METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING COPPER-INDIUM-GALLIUM SELENIDE (CuInGaSe2-CIGS) THIN FILMS AND OTHER MATERIALS ON A SUBSTRATE

A method for deposition of a plurality of elements and/or compounds onto a solar cell substrate comprising:

• a. providing a substrate;
• b. providing one or more elements and/or compounds for deposition to said substrate;
• c. providing a housing;
• d. providing a transporting apparatus to transport said substrate in and out of said housing;
• e. placing said substrate onto said transporting apparatus and having said transporting apparatus transport said substrate into said housing;
• f. providing one or more tubing apparatus to deliver powders of said elements and/or compounds to said housing wherein said tubing apparatus is comprised of one or more feeder tubes located outside of said housing and joined to said housing;
• a plurality of source material tubes located outside of said housing and joined to said feeder tube;
• a plurality of valves located inside of said source material tubes sufficient to block access between said source material tubes and said feeder tubes;
• one or more heating tubes located inside of said housing and connected to said feeder tube;
• g. placing said elements and/or compounds into said source material tubes;
• h. opening said valves to allow said elements and/or compounds to move into said feeder tubes;
• i. providing a portion of carrier gas and feed said carrier gas into said feeder tubes;
• j. allowing said carrier gas to carry said elements and/or compounds from said feeder tubes to said heating tubes;
• k. providing one or more thermal sources to heat said housing and said heating tube and heat said housing and said heating tubes;
• l. vaporizing said elements and/or compounds inside said heating tubes and allowing said elements and/or compounds to leave said heating tubes;
• m. allowing said elements and/or compounds to deposit onto said substrate after said elements and/or compounds leave said heating tubes;
• n. transporting said substrate outside of said housing after said elements and/or compounds are deposited onto said substrate.

An apparatus for deposition of a plurality of elements onto a solar cell substrate comprising:

• a. a housing;
• b. a transporting apparatus to transport said substrate in and out of said housing;
• c. a first tubing apparatus to deliver powders of a first elements to said housing wherein said first tubing apparatus is comprised of a first feeder tube located outside of said housing and joined to said housing;
• a first source material tube located outside of said housing and joining to said feeder tube;
• a valves located inside of said first source material tube sufficient to block access between said first source material tube and said first feeder tube;
• a first heating tube located inside of said housing and connected to said first feeder tube;
• d. a second tubing apparatus to deliver powders of a second elements to said housing wherein said second tubing apparatus is comprised of a second feeder tube located outside of said housing and joined to said housing;
• a second source material tube located outside of said housing and joining to said second feeder tube;
• a valves located inside of said second source material tube sufficient to block access between said second source material tube and said second feeder tube;
• a second heating tube located inside of said housing and connected to said second feeder tube;
• e. a loading station for loading said substrate onto said transporting apparatus;
• f. one or more thermal sources to heat said housing and said first heating tube and said second heating tube.

A method of deposing a plurality of elements onto a solar cell substrate comprising:

• a. providing a housing having a transporting apparatus in said housing;
• b. loading a substrate onto said transporting apparatus;
• c. providing a first elements to a first source material tube wherein said first elements and/or compounds are CIG powder;
• d. applying a portion of a first carrier gas into a first feeder tube wherein said first carrier gas carries said CIG powder into a first heating tube;
• d. heating said first heating tube thereby vaporizing said CIG powder and turning said CIG powder to CIG vapor;
• e. allowing said CIG vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a first area nearing said first heating tube;
• f. providing a second elements to a second source material tube wherein said second elements are NaF powder;
• g. applying a portion of a second carrier gas into a second feeder tube wherein said second carrier gas carries said NaF powder into a second heating tube;
• h. heating said second heating tube thereby vaporizing said NaF powder and turning said NaF powder to NaF vapor;
• i. allowing said NaF vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a second area nearing said second heating tube;
• j. providing a third elements to said third source material tube wherein said third elements are Se powder;
• g. applying a portion of a third carrier gas into said third feeder tube wherein said third carrier gas carries said Se powder into said third heating tube;
• h. heating said third heating tube thereby vaporizing said Se powder and turning said Se powder to Se vapor;
• i. allowing said Se vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a third area nearing said third heating tube.

