# US 8,771,421 B2 · Entrance and exit roll seal configuration for a vapor deposition system > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,771,421 B2 - Document ID: US8771421B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/977,543 - Filed: 2010-12-23 - Published: 2012-03-15 - Granted: 2014-07-08 - Earliest claimed: 2010-12-23 - Assignees: First Solar, Inc. - Applicants: Christopher Rathweg - Inventors: Christopher Rathweg - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8771421B2 ## CPC - C23C 14/24: Vacuum evaporation - C23C 14/0629: {of zinc, cadmium or mercury} - C23C 14/568: {Transferring the substrates through a series of coating stations (C23C14/562 takes precedence)} - H10F 71/125: {The active layers comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS, ZnS or CdTe} - H10F 71/137: {Batch treatment of the devices} - H10P 72/0441: {Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like} - H10P 72/0456: {in-line arrangement} - H10P 72/3202: {Mechanical details, e.g. rollers or belts} - 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 - 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) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - 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 An apparatus is provided for vapor deposition of a sublimated source material as a thin film on discrete photovoltaic (PV) module substrates conveyed in a continuous non-stop manner through said apparatus. The apparatus includes a vapor deposition head configured for receipt and sublimation of a source material, and for distributing the sublimated source material onto an upper surface of substrates conveyed through a deposition area. A roll seal configuration is provided at each of an entry slot and an exit slot for the substrates conveyed through the apparatus. The roll seal configuration further includes a cylinder rotatably supported at a defined gap height above a conveyance plane of the substrates such that the cylinder is not in continuous rolling contact with the substrates within the window of finished active semiconductor material. The cylinder is floatable in a vertical direction relative to the conveyance plane of the substrates such that the cylinder rolls up and over surface variations in the substrates that exceed the gap height as the substrates are conveyed under the cylinder. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for vapor deposition of a sublimated source material as a thin film on discrete photovoltaic (PV) module substrates conveyed in a continuous non-stop manner through said apparatus, comprising: a vapor deposition head configured for receipt and sublimation of a source material, and for distributing the sublimated source material onto an upper surface of substrates conveyed through a deposition area of said apparatus; a roll seal configuration with at least one of an entry slot and an exit slot for the substrates conveyed through said apparatus; said roll seal configuration further comprising a cylinder rotatably supported at a defined gap height above a conveyance plane of the substrates such that said cylinder is not in continuous rolling contact with the substrates in a defined active semiconductor area of the substrate; said cylinder floatable in a vertical direction relative to the conveyance plane of the substrates such that said cylinder rolls up and over surface variations in the substrates that exceed said gap height as the substrates are conveyed under said cylinder; said cylinder comprising a stepped diameter with increased greater diameter bands at ends thereof, said increased diameter bands configured to roll continuously or intermittently on lateral edge portions of the substrates. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said cylinder is gravity-biased towards the conveyance plane of the substrates. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said cylinder is spring-biased towards the conveyance plane of the substrates. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said increased diameter bands are disposed initially below the conveyance plane of the substrates and roll up and onto the lateral edge portions of the substrates upon conveyance of the substrates below said cylinder. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus as in claim 4, wherein said cylinder is driven at a conveyance speed of the substrates. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, wherein said gap height of said cylinder above the conveyance plane is within a range of about 0.010 inch to about 0.125 inch. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising bearing blocks at ends of said cylinder, said cylinder freely rotatable in said bearing blocks. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus as in claim 1, further comprising a conveyor assembly configured below said vapor deposition head, said conveyor assembly further comprising: a housing defining an enclosed interior volume; a conveyor operably disposed within said housing to be driven in an endless loop path within said housing, said endless loop path having an upper leg that moves in a conveyance direction, and a lower leg that moves in an opposite return direction; said housing further comprising a top member defining said deposition area, said deposition head configured on said top member such that substrates on said conveyor are exposed to said deposition head through said deposition area in said top member; said cylinder defining said exit slot at a longitudinal end of said top member. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The apparatus as in claim 8, wherein said conveyor comprises a plurality of interconnected slats that support said substrates conveyed through said apparatus. ### Claim 10 (depends on 8) The apparatus as in claim 8, further comprising an additional said roll seal configuration at said entry slot with a cylinder at an opposite longitudinal end of said top member. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said cylinders are rotatably mounted in bearing blocks supported on said top member. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus as in claim 10, wherein said cylinders are vertically adjustable in said bearing blocks to adjust said gap height.