Abstract: A method of doping a substrate. The method may include providing a substrate in a process chamber. The substrate may include a semiconductor structure, and a dopant layer disposed on a surface of the semiconductor structure. The method may include maintaining the substrate at a first temperature for a first interval, the first temperature corresponding to a vaporization temperature of the dopant layer. The method may further include rapidly cooling the substrate to a second temperature, less than the first temperature, and heating the substrate from the second temperature to a third temperature, greater than the first temperature.

Abstract: A method of doping a substrate. The method may include providing a substrate in a process chamber. The substrate may include a semiconductor structure, and a dopant layer disposed on a surface of the semiconductor structure. The method may include maintaining the substrate at a first temperature for a first interval, the first temperature corresponding to a vaporization temperature of the dopant layer. The method may further include rapidly cooling the substrate to a second temperature, less than the first temperature, and heating the substrate from the second temperature to a third temperature, greater than the first temperature.

Abstract: A method of doping a substrate. The method may include providing a substrate in a process chamber. The substrate may include a semiconductor structure, and a dopant layer disposed on a surface of the semiconductor structure. The method may include maintaining the substrate at a first temperature for a first interval, the first temperature corresponding to a vaporization temperature of the dopant layer. The method may further include rapidly cooling the substrate to a second temperature, less than the first temperature, and heating the substrate from the second temperature to a third temperature, greater than the first temperature.

Abstract: A method of doping a substrate. The method may include providing a substrate in a process chamber. The substrate may include a semiconductor structure, and a dopant layer disposed on a surface of the semiconductor structure. The method may include maintaining the substrate at a first temperature for a first interval, the first temperature corresponding to a vaporization temperature of the dopant layer. The method may further include rapidly cooling the substrate to a second temperature, less than the first temperature, and heating the substrate from the second temperature to a third temperature, greater than the first temperature.

Abstract: An apparatus to treat a substrate. The apparatus may include a reactive gas source having a reactive gas outlet disposed in a process chamber, the reactive gas outlet to direct a first reactive gas to the substrate; a plasma chamber coupled to the process chamber and including an extraction plate having an extraction aperture extending along a first direction, disposed within the process chamber and movable along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between a first position facing the reactive gas source and a second position facing the extraction aperture; and a gas flow restrictor disposed between the reactive gas outlet and the extraction aperture, the gas flow restrictor defining a differential pumping channel between at least the plasma chamber and substrate stage.

Abstract: A showerhead apparatus for a linear batch CVD system includes a movable showerhead, one or more gas supply conduits, and a translation mechanism. Each gas supply conduit provides a precursor gas to the showerhead. The showerhead includes conduits and channels arranged along the length of the showerhead to distribute precursor gas to the surfaces of substrates. The small distance between the substrates and the showerhead limits precursor gas flows from the channels to a small portion of each substrate beneath the showerhead. During a deposition process run, the translation mechanism causes the showerhead to move back and forth over the substrates along a direction perpendicular to a linear arrangement of the substrates. Parasitic deposition within the deposition chamber is substantially reduced in comparison to conventional showerhead apparatus. The ability to accurately control the precursor gas flows and the motion of the showerhead allows for improved thickness uniformity and device yield.

Abstract: An apparatus to treat a substrate. The apparatus may include a reactive gas source having a reactive gas outlet disposed in a process chamber, the reactive gas outlet to direct a first reactive gas to the substrate; a plasma chamber coupled to the process chamber and including an extraction plate having an extraction aperture extending along a first direction, disposed within the process chamber and movable along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between a first position facing the reactive gas source and a second position facing the extraction aperture; and a gas flow restrictor disposed between the reactive gas outlet and the extraction aperture, the gas flow restrictor defining a differential pumping channel between at least the plasma chamber and substrate stage.

Abstract: An apparatus to treat a substrate. The apparatus may include a reactive gas source having a reactive gas outlet disposed in a process chamber, the reactive gas outlet to direct a first reactive gas to the substrate; a plasma chamber coupled to the process chamber and including an extraction plate having an extraction aperture extending along a first direction, disposed within the process chamber and movable along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between a first position facing the reactive gas source and a second position facing the extraction aperture; and a gas flow restrictor disposed between the reactive gas outlet and the extraction aperture, the gas flow restrictor defining a differential pumping channel between at least the plasma chamber and substrate stage.

Abstract: An apparatus to treat a substrate. The apparatus may include a reactive gas source having a reactive gas outlet disposed in a process chamber, the reactive gas outlet to direct a first reactive gas to the substrate; a plasma chamber coupled to the process chamber and including an extraction plate having an extraction aperture extending along a first direction, disposed within the process chamber and movable along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction between a first position facing the reactive gas source and a second position facing the extraction aperture; and a gas flow restrictor disposed between the reactive gas outlet and the extraction aperture, the gas flow restrictor defining a differential pumping channel between at least the plasma chamber and substrate stage.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for processing a substrate with an energetic particle beam. Features on the substrate are oriented relative to the energetic particle beam and the substrate is scanned through the energetic particle beam. The substrate is periodically indexed about its azimuthal axis of symmetry, while shielded from exposure to the energetic particle beam, to reorient the features relative to the major dimension of the beam.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for processing a substrate with an energetic particle beam. Features on the substrate are oriented relative to the energetic particle beam and the substrate is scanned through the energetic particle beam. The substrate is periodically indexed about its azimuthal axis of symmetry, while shielded from exposure to the energetic particle beam, to reorient the features relative to the major dimension of the beam.

