Abstract: A rotatable target device for sputtering installations, the rotatable target device including: a rotatable target base adapted for holding a solid target cylinder, the solid target cylinder having an inner axial face, an outer axial face and at least one front face connecting the inner axial face with the outer axial face; wherein the rotatable target base comprises a flexible element, a first face adapted to the shape of the inner axial face of the solid target cylinder and a second face adapted to hold the flexible element outside of the solid target cylinder.

Abstract: A rotatable target base device for sputtering installations is provided, wherein the target base device is adapted for receiving thereon a solid target cylinder, the rotatable target base device comprising a target base cylinder having a lateral surface, a middle part, a first end region and a second end region opposite to the first end region, wherein at least one of the first and the second end regions has a maximum outer diameter substantially equal to or less than an outer diameter of the middle part.

Abstract: In the plasma pretreatment a substrate, preferably a silicon solar cell, is transported into a pretreatment chamber (1). In this pretreatment chamber (1) is contained a gas mixture comprising at least NH3 or hydrogen. By means of a cathode (4) a plasma is generated in the pretreatment chamber (1) by means of a glow discharge. The atomic hydrogen in the plasma reacts hereby with the oxygen, which is located on the solar cell (25) in the form of an oxide layer. By modifying or removing the oxide layer, better passivation of the solar cell can be attained and, consequently, higher efficiency.

Abstract: A sputter target for sputtering a silicon-containing film is provided. The target includes a silicon-containing sputter material layer, and a carrier for carrying the sputter material layer, wherein the sputter material layer contains less than 200 ppm iron.

Abstract: The present invention refers to a method of producing a photovoltaic device having at least one semiconductor unit comprising the following steps: a cleaning of at least one surface of the semiconductor unit by etching; drying of the at least one surface of the semiconductor unit in a substantially oxygen-free or oxygen-depleted environment; and depositing of a passivation layer on the at least one surface as well as to a device for carrying out such a method and to photovoltaic devices produced by this method.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a backside contact of a semiconductor component, in particular, of a solar cell, comprising a metallic layer on the backside of a substrate in a vacuum treatment chamber, and the use of a vacuum treatment system for performing said method. Through this method and its use, in particular silicon based solar cells, can be provided with a back contact in a simple manner in a continuous process sequence, wherein the process sequence can be provided particularly efficient and economical, since no handling systems for rotating the substrate are required, and in particular silk screening steps can be dispensed with.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing an anti-reflection and/or passivation coating for solar cells. The method may include the steps of providing a silicon wafer in a deposition chamber, pre-heating said silicon wafer to a temperature above 400° C. and deposition of a hydrogen containing anti-reflection and/or passivation coating by a sputter process. A coating apparatus is also provided for producing solar cells, especially anti-reflection and/or passivation coatings on Si wafers, comprising a first vacuum chamber, a second vacuum chamber and conveying means for transporting a substrate through said first and second vacuum chambers. The first vacuum chamber comprising at least one infrared radiation heater with a heater filament that has a temperature between 1800° C. and 3000° C. The second vacuum chamber comprising sputter means for vaporization of a target as well as a gas inlet for introducing a reactive gas including hydrogen.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the production of an SiN:H layer on a substrate which converts light into electric voltage, wherein a silicon-containing target is sputtered and at least one reactive gas in introduced into the volume between target and substrate. The silicon-containing target is implemented in the form of a tube and is comprised of an Si-based alloy with an Al content of 2 to 50 wt. %.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sputter chamber for coating substrates, in which the so-called “picture frame effect” is eliminated or at least largely reduced. The thickness of the coating at the margin of a substrate hereby no longer deviates significantly from the thickness of the coating in the center of the substrate. This is attained thereby that the negative effect of the process gas—or of several process gases—which is introduced into the sputter chamber is equalized by an additional inert or reactive gas. At the margins of the substrates to be coated and on the substrate side facing away from the cathode thus an additional gas stream is generated, which is directed counter to the process gas stream.