Abstract: Systems for cleaning electroplating system components may include an electroplating apparatus including a plating bath vessel. The electroplating apparatus may include a rinsing frame extending above the plating bath vessel. The rinsing frame may include a rim extending circumferentially about an upper surface of the plating bath vessel and defining a rinsing channel between the rim and the upper surface of the plating bath vessel. The electroplating apparatus may also include a rinsing assembly including a splash guard that is translatable from a recessed first position to a second position extending at least partially across an access to the plating bath vessel. The rinsing assembly may also include a fluid nozzle extending from the rinsing frame.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing the formation of insoluble deposits in semiconductor electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof during electrochemical plating, including: removing electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof from an electroplating solution, wherein residual electroplating solution is disposed atop the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof, and wherein the residual electroplating solution has a first pH; contacting the residual electroplating solution with a rinse agent having a second pH similar to the first pH to form a rinsate; and removing the rinsate from the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing the formation of insoluble deposits in semiconductor electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof during electrochemical plating, including: removing electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof from an electroplating solution, wherein residual electroplating solution is disposed atop the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof, and wherein the residual electroplating solution has a first pH; contacting the residual electroplating solution with a rinse agent having a second pH similar to the first pH to form a rinsate; and removing the rinsate from the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing the formation of insoluble deposits in semiconductor electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof during electrochemical plating, including: removing electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof from an electroplating solution, wherein residual electroplating solution is disposed atop the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof, and wherein the residual electroplating solution has a first pH; contacting the residual electroplating solution with a rinse agent having a second pH similar to the first pH to form a rinsate; and removing the rinsate from the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof.

Abstract: Systems for cleaning electroplating system components may include a seal cleaning assembly incorporated with an electroplating system. The seal cleaning assembly may include an arm pivotable between a first position and a second position. The arm may be rotatable about a central axis of the arm. The seal cleaning assembly may include a cleaning head coupled with a distal portion of the arm. The cleaning head may include a bracket having a faceplate coupled with the arm, and a housing extending from the faceplate. The housing may define one or more arcuate channels extending through the housing to a front surface of the bracket. The cleaning head may also include a rotatable cartridge extending from the housing of the bracket. The cartridge may include a mount cylinder defining one or more apertures configured to deliver a cleaning solution to a pad coupled about the mount cylinder.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for reducing the formation of insoluble deposits in semiconductor electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof during electrochemical plating, including: removing electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof from an electroplating solution, wherein residual electroplating solution is disposed atop the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof, and wherein the residual electroplating solution has a first pH; contacting the residual electroplating solution with a rinse agent having a second pH similar to the first pH to form a rinsate; and removing the rinsate from the electrochemical plating equipment or a surface thereof.

Abstract: A representative printable composition comprises a liquid or gel suspension of a plurality of conductive particles; a first solvent comprising a polyol or mixtures thereof, such as glycerin, and a second solvent comprising a carboxylic or dicarboxylic acid or mixtures thereof, such as glutaric acid. In various embodiments, the conductive particles are comprised of a metal, a semiconductor, an alloy of a metal and a semiconductor, or mixtures thereof, and may have sizes between about 5 nm to about 1.5 microns in any dimension. A representative conductive particle ink can be printed and annealed to produce a conductor.

Abstract: Systems for cleaning electroplating system components may include a seal cleaning assembly incorporated with an electroplating system. The seal cleaning assembly may include an arm pivotable between a first position and a second position. The arm may be rotatable about a central axis of the arm. The seal cleaning assembly may include a cleaning head coupled with a distal portion of the arm. The cleaning head may include a bracket having a faceplate coupled with the arm, and a housing extending from the faceplate. The housing may define one or more arcuate channels extending through the housing to a front surface of the bracket. The cleaning head may also include a rotatable cartridge extending from the housing of the bracket. The cartridge may include a mount cylinder defining one or more apertures configured to deliver a cleaning solution to a pad coupled about the mount cylinder.

