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US 12,522,911 B2Granted
Systems and methods for vaporization and vapor distribution
AssigneeFirst Solar, Inc.
InventorsZhigang Ban, John Barden, Jerry Drennan, Litian Liu, Rick Powell, Nirav Vora, Yaojun Xu
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Abstract
Distributor assemblies for vapor transport deposition systems, and methods of conducting vapor transport deposition, are described.
Claims20
A distributor assembly comprising:
- a vaporizer for vaporizing a semiconductor powder into a semiconductor vapor;
- wherein the vaporizer comprises a permeable wall vaporizer;
- a manifold comprising a channel bounded by an inner surface of the manifold, and a nozzle extending through the inner surface and an outer surface of the manifold, wherein the channel receives the semiconductor vapor from the vaporizer, and the semiconductor vapor flows from the channel and through the nozzle;
- a manifold heater configured to heat the manifold, wherein the manifold is positioned between the vaporizer and the heater;
- and
- two beams arranged in parallel, supporting the vaporizer and the manifold thereon, each beam having a slot bounding face and a rectangular cross-section, the slot bounding face of each of the beams defining a flux exit slot between the beams;
- wherein the beams span across a gap formed between a plurality of cradles;
- wherein the slot bounding face is substantially flat;
- wherein the nozzle of the manifold terminates in the flux exit slot;
- wherein the manifold heater is disposed within a first one of the two beams;
- wherein a source of power is operatively connected to the vaporizer and the manifold heater;
- and
- wherein the vaporizer and the manifold are separately heated.
10 more elements
A distributor assembly comprising:
- a vaporizer for vaporizing a semiconductor powder into a semiconductor vapor;
- a manifold having an inner surface, an outer surface, a channel defined by the inner surface, and a nozzle extending through the inner surface and the outer surface, the channel in communication with the vaporizer and the nozzle;
- a plurality of cradles;
- two rectangular beams extending longitudinally across a gap between the plurality of cradles, the two rectangular beams arranged in parallel and supporting the vaporizer and the manifold, each of the rectangular beams having a slot bounding face defining a flux exit slot therebetween;
- and
- a heater disposed within one of the rectangular beams, the heater in thermal communication with the manifold, whereby at least one of the two rectangular beams is configured to radiate thermal energy during operation of the heater,
- wherein the nozzle terminates in the flux exit slot, and the slot bounding face of each of the beams is substantially flat.
4 more elements
A distributor assembly comprising:
- a vaporizer for vaporizing a semiconductor powder into a semiconductor vapor;
- a manifold having an inner surface, an outer surface, a channel defined by the inner surface, and a nozzle extending through the inner surface and the outer surface, the channel in communication with the vaporizer and the nozzle;
- a plurality of cradles;
- two beams extending longitudinally across a gap between the plurality of cradles, the two beams arranged in parallel and supporting the vaporizer and the manifold, each of the two beams having a slot bounding face and a substrate facing face, the slot bounding face of each of the two beams defining a flux exit slot therebetween;
- and
- a heater disposed within one of the two beams;
- wherein the nozzle terminates in the flux exit slot, the slot bounding face of each of the beams is substantially flat, and the substrate facing face of each of the beams is substantially flat.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.