Abstract: Methods for manufacturing three-dimensional thin-film solar cells using a template. The template comprises a template substrate comprising a plurality of three-dimensional surface features. The three-dimensional thin-film solar cell substrate is formed by forming a sacrificial layer on the template, subsequently depositing a semiconductor layer, selectively etching the sacrificial layer, and releasing the semiconductor layer from the template. Select portions of the three-dimensional thin-film solar cell substrate are then doped with a first dopant, while other select portions are doped with a second dopant. Next, selective emitter and base metallization regions are formed using a PECVD shadow mask process.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a poly-crystalline silicon film on a substrate. In one embodiment, the method comprises positioning a substrate within a processing chamber, heating the processing chamber to a deposition temperature, introducing a first silicon precursor into the processing chamber to form a buffer layer including crystal nuclei, introducing a second silicon precursor into the processing chamber to form a polysilicon film on the buffer layer, and then annealing the polysilicon film and the buffer layer.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides a cassette-to-cassette vacuum processing system which concurrently processes multiple wafers and combines the advantages of single wafer process chambers and multiple wafer handling for high quality wafer processing, high wafer throughput and reduced footprint. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, the system is preferably a staged vacuum system which generally includes a loadlock chamber for introducing wafers into the system and which also provides wafer cooling following processing, a transfer chamber for housing a wafer handler, and one or more processing chambers each having two or more processing regions which are isolatable from each other and preferably share a common gas supply and a common exhaust pump. The processing regions also preferably include separate gas distribution assemblies and RF power sources to provide a uniform plasma density over a wafer surface in each processing region.

Abstract: Provided herein is a method of depositing a low resistivity tungsten film onto a wafer comprising the steps of introducing a metalorganic tungsten-containing compound into a deposition chamber of a CVD apparatus; maintaining the deposition chamber at a pressure and the wafer at a temperature suitable for the high pressure chemical vapor deposition of the tungsten film onto the wafer; thermally decomposing the tungsten-containing compound in the deposition chamber; and vapor-depositing the tungsten film onto the wafer thereby forming a low-resistivity tungsten film. Specifically provided is a method of depositing a low-resistivity tungsten film by high pressure MOCVD using tungsten hexacarbonyl as the precursor. Also provided is a low-resistivity tungsten film.