Abstract: Described are an apparatus and a method for cooling a web. The apparatus includes an inner cylinder having a void therein and configured for coupling to a gas source. The apparatus also includes an outer cylinder having an inner surface, an outer surface to support a web and apertures between the inner and outer surfaces. The outer cylinder rotates about the inner cylinder so that gas provided to the void of the inner cylinder flows through the apertures that are adjacent to the void and passes to the outer surface of the outer cylinder to increase the heat transfer between the web and the outer cylinder. The volume of gas introduced into the vacuum deposition chamber during a process run is thereby limited. Advantageously, the apparatus enables higher deposition rates and increased productivity.

Abstract: Described are a system and a method for depositing a thin film on a substrate. In some embodiments, the system includes a substrate transport system to transport a plurality of discrete substrates, such as glass substrates or wafers, along a closed path. The system also includes a metal deposition zone, a selenization zone and a cooling chamber each disposed on the closed path. During transport along the closed path, the metal deposition zone deposits a layer of a composite metal onto the discrete substrates and the selenization zone selenizes the layer of the composite metal. The cooling zone cools the discrete substrates prior to a subsequent pass through the metal deposition zone and the selenization zone.