High-productivity porous semiconductor manufacturing equipment

An apparatus for producing a layer of porous semiconductor on a plurality of semiconductor wafers, comprising:

• a first electrode and a second electrode for producing an electrical current;
• a plurality of arrays of semiconductor wafers in a stacked arrangement, wherein each said semiconductor wafer is held in place by a perimeter wafer seal disposed around a perimeter of said semiconductor wafer, and wherein said stacked arrangement may be at any angle relative to vertical;
• an electrolyte supply for providing an electrolyte to said apparatus;
• and
• a plurality of electrolyte channels or electrolyte compartments disposed between each of said plurality of arrays of semiconductor wafers for providing said electrolyte to at least a surface of each said semiconductor wafer and for removing a gas from said surface.

A method for producing a layer of porous semiconductor on a plurality of semiconductor wafers, said method comprising:

• arranging a first plurality of semiconductor wafers in a first rectangular array;
• arranging a second plurality of semiconductor wafers in a second rectangular array, wherein said first rectangular array and said second rectangular array have essentially the same dimensions;
• disposing said first rectangular array above said second rectangular array;
• supplying an electrolyte for contacting at least a surface of each semiconductor wafer of said first plurality of semiconductor wafers and at least a surface of each semiconductor wafer of said second plurality of semiconductor wafers;
• disposing a first electrode and a second electrode in said electrolyte;
• and
• supplying an electrical current to said first electrode and said second electrode.

A method for producing thin crystalline semiconductor layers on both sides of a reusable semiconductor template, said method comprising:

• forming porous semiconductor layers on at least two surfaces of said reusable semiconductor template, wherein each said porous semiconductor layer comprises at least two porosities;
• performing hydrogen baking and semiconductor layer deposition on said at least two surfaces of said reusable semiconductor template to deposit a semiconductor layer on each of said at least two surfaces of said reusable semiconductor template;
• releasing said semiconductor layers from said at least two surfaces of said reusable semiconductor template;
• and
• cleaning and reconditioning said reusable semiconductor template.