Crystal Growth Apparatus for Solar Cell Manufacturing
OwnerKramadhati V. Ravi, Hans J. Walitzki +1inventors
InventorsKramadhati V. Ravi, Hans J. Walitzki, Deepak Pingalay
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Abstract
The present invention(s) provide an apparatus for forming a rod, which is also sometimes referred to as an ingot or boule, which can be subsequently diced to form multiple substrates that may be utilized to form a solar cell device. The substrate may be a monocrystalline, or polycrystalline, substrate made by use of a CZ type crystal pulling technology. In one embodiment, the crystal pulling apparatus is used to form a substrate used form a solar cell device. In one embodiment, a feed material is delivered to a crucible using a vibratory feeder assembly and is heated using a novel heater assembly to allow a CZ type crystal pulling process to be performed.
Claims15
An apparatus for forming a crystalline semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- a crucible positioned in a processing region and having one or more walls that form a crucible processing region;
- a vibratory feeder assembly comprising:
- one or more walls that form an isolatable region;
- an isolation valve that is disposed between the isolatable region and the processing region;
- a hopper disposed in the isolatable region, and adapted to receive an amount of the feed material;
- and
- a vibratory actuator coupled to the hopper, wherein the vibratory actuator is adapted to cause at least a portion of the feed material disposed in the hopper to be transferred through the isolation valve to the crucible processing region;
- a heater in thermal communication with the crucible processing region;
- and
- an inert gas source that is in fluid communication with the isolatable region.
An apparatus for forming a crystalline semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- one or more walls that form a processing region;
- a crucible positioned in the processing region and having one or more walls that form a crucible processing region;
- a heater in thermal communication with the crucible processing region;
- a heat shield disposed between the heater and the crucible;
- a heat reflector disposed between the crucible and the one or more walls;
- and
- a vacuum port in communication with crucible processing region, wherein the vacuum port is adapted to reduce the partial pressure of oxygen near the crucible processing region.
A method of forming a crystalline semiconductor substrate, comprising:
- disposing an amount of a feed material in hopper;
- sealably enclosing the feed material to form a first region;
- removing contaminants from the first region;
- transferring the feed material from the first region to a crucible using a vibratory feeder;
- heating the feed material disposed in the crucible to a temperature at which the feed material will change state from a solid to a liquid;
- and
- forming a rod comprising a crystalline semiconductor material by disposing a seed crystal in the heated feed material and removing the seed crystal from the heated feed material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.