7, wherein the pyrolytic carbon layer has a thickness between 10 and 50 micrometers. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The deposition tool of claim 7, wherein is the carrier is adapted to accommodate the wafers of a size and shape of: a 5-inch by 5-inch square; a 6-inch by 6-inch square; a 5-inch by 5-inch pseudo-square; or a 6-inch by 6-inch pseudo-square. ### Claim 11 (depends on 7) The deposition tool of claim 7, wherein edges around and within the respective pocket are rounded. ### Claim 12 (depends on 7) The deposition tool of claim 7, wherein the respective pocket comprises a sloped ramp along the pocket's rim, thereby facilitating wafer loading.