Abstract: A thermal evaporation sources are described. These thermal evaporation sources include a crucible configured to contain a volume of evaporant and a vapor space above the evaporant.

Abstract: A thermal evaporation sources are described. These thermal evaporation sources include a crucible configured to contain a volume of evaporant and a vapor space above the evaporant.

Abstract: A thermal evaporation sources are described. These thermal evaporation sources include a crucible configured to contain a volume of evaporant and a vapor space above the evaporant.

Abstract: A thermal evaporation sources are described. These thermal evaporation sources include a crucible configured to contain a volume of evaporant and a vapor space above the evaporant.

Abstract: A thermal evaporation sources are described. These thermal evaporation sources include a crucible configured to contain a volume of evaporant and a vapor space above the evaporant.

Abstract: A thermal evaporation sources are described. These thermal evaporation sources include a crucible configured to contain a volume of evaporant and a vapor space above the evaporant.

Abstract: A thermal evaporation sources are described. These thermal evaporation sources include a crucible configured to contain a volume of evaporant and a vapor space above the evaporant.

Abstract: A thermal evaporation source includes: a crucible configured to contain a volume of evaporant and a vapor space above the evaporant; a manifold body having within it a hollow expansion chamber that is flowably connected to the vapor space via one or more restriction orifices; one or more effusion nozzles flowably connected to the expansion chamber and exiting an outer surface of the thermal evaporation source, the nozzle(s) oriented to direct an evaporant vapor flow out of the source vertically downward, in one or more horizontal directions, or in one or more directions intermediate between horizontal and vertically downward; and a heater capable of heating some or all of the thermal evaporation source to a temperature sufficient to produce the one or more evaporant vapor flows when a vacuum is applied to the thermal evaporation source.

Abstract: Devices and methods for photovoltaic electrolysis are disclosed. A device comprises a photovoltaic cell element and an electrolysis compartment. The photovoltaic cell element is configured to convert a portion of solar energy into electrical energy and to pass another portion of the solar energy. The electrolysis compartment includes an aqueous electrolyte positioned to receive the other portion of the solar energy and electrodes electrically connected to receive the electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic cell element. A method comprises receiving solar energy with a photovoltaic cell element, converting a portion of the solar energy into electrical energy, passing another portion of the solar energy through the photovoltaic cell element, receiving with an aqueous electrolyte the other portion of the solar energy, transmitting the electrical energy generated by the photovoltaic cell element to a pair of electrodes, and electrolyzing the aqueous electrolyte with the pair of electrodes.

Abstract: Processes for fabricating back contacts for photovoltaic cell devices are disclosed. The processes involve depositing a passivation layer on the back surface of a wafer, depositing an emitter layer on the passivation layer, depositing a metal layer on the emitter layer, laser firing selected areas of the metal layer to form base contacts, laser cutting the metal layer to create at least one isolation region between emitter contacts and base contacts, and applying a stream of reactive gas to form a second passivation layer in the isolation region. The process may further involve inkjetting a resist on the passivation layer in a pattern corresponding to a boundary between the one or more emitter contacts and the one or more base contacts, and laser cutting the metal layer over the resist to create the isolation region.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition effusion method comprising translating a strip material through a physical vapor deposition zone in a deposition chamber and providing first and second substantially closed vessels located serially along the processing path in the same deposition chamber, each vessel emitting different source materials to produce overlapping plumes and having an array of vapor delivery nozzles distributed uniformly across the vessel along the width of the zone, and configured to expel overlapping plumes to create a fog having a substantially uniform composition across the width and a varying composition across the length of the zone. Also, an elongate vapor deposition effusion vessel having an elongate lid including plural nozzles spaced from each other along its elongate axis, and a continuous heating element in the lid encircling the plural nozzles, the heating element having electrical contacts connected to an electrical source on the same side of the vessel.

Abstract: Processes for fabricating back contacts for photovoltaic cell devices are disclosed. The processes involve depositing a passivation layer on the back surface of a wafer, depositing an emitter layer on the passivation layer, depositing a metal layer on the emitter layer, laser firing selected areas of the metal layer to form base contacts, laser cutting the metal layer to create at least one isolation region between emitter contacts and base contacts, and applying a stream of reactive gas to form a second passivation layer in the isolation region. The process may further involve inkjetting a resist on the passivation layer in a pattern corresponding to a boundary between the one or more emitter contacts and the one or more base contacts, and laser cutting the metal layer over the resist to create the isolation region.

