Edge film removal process for thin film solar cell applications

• US 8,071,420 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2009
• Issued: 12/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Applied Materials Incorporated
• Inventors: Su, Tzay-Fa, Morishige, David, Martin, Todd, Mahajan, Uday
• Primary Examiner(s): Roman, Angel
• Application Number:
  US12/637,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20100159634A1
• Time in Patent Office: 722 Days
• Field of Search: 438/96, 438/57, 438/795, 136/256, 257/E31.04, 257/E31.126, 257/E21.342
• 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:

disposing a shadow frame positioned in a chemical vapor deposition chamber over a periphery region of a 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 and at least a portion of the periphery region of the substrate in the physical vapor deposition chamber;

transferring the substrate to a laser edge removal tool; and

removing the transparent conductive layer formed on the periphery region of the substrate using a laser disposed in the laser edge removal tool.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the transparent conductive layer further comprises:

removing a portion of the silicon-containing layer disposed adjacent to 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 removing the transparent conductive layer further comprises:

removing a portion of the substrate.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein between about 20 μ

m and about 40 μ

m is removed from the substrate upper surface.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein removing the transparent conductive layer further comprises:

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

9. The method of claim 5, 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, further comprising:

depositing a metal layer over the periphery region of the substrate prior to transferring the substrate to the laser edge removal tool.

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

disposing a shadow frame positioned in a chemical vapor deposition chamber over a periphery region of a substrate, wherein the substrate has the peripheral region and a cell integrated region;

depositing a silicon-containing layer on the cell integrated region of the substrate exposed through an aperture formed in the shadow frame;

transferring the substrate to a physical vapor deposition chamber;

depositing a transparent conductive layer over the peripheral region and the cell integrated region of the substrate using a physical vapor deposition chamber;

transferring the substrate to a laser edge removal tool; and

removing the layers formed on the periphery region of the substrate using a laser.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the peripheral region of the substrate has a width between about 8 mm and about 12 mm.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein removing the layers further comprises:

removing deposited layers on the peripheral region of the substrate.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein removing the layers further comprises:

removing a portion of the substrate.

15. The method of claim 14, 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.

16. The method of claim 11, 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.

17. The method of claim 16, 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.

18. The method of claim 16, 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.

19. A method for removing layers on a peripheral region of a substrate, comprising:

providing a substrate having a peripheral region and a cell integrated region, wherein the peripheral region has a second transparent conductive layer formed on a first transparent conductive layer and the cell integrated region has the second transparent conductive layer formed on a silicon containing film layer disposed on the first transparent conductive layer; and

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