Abstract: Systems for cleaning electroplating system components may include an electroplating apparatus including a plating bath vessel. The electroplating apparatus may include a rinsing frame extending above the plating bath vessel. The rinsing frame may include a rim extending circumferentially about an upper surface of the plating bath vessel and defining a rinsing channel between the rim and the upper surface of the plating bath vessel. The electroplating apparatus may also include a rinsing assembly including a splash guard that is translatable from a recessed first position to a second position extending at least partially across an access to the plating bath vessel. The rinsing assembly may also include a fluid nozzle extending from the rinsing frame.

Abstract: A PV module is formed having an array of PV cells, where the cells are separated by gaps. Each cell contains an array of small silicon sphere diodes (10-300 microns in diameter) connected in parallel. The diodes and conductor layers may be patterned by printing. A continuous metal substrate supports the diodes and conductor layers in all the cells. A dielectric substrate is laminated to the metal substrate. Trenches are then formed by laser ablation around the cells to sever the metal substrate to form electrically isolated PV cells. A metallization step is then performed to connect the cells in series to increase the voltage output of the PV module. An electrically isolated bypass diode for each cell is also formed by the trenching step. The metallization step connects the bypass diode and its associated cell in a reverse-parallel relationship.

Abstract: A representative printable composition comprises a liquid or gel suspension of a plurality of metallic particles; a plurality of semiconductor particles; and a first solvent. The pluralities of particles may also be comprised of an alloy of a metal and a semiconductor. The composition may further comprise a second solvent different from the first solvent. In a representative embodiment, the first solvent comprises a polyol or mixtures thereof, such as glycerin, and the second solvent comprises a carboxylic or dicarboxylic acid or mixtures thereof, such as glutaric acid. In various embodiments, the metallic particles and the semiconductor particles are nanoparticles between about 5 nm to about 1.5 microns in any dimension. A representative metallic and semiconductor particle ink can be printed and annealed to produce a conductor.

Abstract: A PV panel is manufactured using a monolayer of small silicon sphere diodes (10-300 microns in diameter) connected in parallel. The spheres are embedded in an uncured aluminum-containing layer on an aluminum foil substrate in a roll-to-roll process, and the aluminum-containing layer is heated to anneal the aluminum-containing layer as well as p-dope the bottom surface of the spheres. The diffusion of the p-type dopants also creates a back surface field in the spheres to improve efficiency. A dielectric layer is formed, and a phosphorus-containing layer is deposited over the spheres to dope the top surface n-type, forming a pn junction. The phosphorus layer is then removed. A conductor is deposited to contact the top surface. Conformal, index-graded lenses are then formed over each of the spheres to form a thin and flexible PV panel.

Abstract: A PV module is formed having an array of PV cells, where the cells are separated by gaps. Each cell contains an array of small silicon sphere diodes (10-300 microns in diameter) connected in parallel. The diodes and conductor layers may be patterned by printing. A continuous metal substrate supports the diodes and conductor layers in all the cells. A dielectric substrate is laminated to the metal substrate. Trenches are then formed by laser ablation around the cells to sever the metal substrate to form electrically isolated PV cells. A metallization step is then performed to connect the cells in series to increase the voltage output of the PV module. An electrically isolated bypass diode for each cell is also formed by the trenching step. The metallization step connects the bypass diode and its associated cell in a reverse-parallel relationship.

Abstract: A PV module is formed having an array of PV cells, where the cells are separated by gaps. Each cell contains an array of small silicon sphere diodes (10-300 microns in diameter) connected in parallel. The diodes and conductor layers may be patterned by printing. A continuous metal substrate supports the diodes and conductor layers in all the cells. A dielectric substrate is laminated to the metal substrate. Trenches are then formed by laser ablation around the cells to sever the metal substrate to form electrically isolated PV cells. A metallization step is then performed to connect the cells in series to increase the voltage output of the PV module. An electrically isolated bypass diode for each cell is also formed by the trenching step. The metallization step connects the bypass diode and its associated cell in a reverse-parallel relationship.

