Abstract: One embodiment relates to a loadlock having a first support structure therein to support one unprocessed substrate and a second support structure therein to support one processed substrate. The first support structure is located above the second support structure. The loadlock includes an elevator to control the vertical position of the support structures. The loadlock also includes a first aperture to permit insertion of an unprocessed substrate into the loadlock and removal of a processed substrate from the loadlock, as well as a second aperture to permit removal of an unprocessed substrate from the loadlock and insertion of a processed substrate into the loadlock. A cooling plate is also located in the loadlock. The cooling plate includes a surface adapted to support a processed substrate thereon. A heating device may be located in the loadlock above the first support structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for a transfer robot that may be used in a vacuum environment is described. The transfer robot includes a lift assembly comprising a first platform and a second platform coupled to the first platform by a plurality of support members, the plurality of support members comprising a first pair of support members and a second pair of support members, a first drive assembly coupled to a portion of the plurality of support members, the first drive assembly providing a motive force to the plurality of support members to move the second platform in a first linear direction relative to the first platform, and an end effector disposed on the second platform and movable in a second linear direction by a second drive assembly, the second linear direction being orthogonal to the first linear direction.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming solar panels from n-doped silicon, p-doped silicon, intrinsic amorphous silicon, and intrinsic microcrystalline silicon using a cluster tool is disclosed. The cluster tool comprises at least one load lock chamber and at least one transfer chamber. When multiple clusters are used, at least one buffer chamber may be present between the clusters. A plurality of processing chambers are attached to the transfer chamber. As few as five and as many as thirteen processing chambers can be present.

Abstract: Embodiments of an ink jet printing system include a motion stage adapted to move a substrate having a display object in a printing direction and a first printing assembly mounted over the motion stage including a set of print heads aligned and arranged consecutively in the printing direction such that the display object moves under the print heads sequentially. Embodiments of a method of ink jet printing include moving a substrate under the print heads of printing assembly sequentially in a printing direction, activating alternate ink jetting channels within each print head of the first printing assembly, activating corresponding channels within adjacent print heads in the first printing assembly alternately, and depositing ink in alternating sub-pixels within one or more pixels on the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention generally includes a load lock chamber for transferring large area substrates into a vacuum processing chamber. The load lock chamber may have one or more separate, environmentally isolated environments. Each processing environment may have a plurality exhaust ports for drawing a vacuum. The exhaust ports may be located at the corners of the processing environment. When a substrate is inserted into the load lock chamber from the factory interface, the environment may need to be evacuated. Due to the exhaust ports located at the corners of the environment, any particles or contaminants that may be present may be pulled to the closest corner and out of the load lock chamber without being pulled across the substrate. Thus, substrate contamination may be reduced.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to a slit valve door assembly for sealing an opening in a chamber. A slit valve door that is pressed against the chamber to seal the slit valve opening moves with the chamber as the slit valve opening shrinks so that an o-ring pressed between the slit valve door and the chamber may move with the slit valve door and the chamber. Thus, less rubbing of the o-ring against the chamber may occur. With less rubbing, fewer particles may be generated and the o-ring lifetime may be extended. With a longer lifetime for the o-ring, substrate throughput may be increased.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to methods for sealing a processing chamber with a slit valve door. The door initially raises from a position below the opening for the processing chamber to a raised position. The door then expands until an O-ring that is on the door just touches the sealing surface. Then, the door expands again to compress the O-ring against the sealing surface. The door expands by flowing a gas into the interior volume of the door. By controlling the pressure buildup within the door, the speed with which the door expands is controlled to ensure that the door gently contacts the sealing surface and then compresses against the sealing surface. Thus, the door may be prevented from contacting the sealing surface with too great a force that may jolt or shake the processing chamber and produce undesired particles that may contaminate the process.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a load lock chamber, a processing system having a load lock chamber and a method for transferring substrates between atmospheric and vacuum environments. In one embodiment, the method includes maintaining a processed substrate within a transfer cavity formed in a chamber body for two venting cycles. In another embodiment, the method includes transferring a substrate from a transfer cavity to a heating cavity formed in the chamber body, and heating the substrate in the heating cavity. In another embodiment, a load lock chamber includes a chamber body having substrate support disposed in a transfer cavity. The substrate support is movable between a first elevation and a second elevation. A plurality of grooves are formed in at least one of a ceiling or floor of the transfer cavity and configured to receive at least a portion of the substrate support when located in the second elevation.

Abstract: A load lock chamber and method for transferring large area substrates is provided. In one embodiment, a load lock chamber suitable for transferring large area substrates includes a plurality of vertically stacked single substrate transfer chambers. The configuration of vertically stacked single substrate transfer chambers contributes to reduced size and greater throughput as compared to conventional state of the art, dual slot dual substrate designs. Moreover, the increased throughput has been realized at reduced pumping and venting rates, which corresponds to reduced probability of substrate contamination due to particulates and condensation.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein generally provide a load lock chamber capable of controlling the temperature of the substrate therein. The load lock chamber may have one or more cooling fluid introduction passages that extend across the chamber. Cooling fluid, such as nitrogen gas, may flow through the cooling fluid passage and enter the load lock chamber. The cooling fluid passages may have openings to permit the cooling fluid to exit the passages and enter the load lock chamber. The openings may be arranged to permit a greater amount of cooling fluid to enter the load lock at locations corresponding to the substrate positions that are in contact with an end effector that places the substrate into the load lock chamber. Additionally, the openings may be arranged to permit a greater amount if cooling fluid to enter the load lock chamber in the center of the chamber as compared to the edge of the chamber.

