Apparatus for making photovoltaic devices

Foote, James B; Kaake, Steven A. F.; Meyers, Peter V; Nolan, James F

Title: Apparatus for making photovoltaic devices

Abstract

A process and apparatus (70) for making a large area photovoltaic device (22) that is capable of generating low cost electrical power. The apparatus (70) for performing the process includes an enclosure (126) providing a controlled environment in which an oven (156) is located. At least one and preferably a plurality of deposition stations (74,76,78) provide heated vapors of semiconductor material within the oven (156) for continuous elevated temperature deposition of semiconductor material on a sheet substrate (24) including a glass sheet (26) conveyed within the oven. The sheet substrate (24) is conveyed on a roller conveyor (184) within the oven (156) and the semiconductor material whose main layer (82) is cadmium telluride is deposited on an upwardly facing surface (28) of the substrate by each deposition station from a location within the oven above the roller conveyor. A cooling station (86) rapidly cools the substrate (24) after deposition of the semiconductor material thereon to strengthen the glass sheet of the substrate.

Inventors:

Foote, James B ^[1]; Kaake, Steven A. F. ^[2]; Meyers, Peter V ^[3]; Nolan, James F ^[4]

Toledo, OH
Perrysburg, OH
Bowling Green, OH
Sylvania, OH

Issue Date:: 1994-01-01

OSTI Identifier:: 869643

Patent Number(s):: 5372646

Application Number:: 08/066,348

Assignee:: Solar Cells, Inc. (Toledo, OH)

Patent Classifications (CPCs):: B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B23 - MACHINE TOOLS B23K - SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

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B - PERFORMING OPERATIONS B23 - MACHINE TOOLS B23K - SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING
B23K2103/172 - {wherein at least one of the layers is non-metallic}
B23K26/364 - for making a groove or trench, e.g. for scribing a break initiation groove
B23K26/40 - taking account of the properties of the material involved

H - ELECTRICITY H01 - BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS H01L - SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
H01L31/1836 - {comprising a growth substrate not being an AIIBVI compound}

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02E - REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
Y02E10/543 - Solar cells from Group II-VI materials

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y02 - TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE Y02P - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
Y02P70/50 - Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Y - NEW / CROSS SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES Y10 - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC Y10S - TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
Y10S438/907 - Continuous processing

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DOE Contract Number:: ZR-1-11059-1

Resource Type:: Patent

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

Subject:: apparatus; photovoltaic; devices; process; 70; device; 22; capable; generating; cost; electrical; power; performing; enclosure; 126; providing; controlled; environment; oven; 156; located; preferably; plurality; deposition; stations; 74; 76; 78; provide; heated; vapors; semiconductor; material; continuous; elevated; temperature; sheet; substrate; 24; including; glass; 26; conveyed; roller; conveyor; 184; main; layer; 82; cadmium; telluride; deposited; upwardly; facing; surface; 28; station; location; cooling; 86; rapidly; cools; thereon; strengthen; upwardly facing; temperature deposition; provide heat; rapidly cools; photovoltaic devices; glass sheet; electrical power; semiconductor material; elevated temperature; photovoltaic device; cadmium telluride; roller conveyor; material thereon; facing surface; controlled environment; sheet substrate; provide heated; deposition stations; cost electrical; cooling station; continuous elevated; deposition station; heated vapors; main layer; rapidly cool; /118/

Citation Formats


                    Foote, James B, Kaake, Steven A. F., Meyers, Peter V, and Nolan, James F. Apparatus for making photovoltaic devices.  United States: N. p., 1994. 
        Web.

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                    Foote, James B, Kaake, Steven A. F., Meyers, Peter V, & Nolan, James F. Apparatus for making photovoltaic devices.  United States.

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                    Foote, James B, Kaake, Steven A. F., Meyers, Peter V, and Nolan, James F. Sat .  
        "Apparatus for making photovoltaic devices".  United States.  https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/869643.

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@article{osti_869643,

  title        = {Apparatus for making photovoltaic devices},

  author       = {Foote, James B and Kaake, Steven A. F. and Meyers, Peter V and Nolan, James F},

  abstractNote = {A process and apparatus (70) for making a large area photovoltaic device (22) that is capable of generating low cost electrical power. The apparatus (70) for performing the process includes an enclosure (126) providing a controlled environment in which an oven (156) is located. At least one and preferably a plurality of deposition stations (74,76,78) provide heated vapors of semiconductor material within the oven (156) for continuous elevated temperature deposition of semiconductor material on a sheet substrate (24) including a glass sheet (26) conveyed within the oven. The sheet substrate (24) is conveyed on a roller conveyor (184) within the oven (156) and the semiconductor material whose main layer (82) is cadmium telluride is deposited on an upwardly facing surface (28) of the substrate by each deposition station from a location within the oven above the roller conveyor. A cooling station (86) rapidly cools the substrate (24) after deposition of the semiconductor material thereon to strengthen the glass sheet of the substrate.},

  doi          = {},

  journal      = {},
number       = ,

  volume       = ,

  place        = {United States},

  year         = {1994},

  month        = {1}

}

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Works referenced in this record:

Advances in CdTe n-i-p photovoltaics
journal, October 1989

Meyers, Peter V.
Solar Cells, Vol. 27, Issue 1-4
https://doi.org/10.1016/0379-6787(89)90019-7

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Similar Records

Title: Apparatus for making photovoltaic devices

Abstract

Citation Formats

Advances in CdTe n-i-p photovoltaics journal, October 1989

Advances in CdTe n-i-p photovoltaics
journal, October 1989