Abstract: A physical vapor deposition effusion method comprising translating a strip material through a physical vapor deposition zone in a deposition chamber and providing first and second substantially closed vessels located serially along the processing path in the same deposition chamber, each vessel emitting different source materials to produce overlapping plumes and having an array of vapor delivery nozzles distributed uniformly across the vessel along the width of the zone, and configured to expel overlapping plumes to create a fog having a substantially uniform composition across the width and a varying composition across the length of the zone. Also, an elongate vapor deposition effusion vessel having an elongate lid including plural nozzles spaced from each other along its elongate axis, and a continuous heating element in the lid encircling the plural nozzles, the heating element having electrical contacts connected to an electrical source on the same side of the vessel.

Abstract: A thermal evaporation source includes: a crucible configured to contain a volume of evaporant and a vapor space above the evaporant; a manifold body having within it a hollow expansion chamber that is flowably connected to the vapor space via one or more restriction orifices; one or more effusion nozzles flowably connected to the expansion chamber and exiting an outer surface of the thermal evaporation source, the nozzle(s) oriented to direct an evaporant vapor flow out of the source vertically downward, in one or more horizontal directions, or in one or more directions intermediate between horizontal and vertically downward; and a heater capable of heating some or all of the thermal evaporation source to a temperature sufficient to produce the one or more evaporant vapor flows when a vacuum is applied to the thermal evaporation source.

Abstract: Thin films are produced by a method wherein a material is heated in a furnace placed inside a vacuum system. An inert gas is flown over/through the heated material. The vapors of the material are entrained in the carrier gas which is then directed onto a substrate heated to a temperature below that of the furnace temperature and placed in close proximity to the exit of the furnace.

Abstract: Thin films are produced by a method wherein a material is heated in a furnace placed inside a vacuum system. An inert gas is flown over/through the heated material. The vapors of the material are entrained in the carrier gas which is then directed onto a substrate heated to a temperature below that of the furnace temperature and placed in close proximity to the exit of the furnace.

Abstract: A new, large-area, thin-film, flexible photovoltaic structure is disclosed, as well as a general fabrication procedure, including a preferably roll-to-roll-type, process-chamber-segregated, “continuous-motion”, method for producing such a structure. A special multi-material vapor-deposition environment is disclosed to implement an important co-evaporation, layer-deposition procedure performed in and as part of the fabrication procedure. A structural system adapted to create a vapor environment generally like that just referred to is disclosed, as is an organization of method steps involved in the generation of such a vapor environment. Also, a unique, vapor-creating, materials-distributing system, which includes specially designed heated crucibles with carefully arranged, spatially distributed, localized and generally point-like, heated-nozzle sources of different metallic vapors, and a special multi-fingered, comb-like, vapor-delivering manifold structure is shown.

Abstract: A new, large-area, thin-film, flexible photovoltaic structure is disclosed, as well as a general fabrication procedure, including a preferably roll-to-roll-type, process-chamber-segregated, “continuous-motion”, method for producing such a structure. A special multi-material vapor-deposition environment is disclosed to implement an important co-evaporation, layer-deposition procedure performed in and as part of the fabrication procedure. A structural system adapted to create a vapor environment generally like that just referred to is disclosed, as is an organization of method steps involved in the generation of such a vapor environment. Also, a unique, vapor-creating, materials-distributing system, which includes specially designed heated crucibles with carefully arranged, spatially distributed, localized and generally point-like, heated-nozzle sources of different metallic vapors, and a special multi-fingered, comb-like, vapor-delivering manifold structure is shown.

Abstract: Methods are provided for the production of supported monophasic group I-III-VI semiconductor films. In the subject methods, a substrate is coated with group I and III elements and then contacted with a reactive group VI element containing atmosphere under conditions sufficient to produce a substrate coated with a composite of at least two different group I-III-IV alloys. The resultant composite coated substrate is then annealed in an inert atmosphere under conditions sufficient to convert the composite coating to a monophasic group I-III-VI semiconductor film. The resultant supported semiconductor films find use in photovoltaic applications, particularly as absorber layers in solar cells.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing compound semiconductor thin films on substrates includes a reaction chamber wherein one or more constituents of semiconductor thin film is supplied as a gaseous species in a closed loop system. The apparatus includes hot and cold traps for isolating source materials from the reaction chamber and to provide for controlled delivery of the species. The hot and cold traps communicate with the reaction chamber through hot and cold legs to establish a closed loop recirculating flow. In a preferred embodiment, a thermosiphon provides the flow of gaseous species for formation of copper indium diselenide semiconductor thin films in a closed loop process.