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: A lock chamber for a substrate processing system is provided which includes at least a first conduit adapted to provide an inner portion of the lock chamber in fluid communication with atmospheric pressure or overpressure. Additionally, the lock chamber includes at least a first control valve for controlling a flow rate of the fluid communication of the inner portion of the chamber with the atmospheric pressure or the overpressure, wherein the control valve is adapted to continuously control the flow rate. Furthermore, an according method, a computer program and a computer readable medium adapted for performing the method is provided.

Abstract: A rotatable target for a sputtering installation and a method for producing a rotatable target are provided. The target includes a backing tube to which a target tube is shrink-fitted. The method includes setting a positive temperature difference between a target tube and a backing tube. The method further includes pulling the target tube over the backing tube while the temperature difference remains positive. Furthermore, a backing tube having a middle part with an outer lateral area and a notch extending in a longitudinal direction on the outer lateral area is provided.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an anode rod for a sputtering system comprising a target, a lateral surface area of the anode rod is at least 2 times greater than the lateral surface area of the a circular cylinder having the same volume. Further, the present disclosure relates to a sputtering system comprising at least one anode rod, wherein the anode rod having a lateral surface area that is at least 2 times greater than the lateral surface area of the a circular cylinder having the same volume, and at least one sputtering cathode assembly comprising a backing device selected of the group consisting of a backing plate for a planar target, and a target backing tube for a rotatable cylindrical target.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a magnetron sputter cathode, in particular a tube cathode or several tube cathodes forming an array. In such cathodes a target passes through a magnetic field, whereby induction currents flow in the target which distort the magnetic field. This results in the nonuniform coating of a substrate. By having the relative movement between magnetic field and target alternately reverse its direction, the effect of the magnetic field distortion can be compensated. This yields greater uniformity of the coating on a substrate to be coated.

Abstract: The invention relates to devices and apparatus for web guiding and cooling of webs during thin-film forming. A guiding device for contact-free guiding a web is provided with the device having a surface for facing the web and a multitude of gas outlets disposed in the surface and adapted for providing a hover cushion for the web. Further, an apparatus for coating a web and a method for contact-free guiding a web is provided that comprises moving the web over a surface and emitting a multitude of gas streams from the surface, thereby generating a hover cushion between the surface and the web. Further, a method for producing a thin-film solar cell is provided that comprises a method for contact-free guiding a web according to embodiments described herein. The method for producing a thin-film solar cell further comprises depositing a back contact on the web and depositing a transparent and conductive oxide layer.

Abstract: The invention relates to an evaporation apparatus for depositing material on a vertically oriented substrate (10). The apparatus comprises at least one evaporation crucible (100) with the evaporation crucible (100) having an evaporation surface (120) for evaporating the material (300) wherein the evaporation surface is inclined at an inclination angle (?) in relation to the horizontal. The invention further provides a method for evaporating a substrate with the steps of providing a vertically oriented substrate (10); providing a crucible having an evaporation surface (120) for evaporating a material; evaporating the material on the evaporation surface (120) that is inclined at an inclination angle (?) in relation to the horizontal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for operating a magnetron sputter cathode, in particular a tube cathode or several tube cathodes forming an array. In such cathodes a target passes through a magnetic field, whereby induction currents flow in the target which distort the magnetic field. This results in the nonuniform coating of a substrate. By having the relative movement between magnetic field and target alternately reverse its direction, the effect of the magnetic field distortion can be compensated. This yields greater uniformity of the coating on a substrate to be coated.

Abstract: In a sputtering device with magnetic amplification, a magnetic field is generated by means of a permanent magnet system, whose lines of force run above and penetrate the sputtering surface, whereby the permanent magnet system is formed of two dosed, coaxial circular or oval rows (7, 8) of individual magnets (5, 5′ . . . , 6, 6′ . . . ) that are connected via a yoke (15), whereby the surface of the target (3) that faces away from the rows of permanent magnets (7, 8) is formed of two partial surfaces (3a, 3b) that form an angle to each other and whereby the edge (3c) that is formed by the two partial surfaces (3a, 3b) runs parallel to the two rows (7, 8) of permanent magnets (5, 5′ . . , 6, 6′ . . . ) and whereby an insert (14) made of ferromagnetic material is inserted between the magnetic yoke (15) and the surface of the target (3) that faces the magnetic yoke (15).

Abstract: A first vacuum pump (14) is connected to a vacuum chamber (5) by a primary intake line (13) having a first vacuum valve (4) therein. A second vacuum pump (15) is connected to the output of the first vacuum pump (14) by a connecting line (20) having a second vacuum valve (12) therein. A blowout valve (17) is connected to the connecting line (20) between the first pump (14) and the second valve (12). A secondary intake line (19) having therein a third vacuum valve (13) is connected between the vacuum chamber (5) and the intake of the second vacuum pump (15).

Abstract: For the evacuation of a low-vacuum chamber (4) and of a high-vacuum chamber (5), two pump trains (6, 7) are provided, each consisting of a vacuum pump unit (8, 9) and a forepump unit (10, 11). The forepump unit (11) of the pump train (7) of the high-vacuum chamber (5) can draw selectively from the vacuum pump unit (9) of the high-vacuum chamber (5) or from a high-vacuum pump unit (12) connected likewise to the high-vacuum chamber (5). The vacuum pump unit (9) can aspirate either from the highvacuum chamber (5) or from the low-vacuum chamber (4) and discharge to the forepump unit (10) of pump train (6) or to the forepump unit (11) of pump train (7).

Abstract: A crucible (9) of a nonmetallic material with an elongated cavity (42) to contain the material to be evaporated has on top a vapor emission slot (45) which is defined at its longitudinal edges (43, 44) by two elongated plates (40, 41) of a likewise nonmetallic material. In the cavity (42) two heating rods (46, 47) are disposed in a mirror-symmetrical relationship to a plane of symmetry (S) through the vapor emission slot (45), one under each of the plates (40, 41) defining the vapor emission slot (45). Additional heating means are provided outside of the crucible and inside of a thermal barrier system.