# US 9,433,966 B2 · Method and system of chemical bath deposition > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,433,966 B2 - Document ID: US9433966B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/186,002 - Filed: 2014-02-21 - Published: 2015-08-27 - Granted: 2016-09-06 - Earliest claimed: 2014-02-21 - Assignees: Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company, Ltd. - Applicants: TSMC Solar Ltd. - Inventors: Pei-Chen Tsai - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9433966B2 ## CPC - B05C 11/1002: {Means for controlling supply, i.e. flow or pressure, of liquid or other fluent material to the applying apparatus, e.g. valves} - B05C 3/005: {incorporating means for heating or cooling the liquid or other fluent material (B05C11/1042 takes precedence)} - B05C 3/02: the work being immersed in the liquid or other fluent material - H10F 71/125: {The active layers comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS, ZnS or CdTe} - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - Y02E 10/543: Solar cells from Group II-VI materials - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - B05C: APPARATUS FOR APPLYING FLUENT MATERIALS TO SURFACES, IN GENERAL (spraying apparatus, atomising apparatus, nozzles B05B; plant for applying liquids or other fluent materials to objects by electrostatic spraying B05B5/08) - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - 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 for chemical bath deposition includes a housing defining a chemical tank, a circulation pipe, and at least one flow adjustment device disposed inside the chemical tank. The chemical tank has an opening on a top surface and is configured to accept and hold at least one substrate inside the chemical tank. The circulation pipe has at least one portion inside the chemical tank, and is configured to supply at least one chemical to the chemical tank. The at least one flowing adjustment device includes any one of a turbine, a diffuser and a bubbler, or a combination thereof. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for chemical bath deposition, comprising: a housing defining a chemical tank, the chemical tank having an opening on a top surface and configured to accept and hold at least one substrate therein; a circulation pipe, having at least one horizontal portion inside the chemical tank, and configured to supply at least one chemical to the chemical tank; and at least one flow adjustment device disposed inside the chemical tank, the at least one flowing adjustment device comprising a turbine or a diffuser, wherein the at least one horizontal portion of the circulation pipe inside the chemical tank has a plurality of vent holes configured to provide the chemical from the circulation pipe to the chemical tank; wherein the turbine is a reversible turbine disposed adjacent to one side wall of the chemical tank, the one side wall being a vertical wall. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one horizontal portion of the circulation pipe inside the chemical tank is disposed above and adjacent to a bottom wall of the chemical tank. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of vent holes on the portion of the circulation pipe is configured to provide the chemical substantially downward from the circulation pipe. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the turbine has a center, and at least one blade disposed radially from the center and substantially parallel to the one side wall of the chemical tank, and the at least one blade is configured to selectively rotate around the center in one of a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one flow adjustment device comprises a diffuser disposed above the circulation pipe, the diffuser comprising a plate having a plurality of holes and configured to diffuse the chemical from the circulation pipe upward through the plate. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the diffuser and the circulation pipe are disposed adjacent to and above a bottom wall of the chemical tank, and below the at least one substrate inside the chemical tank. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one flow adjustment device further comprises a bubbler disposed adjacent to and above a bottom wall of the chemical tank, and configured to provide gas bubbles inside the chemical tank. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one flow adjustment device comprises a combination of two or more selected from the group consisting of a turbine, a diffuser and a bubbler. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a heater disposed inside the chemical tank and configured to adjust a temperature of the chemical inside the chemical tank. ### Claim 10 An apparatus for chemical bath deposition, comprising: a housing defining a chemical tank, the chemical tank having an opening on a top surface and configured to accept and hold at least one substrate therein; a circulation pipe, having at least one horizontal portion inside the chemical tank, and configured to supply at least one chemical to the chemical tank; and at least one flow adjustment device disposed inside the chemical tank, the at least one flowing adjustment device comprising a turbine disposed adjacent to one side wall of the chemical tank, and a diffuser disposed above the circulation pipe, wherein the at least one horizontal portion of the circulation pipe inside the chemical tank has a plurality of vent holes configured to provide the chemical from the circulation pipe to the chemical tank; wherein the turbine is a reversible turbine disposed adjacent to one side wall of the chemical tank, the one side wall being a vertical wall. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the diffuser comprises a plate having a plurality of holes and configured to diffuse the chemical from the circulation pipe upward through the plate. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the at least one flowing adjustment device comprises a bubbler disposed adjacent to and above a bottom wall of the chemical tank, and configured to provide gas bubbles inside the chemical tank. ### Claim 13 An apparatus for chemical bath deposition, comprising: a housing defining a chemical tank, the chemical tank having an opening on a top surface and configured to accept and hold at least one substrate therein; a circulation pipe, having at least one horizontal portion inside the chemical tank, and configured to supply at least one chemical to the chemical tank; and at least one flow adjustment device disposed inside the chemical tank, wherein the at least one flow adjustment device comprises a combination of two or more selected from the group consisting of a turbine, a diffuser and a bubbler, wherein the at least one horizontal portion of the circulation pipe inside the chemical tank has a plurality of vent holes configured to provide the chemical from the circulation pipe to the chemical tank; wherein the turbine is a reversible turbine disposed adjacent to one side wall of the chemical tank, the one side wall being a vertical wall. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the turbine has a center, and at least one blade disposed radially from the center and substantially parallel to the one side wall of the chemical tank, and the at least one blade is configured to selectively rotate around the center in one of a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the diffuser is disposed above the circulation pipe, the diffuser comprising a plate having a plurality of holes and configured to diffuse the chemical from the circulation pipe upward through the plate. ### Claim 16 (depends on 13) The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the bubbler is disposed adjacent to and above a bottom wall of the chemical tank, and configured to provide gas bubbles inside the chemical tank.