Abstract: A representative printable composition comprises a liquid or gel suspension of a plurality of conductive particles; a first solvent comprising a polyol or mixtures thereof, such as glycerin, and a second solvent comprising a carboxylic or dicarboxylic acid or mixtures thereof, such as glutaric acid. In various embodiments, the conductive particles are comprised of a metal, a semiconductor, an alloy of a metal and a semiconductor, or mixtures thereof, and may have sizes between about 5 nm to about 1.5 microns in any dimension. A representative conductive particle ink can be printed and annealed to produce a conductor.

Abstract: A PV panel is manufactured using a monolayer of small silicon sphere diodes (10-300 microns in diameter) connected in parallel. The spheres are embedded in an uncured aluminum-containing layer on an aluminum foil substrate in a roll-to-roll process, and the aluminum-containing layer is heated to anneal the aluminum-containing layer as well as p-dope the bottom surface of the spheres. The diffusion of the p-type dopants also creates a back surface field in the spheres to improve efficiency. A dielectric layer is formed, and a phosphorus-containing layer is deposited over the spheres to dope the top surface n-type, forming a pn junction. The phosphorus layer is then removed. A conductor is deposited to contact the top surface. Conformal, index-graded lenses are then formed over each of the spheres to form a thin and flexible PV panel.

Abstract: A PV panel uses an array of small silicon sphere diodes (10-300 microns in diameter) connected in parallel. The spheres are embedded in an uncured aluminum-containing layer, and the aluminum-containing layer is heated to anneal the aluminum-containing layer as well as p-dope the bottom surface of the spheres. A phosphorus-containing layer is deposited over the spheres to dope the top surface n-type, forming a pn junction. The phosphorus layer is then removed. A conductor is deposited to contact the top surface. Alternatively, the spheres are deposited with a p-type core and an n-type outer shell. After deposition, the top surface is etched to expose the core. A first conductor layer contacts the bottom surface, and a second conductor layer contacts the exposed core. A liquid lens material is deposited over the rounded top surface of the spheres and cured to provide conformal lenses designed to increase the PV panel efficiency.

Abstract: Small silicon spheres, less than 200 um in diameter, are desirable for use in forming solar panels. To make such small spheres, a large-area glass substrate has etched in its surface millions of identical indentations, such as having diameters less than 200 um. A silicon ink, formed of a fluid containing nanoparticles of milled silicon, is then deposited over the substrate to completely fill the indentations, and the excess ink is removed. The ink is heated to evaporate the fluid and melt the silicon nanoparticles. A photonic system is used to rapidly melt the silicon. The melted silicon forms a sphere in each indentation by surface tension. Since the density of the silicon in the ink and the volume of each indentation are well defined, the volume of each sphere is well defined. The substrates are reusable. Hundreds of millions of spheres may be produced per minute using the process.

Abstract: A PV module is formed having an array of PV cells, where the cells are separated by gaps. Each cell contains an array of small silicon sphere diodes (10-300 microns in diameter) connected in parallel. The diodes and conductor layers may be patterned by printing. A continuous metal substrate supports the diodes and conductor layers in all the cells. A dielectric substrate is laminated to the metal substrate. Trenches are then formed by laser ablation around the cells to sever the metal substrate to form electrically isolated PV cells. A metallization step is then performed to connect the cells in series to increase the voltage output of the PV module. An electrically isolated bypass diode for each cell is also formed by the trenching step. The metallization step connects the bypass diode and its associated cell in a reverse-parallel relationship.

Abstract: A representative printable composition comprises a liquid or gel suspension of a plurality of metallic particles; a plurality of semiconductor particles; and a first solvent. The pluralities of particles may also be comprised of an alloy of a metal and a semiconductor. The composition may further comprise a second solvent different from the first solvent. In a representative embodiment, the first solvent comprises a polyol or mixtures thereof, such as glycerin, and the second solvent comprises a carboxylic or dicarboxylic acid or mixtures thereof, such as glutaric acid. In various embodiments, the metallic particles and the semiconductor particles are nanoparticles between about 5 nm to about 1.5 microns in any dimension. A representative metallic and semiconductor particle ink can be printed and annealed to produce a conductor.