A method of depositing a plurality of elements and/or compounds onto a solar cell substrate comprising:

• a. providing a housing having a transporting apparatus in said housing;
• b. loading a substrate onto said transporting apparatus;
• c. providing a first elements and/or compounds to a first source material tube wherein said first elements and/or compounds are CIG powder;
• d. applying a portion of first carrier gas into a first feeder tube wherein said first carrier gas carries said CIG powder into a first heating tube;
• d. heating said first heating tube thereby vaporizing said CIG powder and turning said CIG powder to CIG vapor;
• e. allowing said CIG vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a first area nearing said first heating tube;
• f. providing a second elements to a second source material tube wherein said second elements are NaF powder;
• g. applying a portion of a second carrier gas into a second feeder tube wherein said second carrier gas carries said NaF powder into a second heating tube;
• h. heating said second heating tube thereby vaporizing said NaF powder and turning said NaF powder to NaF vapor;
• i. allowing said NaF vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a second area nearing said second heating tube;
• j. providing a third elements to a third source material tube wherein said third elements are In powder;
• g. applying a portion of a third carrier gas into a third feeder tube wherein said third carrier gas carries said In powder into a third heating tube;
• h. heating said third heating tube thereby vaporizing said In powder and turning said In powder to In vapor;
• i. allowing said In vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a third area nearing said third heating tube;
• j. providing a fourth elements to a fourth source material tube wherein said fourth elements are Se powder;
• k. applying a portion of a fourth carrier gas into a fourth feeder tube wherein said fourth carrier gas carries said Se powder into a fourth heating tube;
• l. heating said fourth heating tube thereby vaporizing said Se powder and turning said Se powder to Se vapor;
• m. allowing said Se vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a fourth area nearing said fourth heating tube.

A method of depositing a plurality of elements onto a solar cell substrate comprising:

• a. providing a housing having a transporting apparatus in said housing;
• b. loading a substrate onto said transporting apparatus;
• b. providing a first elements to a first source material tube wherein said first elements are CIG powder;
• c. applying a portion of first carrier gas into a first feeder tube wherein said first carrier gas carries said CIG powder into a first heating tube;
• d. heating said first heating tube thereby vaporizing said CIG powder and turning said CIG powder to CIG vapor;
• e. allowing said CIG vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a first area nearing said first heating tube;
• f. providing a second elements to a second source material tube wherein said second elements are NaF powder;
• g. applying a portion of second carrier gas into a second feeder tube wherein said second carrier gas carries said NaF powder into a second heating tube;
• h. heating said second heating tube thereby vaporizing said NaF powder and turning said NaF powder to NaF vapor;
• i. allowing said NaF vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a second area nearing said second heating tube;
• j. providing a first portion of Se vapor into said housing via a Se duct;
• i. allowing said Se vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a third area nearing said Se duct.

A method of depositing a plurality of elements onto a solar cell substrate comprising:

• a. providing a housing having a transporting apparatus in said housing;
• b. loading a substrate onto said transporting apparatus;
• b. providing a first elements to a first source material tube wherein said first elements are CIG powder;
• c. applying a portion of a first carrier gas into a first feeder tube wherein said first carrier gas carries said CIG powder into a first heating tube;
• d. heating said first heating tube thereby vaporizing said CIG powder and turning said CIG powder to CIG vapor;
• e. allowing said CIG vapor to deposit onto a substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a first area nearing said first heating tube;
• f. providing a second elements to a second source material tube wherein said second elements are NaF powder;
• g. applying a portion of a second carrier gas into a second feeder tube wherein said second carrier gas carries said NaF powder into said second heating tube;
• h. heating said second heating tube thereby vaporizing said NaF powder and turning said NaF powder to NaF vapor;
• i. allowing said NaF vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a second area nearing said second heating tube;
• j. providing a third elements to a third source material tube wherein said third elements are In powder;
• k. applying a portion of a third carrier gas into a third feeder tube wherein said third carrier gas carries said In powder into said third heating tube;
• l. heating said third heating tube thereby vaporizing said In powder and turning said In powder to In vapor;
• m. allowing said In vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a third area nearing said third heating tube;
• j. providing a first portion of Se vapor into said housing via a Se duct;
• k. allowing said Se vapor to deposit onto said substrate as said substrate is transported by said transporting apparatus to a fourth area nearing said Se duct.