# US 2018/0323332 A1 · Integrated Vapor Transport Deposition Method and System

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- Number: US 2018/0323332 A1
- Document ID: US20180323332A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 16/040,173
- Filed: 2018-07-19
- Published: 2018-11-08
- Earliest claimed: 2012-01-31
- Assignees: First Solar, Inc.
- Applicants: First Solar, Inc.
- Inventors: John Barden; Changming Jin; Feng Liao; Rick C. Powell; Gang Xiong
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180323332A1

## CPC

- H10F 71/125: {The active layers comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS, ZnS or CdTe}
- C23C 14/024: {Deposition of sublayers, e.g. to promote adhesion of the coating (C23C14/027 takes precedence)}
- C23C 14/0629: {of zinc, cadmium or mercury}
- C23C 14/228: {Gas flow assisted PVD deposition}
- C23C 14/58: After-treatment
- H10P 72/0456: {in-line arrangement}
- H10P 72/3314: {Continuous loading and unloading into and out of a processing chamber, e.g. transporting belts within processing chambers}
- Y02E 10/543: Solar cells from Group II-VI materials
- Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product
- 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
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

A vapor transport deposition system and method that includes a vaporizer and distributor unit and at least one auxiliary process unit for integrating thin-film layer deposition with one or more pre- or post-deposition processes.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for manufacturing a photovoltaic device comprising:
depositing a thin film layer on a substrate using an integrated deposition apparatus; and
performing a first pre- or post-deposition process on the substrate using said integrated deposition apparatus.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of depositing a thin film layer on a substrate further comprises:
vaporizing a material powder into a vapor;
collecting the vapor in a vapor distribution unit of said apparatus; and
outputting the vapor from the vapor distribution unit to be deposited onto the substrate.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the step of performing a pre- or post-deposition process on the substrate further comprises performing a thermal heat treatment.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, wherein the step of performing a pre- or post-deposition process on the substrate further comprises:
inputting a process material into a first auxiliary process unit of said apparatus; and
outputting the process material from the first auxiliary process unit towards a substrate.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4, wherein the step of collecting the vapor in the vapor distribution unit further comprises:
capturing the vapor from the vaporizer unit in a vapor housing; and
passing the vapor from the vapor housing to a chamber in the vapor distribution unit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5, wherein the step of inputting a process material into a first auxiliary process unit further comprises:
inputting a process material from a material source into at least one inlet in the first auxiliary process unit;
capturing the process material in a manifold housing of the first auxiliary process unit; and
directing the process material towards an opening in the manifold housing.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing a pre- or post-deposition process on the substrate comprising performing a pre-deposition process.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the step of performing a pre-deposition process comprises forming an upstream inert gas curtain adjacent to the substrate to achieve local ambient control.

### Claim 9 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the step of performing a pre-deposition process comprises performing a pre-deposition chemical treatment with a process gas.

### Claim 10 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the step of performing a pre-deposition process comprises performing a pre-deposition thermal-chemical treatment with a process gas and radiant heat.

### Claim 11 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the step of performing a pre-deposition process comprises performing a pre-deposition thermal treatment of the substrate with radiant heat and without gas flow.

### Claim 12 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the step of performing a pre-deposition process comprises providing a vapor to form a material layer on the substrate.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the step of performing a pre- or post-deposition process on the substrate comprising performing a post-deposition process.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the step of performing a post-deposition process comprises forming an downstream inert gas curtain adjacent to the substrate to achieve local ambient control.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the step of performing a post-deposition process comprises performing a post-deposition chemical treatment with a process gas.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the step of performing a post-deposition process comprises performing a post-deposition thermal-chemical treatment with a process gas and radiant heat.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the step of performing a post-deposition process comprises performing a post-deposition thermal treatment of the substrate with radiant heat and without gas flow.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the step of performing a post-deposition process comprises providing a vapor to form a material layer on a deposited layer on the substrate.

### Claim 19 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, further comprising:
performing a second pre- or post-deposition process on the substrate using said integrated deposition apparatus.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19, further comprising:
inputting a process material into a second auxiliary process unit of said apparatus; and
outputting the process material from the second auxiliary process unit towards the substrate.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The method of claim 20, further comprising:
directing the substrate under the first auxiliary process unit for a pre-deposition process;
after directing the substrate under the first auxiliary process unit, directing the substrate under the vapor distribution unit; and
after directing the substrate under the vapor distribution unit, directing the substrate under the second auxiliary process unit for a post deposition process.