Abstract: One embodiment relates to a loadlock having a first support structure therein to support one unprocessed substrate and a second support structure therein to support one processed substrate. The first support structure is located above the second support structure. The loadlock includes an elevator to control the vertical position of the support structures. The loadlock also includes a first aperture to permit insertion of an unprocessed substrate into the loadlock and removal of a processed substrate from the loadlock, as well as a second aperture to permit removal of an unprocessed substrate from the loadlock and insertion of a processed substrate into the loadlock. A cooling plate is also located in the loadlock. The cooling plate includes a surface adapted to support a processed substrate thereon. A heating device may be located in the loadlock above the first support structure.

Abstract: Methods and systems for improving the alignment between a previously formed feature and a subsequently formed feature are provided. An exemplary method can include laser scribing a workpiece (104, 550) having a previously formed first feature. The exemplary method includes imaging the workpiece (104, 550) with an imaging device (320, 420, 554, 640) so as to capture a plurality of positions of the first feature on the workpiece (104, 550) relative to the laser-scribing device (100). The exemplary method further includes using the captured positions to align output from the laser-scribing device (100) in order to form a second feature on the workpiece (104, 550) at a controlled distance from the first feature.

Abstract: Laser-scribing systems and translation stages operable to support a workpiece during laser scribing are provided. A laser-scribing system includes a base section, a bed supported by the base section, a laser, a first driving mechanism operable to move a workpiece longitudinally along the bed, and a second driving mechanism. The bed comprises a movable section configured to translate with respect to the base section. The movable section comprises a gap to allow a laser beam to pass through. The laser is positioned to direct the laser beam through the gap. The second driving mechanism is operable to laterally translate the laser and the movable section in order to scribe a pattern on the workpiece.

Abstract: The invention provides methods, systems, and drivers for controlling an inkjet printing system. The driver may include logic including a processor, memory coupled to the logic, and a fire pulse generator circuit coupled to the logic. The fire pulse generator may include a connector to facilitate coupling the driver to a print head. The fire pulse generator circuit may also include a fixed current source circuit adapted to generate a fire pulse with a constant slew rate that facilitates easy adjustment of ink drop size. The logic is adapted to receive an image and to convert the image to an image data file. The image data file is adapted to be used by the driver to trigger the print head to deposit ink into pixel wells on a substrate as the substrate is moved in a print direction. Numerous other aspects are disclosed.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a first apparatus is provided for inkjet printing. The first apparatus includes an inkjet head support that includes a plurality of inkjet heads. A first inkjet head of the plurality of inkjet heads is adapted to be independently moveable in both directions along a lateral axis relative to a second inkjet head of the plurality of inkjet heads. The first apparatus also includes a system controller adapted to control an independent lateral movement of the first inkjet head relative to the second inkjet head. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for inkjet inkjet drop positioning are provided. A first method includes determining an intended deposition location of an ink drop on a substrate, depositing the ink drop on the substrate using an inkjet printing system, detecting a deposited location of the deposited ink drop on the substrate, comparing the deposited location to the intended location, determining a difference between the deposited location and the intended location, and compensating for the difference between the deposited location and the intended location by adjusting a parameter of an inkjet printing system. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a system is provided. The system includes (1) a stage adapted to move a substrate relative to print heads during printing; (2) at least one print head suspended from a support above the stage and adapted to be moveable in a plane above the stage; (3) a controller operable to rotate the print head about a center of the print head; and (4) an imaging system adapted to capture an image of the print head and to determine a center point of the print head based upon images of the print head captured as the print head is rotated. Numerous other aspects are provided.

Abstract: Laser scribing can be performed on a workpiece (104) such as substrates with layers formed thereon for use in a solar panel without need to rotate the workpiece (104) during the scribing process. A series of lasers (602, 622) can be used to concurrently remove material from multiple positions on the workpiece (104). Each laser (602, 622) can have at least one scanning device (614, 630, 632) positioned along a beam path thereof in order to adjust a position of the laser output relative to the workpiece (104). By adjusting the beam or pulse positions using the scanning devices (614, 630, 632) while translating the workpiece (104), substantially any pattern can be scribed into at least one layer of the workpiece (104) without the need for any rotation of the workpiece (104).

Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing a plurality of electronic devices formed on a large area substrate is described. In one embodiment, the apparatus performs a test on the substrate in one linear axis in at least one chamber that is slightly wider than a dimension of the substrate to be tested. Clean room space and process time is minimized due to the smaller dimensions and volume of the system.

Abstract: In a first aspect, a system is provided. The system includes (1) a stage adapted to move a substrate relative to print heads during printing; (2) at least one print head suspended from a support above the stage and adapted to be moveable in a plane above the stage; (3) a controller operable to rotate the print head about a center of the print head; and (4) an imaging system adapted to capture an image of the print head and to determine a center point of the print head based upon images of the print head captured as the print head is rotated. Numerous other aspects are provided.