Solar Cell Fabrication Using Extrusion Mask
First Claim
1. A system for fabricating an integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate, the system comprising:
- an extrusion head including a plurality of outlet orifices;
a mask having a first peripheral portion defining a first inside edge and a central opening defined by the first inside edge;
means for aligning the mask such that the first peripheral portion is positioned over one of a first peripheral area of the semiconductor substrate and a second peripheral area of the semiconductor substrate, and such that the central opening is positioned over a central area of the semiconductor substrate disposed between the first and second peripheral areas;
means for moving the extrusion head relative to the semiconductor substrate such that the plurality of outlet orifices are moved from a first position over the first peripheral area to a second position over the second peripheral area, whereby the plurality of outlet orifice pass over the central area of the semiconductor substrate;
means for controlling extrusion of a material such that said material is continuously extruded through the plurality of outlet orifices while the extrusion head is moved from the first position to the second position, whereby the extruded material forms a plurality of elongated extruded structures on the central area of the semiconductor substrate.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Large-area ICs (e.g., silicon wafer-based solar cells) are produced by positioning a mask between an extrusion head and the IC wafer during extrusion of a dopant bearing material or metal gridline material. The mask includes first and second peripheral portions that are positioned over corresponding peripheral areas of the wafer, and a central opening that exposes a central active area of the wafer. The extrusion head is then moved relative to the wafer, and the extrusion material is continuously extruded through outlet orifices of the extrusion head to form elongated extruded structures on the active area of the wafer. The mask prevents deposition of the extrusion material along the peripheral edges of the wafer, and facilitates the formation of unbroken extrusion structures. The mask may be provided with a non-rectangular opening to facilitate the formation of non-rectangular (e.g., circular) two-dimensional extrusion patterns.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A system for fabricating an integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate, the system comprising:
-
an extrusion head including a plurality of outlet orifices;
a mask having a first peripheral portion defining a first inside edge and a central opening defined by the first inside edge;means for aligning the mask such that the first peripheral portion is positioned over one of a first peripheral area of the semiconductor substrate and a second peripheral area of the semiconductor substrate, and such that the central opening is positioned over a central area of the semiconductor substrate disposed between the first and second peripheral areas; means for moving the extrusion head relative to the semiconductor substrate such that the plurality of outlet orifices are moved from a first position over the first peripheral area to a second position over the second peripheral area, whereby the plurality of outlet orifice pass over the central area of the semiconductor substrate; means for controlling extrusion of a material such that said material is continuously extruded through the plurality of outlet orifices while the extrusion head is moved from the first position to the second position, whereby the extruded material forms a plurality of elongated extruded structures on the central area of the semiconductor substrate. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A method for fabricating an integrated circuit on a semiconductor substrate, the method comprising:
-
aligning a mask between an extrusion head and the semiconductor substrate such that a first peripheral portion of the mask is positioned over a first peripheral area of the semiconductor substrate, a second peripheral portion of the mask is positioned over a second peripheral area of the semiconductor substrate, and a central opening defined between the first and second peripheral portions is positioned over a central area of the semiconductor substrate disposed between the first and second peripheral areas; moving the extrusion head relative to the semiconductor substrate such that a plurality of outlet orifices defined in the extrusion head are moved from a first position over the first peripheral area to a second position over the second peripheral area, whereby such the plurality of outlet orifices pass over the central area of the semiconductor substrate; and extruding a material such that said material is continuously extruded through the plurality of outlet orifices while the extrusion head is moved from the first position to the second position, whereby the extruded material forms a plurality of elongated extruded structures on the central area of the semiconductor substrate. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification