PRODUCTION LINE MODULE FOR FORMING MULTIPLE SIZED PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES

• US 20090077804A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Walker, Brice, Bachrach, Robert Z., Lu, Danny Cam Toan, Tanner, David, Murphy, Stephen P., Li, Liwei, Englhardt, Eric A., Choi, Soo Young, White, John M., Gay, Charles, Mei, Fang, Sheng, Shuran, Sullivan, Jeffrey S., Chae, Yong-Kee, Elgar, Yacov, Won, Tae K., Su, Tzay-Fa (Jeff), Frei, Michel R., Schlezinger, Asaf, Kankanala, Penchala N., Lo, Wing Hoo (Hendrick), Hawkins, Parris, Saunders, Matthew J.B., Ho, Choi (Gene), Hunter, James Craig, Patel, Srujal (Steve), Trowbridge, Teresa, De Vries, Nicholas G.J.
• Application Number:
  US12/201,840
• Publication Number:
  US 20090077804A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 29/890.33
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/364 for making a groove or trench, e.g. for scribing a break initiation groove
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 3/002 Precutting and tensioning or breaking
• CPC Class Codes: B26F 3/004 by means of a fluid jet methods for use of abrasive blasting for cutting B24C1/045; guns for abrasive fluid jets B24C5/02; perforating by non-mechanical means, e.g. by fluid jet B26F1/26
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2249/02 Controlled or contamination-free environments or clean space conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 2249/04 Arrangements of vacuum systems or suction cups
• CPC Class Codes: B65G 49/064 in a horizontal position B65G49/066 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 33/03 Glass cutting tables; Apparatus for transporting or handling sheet glass during the cutting or breaking operations
• CPC Class Codes: C03B 33/033 Apparatus for opening score lines in glass sheets
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67132 Apparatus for placing on an insulating substrate, e.g. tape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67236 the substrates being processed being not semiconductor wafers, e.g. leadframes or chips
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67712 the substrate being handled substantially vertically
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67715 Changing the direction of the conveying path
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67721 the substrates to be conveyed not being semiconductor wafers or large planar substrates, e.g. chips, lead frames H01L21/6773 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/67727 using a general scheme of a conveying path within a factory
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 21/6776 Continuous loading and unloading into and out of a processing chamber, e.g. transporting belts within processing chambers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/022425 for solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/03921 including only elements of Group IV of the Periodic Table
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/0504 specially adapted for series or parallel connection of solar cells in a module
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 31/075 the potential barriers being only of the PIN type, e.g. amorphous silicon PIN solar cells
• CPC Class Codes: H02S 50/00 Monitoring or testing of PV systems, e.g. load balancing or fault identification
• 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 10/548 : Amorphous silicon PV cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 40/57 : Improving the yield, e-g- reduction of reject rates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/10 : Methods
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/325 : With means to apply moment of force to weakened work
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 225/329 : Plural breakers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 : Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49355 : Solar energy device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5196 : Multiple station with conveyor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53113 : Heat exchanger
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5313 : Means to assemble electrical device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/5317 : Laminated device
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53187 : Multiple station assembly apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53365 : Multiple station assembly apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/53417 : Means to fasten work parts together

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a sectioning module positioned within an automated solar cell device fabrication system. The solar cell device fabrication system is adapted to receive a single large substrate and form multiple silicon thin film solar cell devices from the single large substrate.

Claims

7. A method for sectioning a partially processed solar cell device, comprising:

receiving a substrate having a processing surface;

forming a silicon layer on the processing surface;

sectioning the substrate into a first and a second section after forming the silicon layer on the processing surface; and

transferring the first section into a next station for further processing.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein sectioning the substrate comprises:

scribing a first line into a surface of the substrate after forming the silicon layer on the processing surface; and

actuating a break mechanism to break the substrate along the first line.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the scribing a first line comprises scribing a line completely through the silicon layer and into the processing surface.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising scribing a second line into the processing surface, wherein the second line is substantially perpendicular to the first line.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising positioning the first section of the substrate adjacent a second break mechanism such that the second scribed line is substantially in line with an axis of the second break mechanism.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising actuating the second break mechanism to break the first section along the second scribed line.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the processing surface has a surface area greater than about 1.4 m².

14. A system for fabricating solar cell devices, comprising:

a substrate receiving module that is adapted to receive a substrate;

a cluster tool having a processing chamber that is adapted to deposit a silicon-containing layer on a surface of the substrate;

a back contact deposition chamber configured to deposit a back contact layer on a surface of the substrate;

a substrate sectioning module configured to section the substrate into two or more sections; and

a system controller for controlling and coordinating functions of each of the substrate receiving module, the cluster tool, the processing chamber, the back contact deposition chamber, and the substrate sectioning module.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the substrate sectioning module comprises a CNC glass cutter.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the substrate sectioning module comprises a scribing station configured to scribe a line into a surface of the substrate, a breaking station configured to break the substrate along the line, and a positioning mechanism for positioning the substrate such that the line scribed into the substrate is substantially aligned with the breaking mechanism.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the substrate sectioning module further comprises a second positioning mechanism for positioning one of the sections of the substrate adjacent a second breaking mechanism, such that the second breaking mechanism is substantially aligned with a second line scribed into the substrate.

18. A method of processing a solar cell device, comprising:

cleaning a substrate to remove one or more contaminants from a surface of the substrate;

depositing a photoabsorbing layer on the surface of the substrate;

removing at least a portion of the photoabsorbing layer from a region on the surface of the substrate;

depositing a back contact layer on the surface of the substrate;

sectioning the substrate into two or more sections;

performing an edge deletion process on a surface of one of the sections;

bonding a back glass substrate to the surface of one of the sections to form a composite structure; and

attaching a junction box to the composite structure.

1. A module for sectioning a solar cell device, comprising:

an inlet conveyor configured to receive commands from a system controller and transfer a solar cell device into a scribing station of the module;

a scribing mechanism configured to receive commands from the system controller and scribe a pattern into a first surface of the solar cell device;

a first positioning mechanism configured to receive commands from the system controller and accurately position the scribed solar cell device over a first break mechanism; and

a first actuator configured to receive commands from the system controller and raise the first break mechanism.

2. The module of claim 1, further comprising:

a cross transfer station having a conveyor and a second positioning mechanism, wherein the conveyor is positioned to receive a section of the solar cell device from the first positioning mechanism, and wherein the second positioning mechanism is configured to receive commands from the system controller and accurately position the section of the solar cell device over a second break mechanism;

a second actuator configured to receive commands from the system controller and raise the second break mechanism; and

an exit conveyor positioned to receive a portion of the section of the solar cell device.

3. The module of claim 2, wherein the first and second break mechanisms are elongated rollers.

4. The module of claim 3, wherein the first break mechanism extends along a first axis and the second break mechanism extends along a second axis, and wherein the first and second axes are substantially perpendicular to one another.

5. The module of claim 1, wherein the scribing mechanism is a mechanical scribing wheel.

6. The module of claim 1, wherein the scribing mechanism is a laser scribing device.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the sectioning the substrate comprises cutting the substrate with a CNC glass cutter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein sectioning the substrate further comprises scribing a second line into the substrate, aligning the second line with a second break mechanism, and breaking the substrate along the second line, wherein the first line is substantially perpendicular to the second line.

19-1. The method of claim 18, wherein sectioning the substrate comprises scribing a first line into the substrate, aligning the first line with a first break mechanism, and breaking the substrate along the first line.