Abstract: An apparatus for forming a solar cell includes a housing defining a vacuum chamber, a rotatable substrate support, at least one inner heater and at least one outer heater. The substrate support is inside the vacuum chamber configured to hold a substrate. The at least one inner heater is between a center of the vacuum chamber and the substrate support, and is configured to heat a back surface of a substrate on the substrate support. The at least one outer heater is between an outer surface of the vacuum chamber and the substrate support, and is configured to heat a front surface of a substrate on the substrate support.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a solar cell comprises a housing defining a chamber including a substrate support. A sputtering source is configured to deposit particles of a first type over at least a portion of a surface of a substrate on the substrate support. An evaporation source is configured to deposit a plurality of particles of a second type over the portion of the surface of the substrate. A cooling unit is provided between the sputtering source and the evaporation source. A control system is provided for controlling the evaporation source based on a rate of mass flux emitted by the evaporation source.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a solar cell includes a housing defining a vacuum chamber, a rotatable substrate support, at least one inner heater and at least one outer heater. The substrate support is inside the vacuum chamber configured to hold a substrate. The at least one inner heater is between a center of the vacuum chamber and the substrate support, and is configured to heat a back surface of a substrate on the substrate support. The at least one outer heater is between an outer surface of the vacuum chamber and the substrate support, and is configured to heat a front surface of a substrate on the substrate support.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a solar cell includes a housing defining a vacuum chamber, a rotatable substrate support, at least one inner heater and at least one outer heater. The substrate support is inside the vacuum chamber configured to hold a substrate. The at least one inner heater is between a center of the vacuum chamber and the substrate support, and is configured to heat a back surface of a substrate on the substrate support. The at least one outer heater is between an outer surface of the vacuum chamber and the substrate support, and is configured to heat a front surface of a substrate on the substrate support.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a solar cell. The apparatus includes a housing defining a vacuum chamber and a rotatable substrate apparatus configured to hold a plurality of substrates on a plurality of surfaces. A first sputtering source is configured to deposit a plurality of absorber layer atoms of a first type over at least a portion of a surface of each one of the plurality of substrates. An evaporation source is configured to deposit a plurality of absorber layer atoms of a second type over at least a portion of the surface of each one of the plurality of substrates.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a solar cell. The apparatus includes a housing defining a vacuum chamber and a rotatable substrate apparatus configured to hold a plurality of substrates on a plurality of surfaces wherein each of the plurality of surfaces are disposed facing an interior surface of the vacuum chamber. A first sputtering source is configured to deposit a plurality of absorber layer atoms of a first type over at least a portion of a surface of each one of the plurality of substrates. An evaporation source is disposed in a first subchamber of the vacuum chamber and configured to deposit a plurality of absorber layer atoms of a second type over at least a portion of the surface of each one of the plurality of substrates. A first isolation source is configured to isolate the evaporation source from the first sputtering source.

Abstract: An apparatus for forming a solar cell includes a housing defining a vacuum chamber, a rotatable substrate support, at least one inner heater and at least one outer heater. The substrate support is inside the vacuum chamber configured to hold a substrate. The at least one inner heater is between a center of the vacuum chamber and the substrate support, and is configured to heat a back surface of a substrate on the substrate support. The at least one outer heater is between an outer surface of the vacuum chamber and the substrate support, and is configured to heat a front surface of a substrate on the substrate support.

Abstract: Apparatuses for forming material films on a solar cell substrate of substantially uniform thickness and processes for forming the same are disclosed. The process performed in the apparatuses is physical vapor deposition (PVD) in some embodiments. In one embodiment, an apparatus includes a specially configured flow aperture. In another embodiment, an apparatus includes moveable shutters which open and close in synchronization with a rotating drum on which substrates are mounted for processing. In other embodiments, the apparatus includes a variable power supply or drum speed control which automatically vary the power supply to the apparatus or drum speed respectively in synchronization with the rotating drum.

Abstract: Apparatus for forming a solar cell comprises a housing defining a chamber including a substrate support. A sputtering source is configured to deposit particles of a first type over at least a portion of a surface of a substrate on the substrate support. An evaporation source is configured to deposit a plurality of particles of a second type over the portion of the surface of the substrate. A cooling unit is provided between the sputtering source and the evaporation source. A control system is provided for controlling the evaporation source based on a rate of mass flux emitted by the evaporation source.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a solar cell. The apparatus includes a housing defining a vacuum chamber and a rotatable substrate apparatus configured to hold a plurality of substrates on a plurality of surfaces wherein each of the plurality of surfaces are disposed facing an interior surface of the vacuum chamber. A first sputtering source is configured to deposit a plurality of absorber layer atoms of a first type over at least a portion of a surface of each one of the plurality of substrates. An evaporation source is disposed in a first subchamber of the vacuum chamber and configured to deposit a plurality of absorber layer atoms of a second type over at least a portion of the surface of each one of the plurality of substrates. A first isolation source is configured to isolate the evaporation source from the first sputtering source.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for depositing a CIGS film and a buffer layer on to a flexible substrate. Deposition of the CIGS film occurs in monolayers due to rotation of the flexible substrate. A roll of substrate is placed on a loading roller within a flexible solar cell coating apparatus. A section of the substrate unwinds and advances around a rotating drum. The CIGS film is deposited as the section is rotated and heated. Deposition is a hybrid sputtering and evaporation process. Deposition continues until a predetermined thickness is met and the roll is completely coated. The buffer layer is then deposited on to the CIGS film. The deposition of the CIGS film utilizes elemental selenium and sodium doped indium. The elemental selenium may be ionized to increase monolayer reaction reactivity. The buffer layer is a non-toxic ZnS-O layer.

Abstract: A mixture of liquefied carbon dioxide (above about 20 percent) and methanol (less than about 80 percent) is injected into an oil and gas well to fracture the oil bearing formation at suitable pressures. In a second and other following stages, a proppant mixed with a polymer is injected to prop open the fracture. Thereafter the oil and gas is again extracted.

Abstract: Thin film media characterized by the utilization of a substantially peritectic seed alloy layer which is sputter deposited so as to provide dispersed, substantially peritectic and homogenous globules underlying subsequently deposited media layers. These media layers may include a metal layer such as chrome and a magnetic layer such as an alloy of cobalt, chromium, and platinum and possibly other ingredients.

Abstract: A discontinuous flash chrome interlayer of about 5 to 25 .ANG. is incorporated between the upper and lower magnetic recording alloy layers. This flash non-magnetic separation layer is so thin that it is, in fact, a discontinuous layer, so that while the benefits of having some chrome flashed on the surface of the first portion of the magnetic recording alloy are achieved, yet the upper and lower magnetic recording alloy layers are not completely physically separated as they are in disks made according to known sputtering processes.

Abstract: Thin film media characterized by the utilization of a substantially peritectic seed alloy layer which is sputter deposited so as to provide dispersed, substantially peritectic and homogenous globules underlying subsequently deposited media layers. These media layers may include a metal layer such as chrome and a magnetic layer such as an alloy of cobalt, chromium, and platinum and possibly other ingredients.