EDGE FILM REMOVAL PROCESS FOR THIN FILM SOLAR CELL APPLICATIONS

• US 20100159634A1
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Morishige, David, Martin, Todd, Mahajan, Uday, SU, TZAY-FA
• Granted Patent: US 8,071,420 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 438/96
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/172 wherein at least one of the layers is non-metallic
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/50 Inorganic material, e.g. metals, not provided for in B23K2103/02 – B23K2103/26
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/361 for deburring or mechanical trimming B23K26/351 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/364 for making a groove or trench, e.g. for scribing a break initiation groove
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/40 taking account of the properties of the material involved
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/18 Processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of these devices or of parts thereof

Abstract

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for edge film stack removal process for fabricating photovoltaic devices. In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing solar cell devices on a substrate includes providing a substrate into a chemical vapor deposition chamber, contacting a shadow frame disposed in the deposition chamber to a periphery region of the substrate, depositing a silicon-containing layer on the substrate through an aperture defined by the shadow frame, transferring the substrate to a physical vapor deposition chamber, depositing a transparent conductive layer on the silicon-containing layer, transferring the substrate to a laser edge removal tool, and laser scribing the layers formed on the periphery region of the substrate.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing solar cell devices on a substrate, comprising:

providing a substrate into a chemical vapor deposition chamber;

contacting a shadow frame disposed in the deposition chamber to a periphery region of the substrate;

depositing a silicon-containing layer on the substrate through an aperture defined by the shadow frame;

transferring the substrate to a physical vapor deposition chamber;

depositing a transparent conductive layer on the silicon-containing layer in the physical vapor deposition chamber;

transferring the substrate to a laser edge removal tool; and

laser scribing the one or more layers formed on the periphery region of the substrate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein laser scribing further comprises:

removing a portion of the transparent conductive layer on the periphery region of the substrate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the periphery region has a width about 8 mm and about 12 mm measured from an edge of the substrate.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the silicon-containing layer further comprises:

forming a p-type silicon containing layer;

forming an i-type silicon containing layer on the p-type silicon containing layer; and

forming a n-type silicon containing layer on the i-type silicon containing layer.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the substrate has a conductive layer deposited thereon prior to depositing the silicon-containing layer.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein laser scribing further comprises:

removing a portion of the substrate.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein a portion of the substrate removed has a depth between about 20 μ

m and about 40 μ

m from the substrate upper surface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein laser scribing the substrate further comprises:

continuously laser scanning the periphery region of the substrate along each side of the substrate.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the transparent conductive layer is at least one of a zinc containing material, an aluminum containing material, a tin containing material, an ITO containing material or alloys thereof.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the silicon-containing layer further comprises:

maintaining the periphery region of the substrate free of the silicon-containing layer.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the transparent conductive layer further comprises:

depositing the transparent conductive layer on the periphery region of the substrate.

12. A method for removing one or more layers from a periphery region of a substrate, comprising:

providing a substrate having a peripheral region and a cell integrated region;

transferring the substrate into a chemical vapor deposition chamber;

contacting a shadow frame disposed in the chemical vapor deposition chamber to the periphery region of the substrate;

depositing a silicon-containing layer on the cell integrated region of the substrate exposed through by the shadow frame;

transferring the substrate to a physical vapor deposition chamber;

depositing a transparent conductive layer in the physical vapor deposition chamber, the transparent conductive layer deposited on the silicon-containing layer on both the periphery region and the cell integrated region of the substrate;

transferring the substrate to a laser edge removal tool; and

laser scribing the layers formed on the periphery region of the substrate.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the peripheral region of the substrate has a width between about 8 mm and about 12 mm.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein laser scribing further comprises:

removing deposited layers on the periphery region of the substrate.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein laser scribing further comprising:

removing a portion of the substrate.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the portion of the substrate forms a trench having a depth between about 20 μ

m and about 40 μ

m of the substrate.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein depositing the silicon-containing layer further comprises:

forming a first p-i-n junction on the substrate; and

forming a second p-i-n junction over the first p-i-n junction.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein forming the first p-i-n junction comprises:

forming a p-type amorphous silicon layer;

forming an i-type amorphous silicon layer on the p-type amorphous silicon layer; and

forming a n-type microcrystalline silicon layer on the i-type amorphous silicon layer.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the forming the second p-i-n junction comprises:

forming a p-type microcrystalline silicon layer;

forming an i-type microcrystalline silicon layer on the p-type microcrystalline silicon layer; and

forming a n-type amorphous silicon layer on the i-type microcrystalline silicon layer.

20. A method for removing layers on a periphery region of a substrate, comprising:

providing a substrate having a peripheral region and a cell integrated region, the substrate having a mismatched film thickness between the peripheral region and the cell integrated region of the substrate; and

laser scribing at least one of the layers formed on the periphery region of the substrate, wherein the periphery region of the substrate has a width between about 8 mm and about 12 mm.