Abstract: Described is a parallel batch CVD system that includes a pair of linear deposition chambers in a parallel arrangement and a robotic loading module disposed between the chambers. Each chamber includes a linear arrangement of substrate receptacles, gas injectors to supply at least one gas in a uniform distribution across the substrates, and a heating module for uniformly controlling a temperature of the substrates. The robotic loading module is configured for movement in a direction parallel to a length of each of the chambers and includes at least one cassette for carrying substrates to be loaded into the substrate receptacles of the chambers. The parallel batch CVD system is suitable for high volume processing of substrates. The CVD processes performed in the chambers can be the same process. Alternatively, the CVD processes may be different and substrates processed in one chamber may be subsequently processed in the other chamber.

Abstract: Described is a linear batch CVD system that includes a deposition chamber, one or more substrate carriers, gas injectors and a heating system. Each substrate carrier is disposed in the deposition chamber and has at least one receptacle configured to receive a substrate. The substrate carriers are configured to hold substrates in a linear configuration. Each gas injector includes a port configured to supply a gas in a uniform distribution across one or more of the substrates. The heating system includes at least one heating element and a heating control module for uniformly controlling a temperature of the substrates. The system is suitable for high volume CVD processing of substrates. The narrow width of the deposition chamber enables a uniform distribution of precursor gases across the substrates along the length of the reaction chamber and permits a greater number of substrates to be processed in comparison to conventional deposition chambers.

Abstract: Disclosed are an inline chemical vapor deposition method and system for fabricating a device. The method includes transporting a web or discrete substrate through a deposition chamber having a plurality of deposition modules. A buffer layer, a window layer and a transparent conductive layer are deposited onto the substrate during passage through a first deposition module, a second deposition module and a third deposition module, respectively. Advantageously, the steps for generating the buffer layer, window layer and transparent conductive layer are performed sequentially in a common vacuum environment of a single deposition chamber and the use of a conventional chemical bath deposition process to deposit the buffer layer is eliminated. The method is suitable for the manufacture of different types of devices including various types of solar cells such as copper indium gallium diselenide solar cells.

Abstract: Disclosed are an inline chemical vapor deposition method and system for fabricating a device. The method includes transporting a web or discrete substrate through a deposition chamber having a plurality of deposition modules. A buffer layer, a window layer and a transparent conductive layer are deposited onto the substrate during passage through a first deposition module, a second deposition module and a third deposition module, respectively. Advantageously, the steps for generating the buffer layer, window layer and transparent conductive layer are performed sequentially in a common vacuum environment of a single deposition chamber and the use of a conventional chemical bath deposition process to deposit the buffer layer is eliminated. The method is suitable for the manufacture of different types of devices including various types of solar cells such as copper indium gallium diselenide solar cells.

Abstract: Disclosed is a heating system for a roll-to-roll tape deposition system. The heating system includes a sacrificial tape that is transported through a deposition zone between a susceptor plate and a process tape. The sacrificial tape receives an accumulation of deposition material that otherwise may accumulate on the susceptor plate and reduce its efficiency and temperature uniformity. In some embodiments, the sacrificial tape is heated by passage of an electrical current, thereby allowing the sacrificial tape to replace the susceptor plate and separate heating elements used to heat the process tape. The sacrificial tape may be provided on a payout roll that passes through the deposition system to a takeup roll or in the form of a continuous loop of tape.

Abstract: A showerhead apparatus for a linear batch CVD system includes a movable showerhead, one or more gas supply conduits, and a translation mechanism. Each gas supply conduit provides a precursor gas to the showerhead. The showerhead includes conduits and channels arranged along the length of the showerhead to distribute precursor gas to the surfaces of substrates. The small distance between the substrates and the showerhead limits precursor gas flows from the channels to a small portion of each substrate beneath the showerhead. During a deposition process run, the translation mechanism causes the showerhead to move back and forth over the substrates along a direction perpendicular to a linear arrangement of the substrates. Parasitic deposition within the deposition chamber is substantially reduced in comparison to conventional showerhead apparatus. The ability to accurately control the precursor gas flows and the motion of the showerhead allows for improved thickness uniformity and device yield.

Abstract: Described are a device and a method for cooling a web in a vacuum processing system. The device includes a heat transfer module, a coolant path and a gas injector. The heat transfer module has a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a pair of cooling surfaces extending between the first and second ends. The first end receives a transported web in a vacuum environment and the second provides the transported web after passage through a web transport path between the cooling surfaces. The coolant path is in thermal communication with the heat transfer module to maintain the cooling surfaces at a temperature less than the temperature of the transported web. The gas injector supplies gas to the web transport path between the cooling surfaces so that heat is efficiently conducted from the transported web to the cooling surfaces.

Abstract: Described is a parallel batch CVD system that includes a pair of linear deposition chambers in a parallel arrangement and a robotic loading module disposed between the chambers. Each chamber includes a linear arrangement of substrate receptacles, gas injectors to supply at least one gas in a uniform distribution across the substrates, and a heating module for uniformly controlling a temperature of the substrates. The robotic loading module is configured for movement in a direction parallel to a length of each of the chambers and includes at least one cassette for carrying substrates to be loaded into the substrate receptacles of the chambers. The parallel batch CVD system is suitable for high volume processing of substrates. The CVD processes performed in the chambers can be the same process. Alternatively, the CVD processes may be different and substrates processed in one chamber may be subsequently processed in the other chamber.

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.