Abstract: Recycling process for CdTe/CdS thin film-solar cell modules in which the modules are mechanically disintegrated into module fragments, the module fragments are exposed to an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a temperature of at least 300° C. causing a pyrolysis of adhesive material contained in the module fragments in form of a hydrocarbon based plastics material and the gaseous decomposition products that are generated during the pyrolysis are discharged, and, afterwards, the module fragments freed from the adhesive means are exposed to a chlorine-containing gas atmosphere at a temperature of more than 400° C. causing an etching process wherein the CdCl2 and TeCl4 that are generated in the etching process are made to condense and precipitate by cooling.

Abstract: Apparatus for depositing substrates by means of a CSS process comprising a heated receptacle (20) for a supply (70) of material to be deposited and carrier means for holding the substrate (60) with its side to be deposited towards an opening (22) of said receptacle, said receptacle opening (22) being provided with a cover (30) including a plurality of through-holes (32) for the sublimated material, said cover separating said material supply (70) from said substrate (60) and, due to being heated to a temperature higher than that of said receptacle (20), acting as sublimation source for said substrate.

Abstract: In a method of activating CdTe thin-film solar cells, substrates provided with a CdS layer and the CdTe layer are exposed to a gas mixture containing HCl, oxygen and nitrogen at an elevated temperature and at a total pressure below atmospheric pressure, the HCl partial pressure of the gas mixture being set at levels between 0.002 % and 0.2 % of the total gas pressure.

Abstract: Recycling process for CdTe/CdS thin film-solar cell modules in which the modules are mechanically disintegrated into module fragments, the module fragments are exposed to an oxygen-containing atmosphere at a temperature of at least 300° C. causing a pyrolysis of adhesive material contained in the module fragments in form of a hydrocarbon based plastics material and the gaseous decomposition products that are generated during the pyrolysis are discharged, and, afterwards, the module fragments freed from the adhesive means are exposed to a chlorine-containing gas atmosphere at a temperature of more than 400° C. causing an etching process wherein the CdCl2 and TeCl4 that are generated in the etching process are made to condense and precipitate by cooling.

Abstract: The invention relates to an arrangement for coating or etching substrates. In this arrangement an HF substrate bias voltage is generated without contact. For this purpose plasma sources are equipped with a bias pot which is disposed at the dark space distance from a substrate carrier and acted upon by HF. Depending on the source used, the bias pot can be constructed as an independent unit or as a component part of the source connected so as to be conducting-for example as an HF magnetron. Via this coupled-in HF power the dc potential on the carrier, and consequently the ion bombardment on the substrate, can be set specifically.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electrode configuration for a device for generating a plasma. RF is coupled contactlessly via a capacitive coupling electrode disposed at the dark space distance into a carrier backside of a coating installation. Dark space shields on the coating side define the plasma zone and prevent the formation of parasitic plasmas. HF substrate bias voltage on the moving substrate carrier is achieved with a defined plasma zone and the development of parasitic plasmas is avoided.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sputtering cathode operating on the magnetron principle, which has a cathode body equipped with a target having a sputtering surface and a peripheral surface. In back of the target a magnet system is provided which has poles of opposite polarity lying one opposite the other for the production of magnetic lines of force which issue from the target and, after traversing arcuate paths, re-enter the target. The marginal areas of the target lying outside of the erosion zone are covered over by an extension of the dark space shield which runs parallel to the sputtering surface and has an inner margin. The dark space shield 11 is electrically floating and is separated from the target by a gap which is so large that no plasma can ignite between the target and dark space shield, so that only the exposed target is sputtered.

Abstract: The method calls for introducing an inert gas into a tank where a high frequency energy source is applied to internal electrodes for the ignition of a plasma within the tank. The sensor surface is cleaned by sputtering away impurities from the sensor surface by means of plasma particles striking the sensor surface. Next, a monomer containing silicon and a reactive gas are introduced into the tank with continuous throttling of the inert gas feed and maintenance of the plasma, while the electric power characteristics fed into the plasma are being controlled. This leads to the deposition on the sensor surface of a compound composed of particles from the monomer containing silicon and from the reactive gas.

Abstract: Apparatus for thin-coating processes for the treatment of substrates (8) of large surface area using a plasma (6) which is excited by microwaves (M) and the latter are coupled from a source by means of a waveguide (1) consisting of at least one hollow conductor (1), as well as by means of a horn antenna, into a plasma chamber (5), the waveguide (W) having a substantially rectangular aperture, an area is provided at the end of the hollow conductor (Q) with a slit-like constriction (Q), a rectangular horn (2) adjoins this area, and a compensation area (3) is provided between the largest aperture of the rectangular horn (2), as well as of the plasma chamber (5).

Abstract: A heated evaporator housing is provided at its inlet with an ultrasonic atomizer for reducing monomer to small droplets and a permeable porous body completely occupying a cross section of the housing between the inlet and the outlet. A vacuum pump and a reaction chamber for coating substrates are provided downstream of the outlet.

Abstract: Particle source, especially for reactive ion etching and plasma-enhanced CVD processes in pass-through apparatus for the treatment of large-area substrates (4) having a container completely enveloping a first plasma (19), a magnetic field generator (8, 9, 10) which fulfills the electron-cyclotron resonance, a waveguide (15) connected to the container for the delivery of electromagnetic waves, preferably microwaves (17), for the production of the plasma (19), a coupling window (16) as well as a gas feeding system for supplying the plasma process with reactive, and, for example, inert gas, the first plasma (19) being enveloped by a plasma chamber (7), the interior spaces of the plasma chamber (7) and of the adjacent vacuum chamber (2) are connected to one another, an additional guard window (12) is situated in the plasma chamber (7) directly in front of the coupling window and has an approximately constant gap (13) between it and the chamber walls (7c, 7d), a separate feeding is performed of for example inert g

Abstract: In a device for transporting substrates in vacuum coating systems with several stations, comprising several substrate holders 16 of plate-like configurations which can e moved across the stations along a prescribed path of transportation in a vertical position and which interact with rails 13, 14 being provided in the area of their foot part 15 below the substrates 22, 23 to be mounted to the substrate holders 16, the foot part 15 of the substrate holder 16 has a pair of rails 13, 14 spaced parallel apart and disposed in a vertical plane. The smaller sides thereof, which face one another, have longitudinal grooves 13a, 14 which correspond with rollers 7, 8 or sliding pads being disposed stationary on the bottom part of the device and being provided in rows corresponding to the course of the grooves and in planes that are on top of each other and spaced vertically apart.

Abstract: Cathode sputtering apparatus having a hollow cathode on the magnetron principle with a cathode base (5) in which a hollow target (9) with a cylindrical sputtering surface (10) and a cylindrical outer surface is disposed. The cathode base (5) has a cooling passage (6). The target is externally surrounded by a magnet system (18) with magnet poles for the production of a rotationally symmetrical tunnel of magnetic lines of force closed on the circumference and over the sputtering surface. Outside of the space surrounded by the sputtering surface (10) there is disposed at least one anode (3, 4). A transport path for a substrate to be coated passes through the target (9) and the at least one anode.The cooling passage (6) is sealed off from the target (9) by a wall (7). Due to a narrow clearance, as soon as the target (9) reaches its operating temperature it comes in thermal contact with the wall (7).