# US 2014/0193942 A1 · Systems And Methods For Thermally Managing High-Temperature Processes On Temperature Sensitive Substrates > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0193942 A1 - Document ID: US20140193942A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 14/150,376 - Filed: 2014-01-08 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-09 - Assignees: Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. - Inventors: Lawrence M. Woods; Rosine Ribelin; Joseph H. Armstrong - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140193942A1 ## CPC - H10F 71/00: Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) - H10F 71/128: {Annealing} - C23C 14/0021: {Reactive sputtering or evaporation} - C23C 14/20: on organic substrates - C23C 14/541: {Heating or cooling of the substrates} - H10F 77/126: {comprising only Group I-III-VI chalcopyrite materials, e.g. CuInSe2, CuGaSe2 or CuInGaSe2 [CIGS]} - H10F 77/1699: {the films including Group I-III-VI materials, e.g. CIS or CIGS on metal foils or polymer foils} - H10P 72/0436: {mainly by radiation} - H10P 14/2922: {being non-crystalline insulating materials, e.g. glass or polymers} - H10P 14/3436: {being chalcogenide semiconductor materials not being oxides, e.g. ternary compounds} - Y02E 10/541: CuInSe2 material PV cells - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - 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 - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A method for depositing one or more thin-film layers on a flexible polyimide substrate having opposing front and back outer surfaces includes the following steps: (a) heating the flexible polyimide substrate such that a temperature of the front outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate is higher than a temperature of the back outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate, and (b) depositing the one or more thin-film layers on the front outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate. A deposition zone for executing the method includes (a) one of more physical vapor deposition sources adapted to deposit one or more metallic materials on the front outer surface of the substrate, and (b) one or more radiant zone boundary heaters. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for depositing one or more thin-film layers on a flexible polyimide substrate having opposing front and back outer surfaces, the method comprising the steps of: heating the flexible polyimide substrate such that a temperature of the front outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate is higher than a temperature of the back outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate; and depositing the one or more thin-film layers on the front outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, the step of heating comprising radiantly heating the front outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate using one or more radiant heat generating elements, each of the one or more radiant heat generating elements being at least partially in line of sight with the front outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, the one or more radiant heat generating elements comprising electric radiant heaters. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, further comprising maintaining a vacuum around the flexible polyimide substrate during the steps of heating and depositing. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, the step of depositing comprising depositing a material selected from the group consisting of Copper-Indium-DiSelenide and an alloy of Copper-Indium-DiSelenide on the front outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, the step of depositing comprising reacting at least Copper and Indium in the presence of Selenium. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, further comprising depositing an oxide layer on the back outer surface of the flexible polyimide substrate. ### Claim 8 A deposition zone for depositing a material on a substrate, the substrate having a first outer surface of depth by width, the deposition zone comprising: one of more physical vapor deposition sources adapted to deposit one or more metallic materials on the first outer surface of the substrate; and one or more radiant zone boundary heaters, each radiant zone boundary heater including an outer heating surface adapted to emit infrared radiation, at least one outer heating surface angularly displaced from the first outer surface of the substrate by an angle of less than ninety degrees, each outer heating surface in line of sight with at least part of the first outer surface of the substrate. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The deposition zone of claim 8, at least one of the one or more radiant zone boundary heaters including an outer heating surface disposed in the length and width directions. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The deposition zone of claim 8, the one or more radiant zone boundary heaters comprising an electric radiant heater. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The deposition zone of claim 8, further comprising an enclosure and a vacuum pump adapted to maintain a vacuum in the deposition zone. ### Claim 12 (depends on 8) The deposition zone of claim 8, the one or more physical vapor deposition sources adapted to deposit at least one material selected from the group consisting of Copper, Gallium, and Indium, on the first outer surface of the substrate. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The deposition zone of claim 12, further comprising a Selenium manifold adapted to provide Selenium vapor to the deposition zone. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The deposition zone of claim 13, the one or more physical vapor deposition sources adapted to deposit at least Copper, Gallium, and Indium on the first outer surface of the substrate. ### Claim 15 (depends on 8) The deposition zone of claim 8, the one or more radiant zone boundary heaters comprising a plurality of radiant heaters separated from each other. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The deposition zone of claim 15, the plurality of radiant heaters separated from each other comprising a first and second radiant heater, the deposition zone further comprising a shield disposed between the first and second radiant heaters, the shield adapted to contain one or more deposition elements in the deposition zone. ### Claim 17 (depends on 8) The deposition zone of claim 8, the one or more radiant zone boundary heaters being a single radiant heater.