Ion implant system having grid assembly
First Claim
1. A solar cell implantation system, comprising:
- an implant chamber, comprising;
a plasma region;
a plasma source configured to provide plasma in the plasma region;
an implant region for implanting solar cells with ions from the plasma region;
vacuum pump assembly configured to differentially pump the plasma region and the implant region;
a grid plate assembly comprising a plurality of apertures configured to allow ions from the plasma region to pass therethrough to the implant region, and configured to ensure the vacuum pump assembly effectively differentially pumps the plasma region and implant region;
a multi-stage differentially pumped system comprising;
a plurality of increased vacuum stages, each with increasing level of vacuum leading to the implant region, wherein the implant region having highest level of vacuum;
a plurality of reduced vacuum stages, each with a decreasing level of vacuum leading away from the implant region;
a conveyor system for transporting solar cells from atmospheric side and through the multi-stage differentially pumped system, and for positioning the solar cells underneath the grid assembly to be implanted at the implant stage.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An ion implantation system having a grid assembly. The system includes a plasma source configured to provide plasma in a plasma region; a first grid plate having a plurality of apertures configured to allow ions from the plasma region to pass therethrough, wherein the first grid plate is configured to be biased by a power supply; a second grid plate having a plurality of apertures configured to allow the ions to pass therethrough subsequent to the ions passing through the first grid plate, wherein the second grid plate is configured to be biased by a power supply; and a substrate holder configured to support a substrate in a position where the substrate is implanted with the ions subsequent to the ions passing through the second grid plate.
-
Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A solar cell implantation system, comprising:
-
an implant chamber, comprising; a plasma region; a plasma source configured to provide plasma in the plasma region; an implant region for implanting solar cells with ions from the plasma region; vacuum pump assembly configured to differentially pump the plasma region and the implant region; a grid plate assembly comprising a plurality of apertures configured to allow ions from the plasma region to pass therethrough to the implant region, and configured to ensure the vacuum pump assembly effectively differentially pumps the plasma region and implant region; a multi-stage differentially pumped system comprising; a plurality of increased vacuum stages, each with increasing level of vacuum leading to the implant region, wherein the implant region having highest level of vacuum; a plurality of reduced vacuum stages, each with a decreasing level of vacuum leading away from the implant region; a conveyor system for transporting solar cells from atmospheric side and through the multi-stage differentially pumped system, and for positioning the solar cells underneath the grid assembly to be implanted at the implant stage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
-
-
17. A method for forming solar cells in an implant chamber having a plasma region and implant region defined by a grid assembly, comprising:
-
differentially pumping the plasma region and the implant region of an implant chamber; supplying doping gas into the plasma region; sustaining plasma in the plasma region; loading wafers onto a conveyor system and operating the conveyor to deliver the wafer to the implant region through a plurality of increased vacuum stages, each with increasing level of vacuum leading to the implant region, wherein the implant region having highest level of vacuum, and to remove the wafers from the implant region through a plurality of reduced vacuum stages, each with a decreasing level of vacuum leading away from the implant region; positioning the wafers underneath the grid assembly at a distance where beamlets exiting the grid assembly have converged to a uniform beam; and
,masking the wafers to generate selectively implanted regions on the wafers. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification