Thin film deposition apparatus including a vacuum transport mechanism
First Claim
1. An apparatus for depositing thin films on a substrate, comprising:
- at least one deposition module capable of maintaining an ultra high vacuum for depositing materials from reactive gases contained therein on a substrate;
a load lock module capable of maintaining an ultra high vacuum, said load lock connected to said at least one deposition module;
a gate valve between the deposition module and the load lock to allow the substrate to move from the load lock into the deposition module while minimizing contamination of the reactive gases; and
a transportation mechanism having a transport shaft and a substrate carrier for moving the substrate between the load lock and said at least one deposition module, said transportation mechanism extending outwardly from the deposition module on the side of the deposition module opposite the load lock whereby the transportation shaft located therein reaches through the deposition module into the load lock to pull the substrate back into the deposition module, said transportation mechanism being adapted to operate within ultra high vacuum conditions so that the substrate can be moved from the load lock into the deposition module without breaking vacuum in the deposition module and contaminating the reactive gases contained therein.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for depositing thin films on a substrate includes at least one deposition module, a load lock module, a gate valve and a transportation mechanism for moving a substrate between the load lock and the at least one deposition module, the transportation mechanism being adapted to operate within ultra high vacuum conditions. The at least one deposition module is capable of maintaining an ultra high vacuum for depositing materials from reactive gases contained therein on a substrate. The load lock module is connected to the at least one deposition module by a gate valve and is capable of maintaining an ultra high vacuum. The transportation mechanism for moving the substrate between the load lock and the at least one deposition module is adapted to operate under ultra high vacuum conditions so that the substrate can be drawn from the load lock into the deposition module without breaking vacuum in the deposition module and contaminating the reactive gases contained therein. The apparatus is especially useful for manufacturing solar cells formed from doped amorphous silicon deposited from a glow discharge.
47 Citations
18 Claims
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1. An apparatus for depositing thin films on a substrate, comprising:
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at least one deposition module capable of maintaining an ultra high vacuum for depositing materials from reactive gases contained therein on a substrate; a load lock module capable of maintaining an ultra high vacuum, said load lock connected to said at least one deposition module; a gate valve between the deposition module and the load lock to allow the substrate to move from the load lock into the deposition module while minimizing contamination of the reactive gases; and a transportation mechanism having a transport shaft and a substrate carrier for moving the substrate between the load lock and said at least one deposition module, said transportation mechanism extending outwardly from the deposition module on the side of the deposition module opposite the load lock whereby the transportation shaft located therein reaches through the deposition module into the load lock to pull the substrate back into the deposition module, said transportation mechanism being adapted to operate within ultra high vacuum conditions so that the substrate can be moved from the load lock into the deposition module without breaking vacuum in the deposition module and contaminating the reactive gases contained therein. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. An apparatus for depositing thin films on a substrate, comprising:
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a first deposition module capable of maintaining an ultra high vacuum for a glow discharge deposition of P-type amorphous silicon material by the decomposition of at least one gas contained therein on the surface of the substrate; a second deposition module capable of maintaining an ultra high vacuum for a glow discharge deposition of intrinsic amorphous silicon material from the decomposition of at least one gas contained therein on the surface of a substrate; a third deposition module capable of maintaining an ultra high vacuum for a glow discharge deposition of N-type amorphous silicon material from the decomposition of at least one gas on the surface of the substrate; a central load lock module capable of maintaining an ultra high vacuum, said load lock connected to said first, second and third deposition modules; a first gate valve connected to and located between said first deposition module and the central load lock module to minimize cross-contamination; a second gate valve connected to and located between the second deposition module and the central load lock to minimize cross-contamination; a third gate valve connected to and located between the third deposition module and the central load lock module to minimize cross-contamination; a first bellows-sealed, manually operated transportation mechanism for moving the substrate between the central load lock and the first deposition module, said first transportion mechanism being adapted to operate within ultra high vacuum conditions and extending outwardly from the first deposition module on the side of the deposition module opposite the central load lock whereby the transportation shaft located therein reaches through the first deposition module into the central load lock to pull the substrate back into the deposition module; a second bellows-sealed, manually operated transportation mechanism for moving the substrate between the central load lock and the second deposition module, said second transportation mechanism being adapted to operate within ultra high vacuum conditions and extending outwardly from the second deposition module on the side of the deposition module opposite the central load lock whereby the transportation shaft located therein reaches through the second deposition module into the central load lock to pull the substrate back into the deposition module; and a third bellows-sealed, manually operated transportation mechanism for moving the substrate between the central load lock and the third deposition module, said third transportation mechanism being adapted to operate within ultra high vacuum conditions and extending outwardly from the third deposition module on the side of the deposition module opposite the central load lock whereby the transportation shaft located therein reaches through the third deposition module into the central load lock to pull the substrate back into the deposition module.
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Specification