Chucks for supporting solar cell in hot spot testing

• US 9,435,848 B2
• Filed: 07/22/2015
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Maxeon Solar Pte Limited
• Original Assignee: Sunpower Corporation (Totalenergies Se)
• Inventors: Capulong, Jose Francisco, Abas, Emmanuel
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vinh
• Assistant Examiner(s): BROWN, LAMARR A
• Application Number:
  US14/806,262
• Publication Number:
  US 20150326178A1
• Time in Patent Office: 412 Days
• Field of Search: 324/764.01, 32476101-76202, 324/754.01, 324/754.08, 32475601-75603, 32475601-75603, 269 20- 21, 279/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23Q 3/18 for positioning only
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/04 Housings; Supporting members; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/26 Testing of individual semiconductor devices testing or measuring during manufacture or treatment H01L22/00; testing of photovoltaic devices H02S50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67103 mainly by conduction
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6838 with gripping and holding devices using a vacuum; Bernoulli devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68757 characterised by a coating or a hardness or a material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/68778 characterised by supporting substrates others than wafers, e.g. chips
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 50/10 Testing of PV devices, e.g. of PV modules or single PV cells testing of semiconductor devices during manufacturing H01L22/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 10/50 Photovoltaic [PV] energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 279/11 Vacuum

Abstract

In an embodiment, a chuck to support a solar cell in hot spot testing is provided. This embodiment of the chuck comprises a base portion and a support portion disposed above the base portion. The support portion is configured to support the solar cell above the base portion and to define a cavity between a bottom surface of the solar cell and the base portion that thermally separates a portion of the bottom surface of the solar cell from the base portion.

Claims

1. An electrical or thermal substrate testing apparatus, comprising:

a thermal imaging camera to detect heat distribution over a top surface of a substrate;

a chuck disposed below the thermal imaging camera, the chuck comprising a base portion and a support portion coupled to the base portion, the support portion to support the substrate above the base portion and to define a cavity between a bottom surface of the substrate and the base portion that thermally separates a portion of the bottom surface of the substrate from the base portion, and the chuck further having a bore through at least the base portion;

a testing probe disposed below the chuck, the testing probe to make contact with the bottom surface of the substrate through the bore; and

vacuum tunnels disposed in the chuck, the vacuum tunnels configured to hold the substrate in place during the electrical or thermal testing; and

wherein the chuck is heated during the electrical or thermal testing, and wherein the cavity reduces an amount of heat transferred from the base portion of the chuck to the substrate; and

wherein the amount of heat transferred is reduced to between about 0.020 W/(m*k) and 0.030 W/(m*K).

2. The electrical or thermal substrate testing apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an additional chuck disposed below the thermal imaging camera, the additional chuck comprising an additional base portion and an additional support portion to support the substrate above the additional base portion and to define an additional cavity, between the bottom surface of the substrate and the additional base portion, that thermally separates an additional portion of the bottom surface of the substrate from the additional base portion.

3. The electrical or thermal substrate testing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the chuck is separated from the additional chuck comprises vacuum tunnels configured to hold a substrate in place during electrical or thermal testing.

4. The electrical or thermal substrate testing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the additional chuck by a channel.

5. The electrical or thermal substrate testing apparatus of claim 2, wherein at least about 26% of the bottom surface of the substrate is supported by the support portion and the additional support portion.