Abstract: Methods and apparatus for transferring one or more substrates from a first pressure environment to a second pressure environment is provided. In one embodiment, a load lock chamber is provided. The load lock chamber comprises a first circular housing, and a second circular housing disposed within and movable relative to the first circular housing, one of the first circular housing or the second circular housing comprising a plurality of discrete regions, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of discrete regions are in selective fluid communication with one of at least two vacuum pumps based on the angular position of the second circular housing relative to the first circular housing.

Abstract: A dynamic load lock chamber that includes a plurality of actuators positioned along its length to achieve a desired pressure gradient from an atmospheric pressure side to a processing pressure side of the chamber is provided. The chamber includes a transport belt continuously running through the chamber to transport substrates from the atmospheric pressure side to the processing pressure side of the chamber, if situated on an inlet side of a production line, and from the processing pressure side to the atmospheric pressure side of the chamber, if positioned on an outlet side of the production line. Separation mechanisms may be attached to the belt to separate discrete regions within the chamber into a plurality of discrete volumes. Substrates may be disposed between the separation mechanisms, such that separation between adjacent pressure regions within the chamber is maintained as the substrates are transported through the chamber.

Abstract: Thermal management of film deposition processes. In one aspect, a deposition system includes a vacuum chamber defining an evacuated interior volume, a deposition source disposed within the interior volume, a substrate holder disposed within the interior volume and arranged to hold a substrate with a first surface of the substrate facing the deposition source and a second surface of the substrate disposed facing away from the deposition source, and a heat sink disposed to have a first side of the heat sink in radiative thermal contact with the second surface of the substrate held by the substrate holder, the first side of the heat sink comprising a collection of features having a longitudinal dimension that is four or more times larger than a lateral dimension between the features, the features thereby dimensioned and aligned to reflect, multiple times in succession, radiative thermal emissions of the second surface of the substrate.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for transferring one or more substrates from a first pressure environment to a second pressure environment is provided. In one embodiment, a load lock chamber is provided. The load lock chamber comprises a first circular housing, and a second circular housing disposed within and movable relative to the first circular housing, one of the first circular housing or the second circular housing comprising a plurality of discrete regions, wherein at least a portion of the plurality of discrete regions are in selective fluid communication with one of at least two vacuum pumps based on the angular position of the second circular housing relative to the first circular housing.

Abstract: A dynamic load lock chamber that includes a plurality of actuators positioned along its length to achieve a desired pressure gradient from an atmospheric pressure side to a processing pressure side of the chamber is provided. The chamber includes a transport belt continuously running through the chamber to transport substrates from the atmospheric pressure side to the processing pressure side of the chamber, if situated on an inlet side of a production line, and from the processing pressure side to the atmospheric pressure side of the chamber, if positioned on an outlet side of the production line. Separation mechanisms may be attached to the belt to separate discrete regions within the chamber into a plurality of discrete volumes. Substrates may be disposed between the separation mechanisms, such that separation between adjacent pressure regions within the chamber is maintained as the substrates are transported through the chamber.

Abstract: The present invention generally provides a high throughput substrate processing system that is used to form one or more regions of a solar cell device. In one configuration of a processing system, one or more solar cell passivating or dielectric layers are deposited and further processed within one or more processing chambers contained within the high throughput substrate processing system. The processing chambers may be, for example, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) chambers, low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) chambers, atomic layer deposition (ALD) chambers, physical vapor deposition (PVD) or sputtering chambers, thermal processing chambers (e.g., RTA or RTO chambers), substrate reorientation chambers (e.g., flipping chambers) and/or other similar processing chambers.

Abstract: Thermal management of film deposition processes. In one aspect, a deposition system includes a vacuum chamber defining an evacuated interior volume, a deposition source disposed within the interior volume, a substrate holder disposed within the interior volume and arranged to hold a substrate with a first surface of the substrate facing the deposition source and a second surface of the substrate disposed facing away from the deposition source, and a heat sink disposed to have a first side of the heat sink in radiative thermal contact with the second surface of the substrate held by the substrate holder, the first side of the heat sink comprising a collection of features having a longitudinal dimension that is four or more times larger than a lateral dimension between the features, the features thereby dimensioned and aligned to reflect, multiple times in succession, radiative thermal emissions of the second surface of the substrate.

Abstract: An arrangement for moving a carrier within a vacuum chamber is described. This carrier is formed in the shape of a plate and is supported with its narrow-side lower edge on rollers driven by a drive system. As a drive system uses a magnetic coupling which is disposed partially within the vacuum chamber and partially outside of the vacuum chamber. With the aid of a force acting in the vertical direction the two components of the magnetic coupling can be displaced relative to one another. In addition, horizontal displacement of the carrier is also possible.