Feeder system and method for a vapor transport deposition system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016265100-A1
Application number	US-201615163321-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 24, 2016
Priority date	Sep 2, 2011
Publication date	Sep 15, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An improved feeder system and method for a vapor transport deposition system that includes a carrier gas bypass flow line to allow for continuous carrier gas flow to a vaporizer unit when a vibratory unit which supplies powdered material and carrier gas to the vaporizer unit is out of service. A process gas flow line to the vibratory unit may be included when the powdered material contains a powdered dopant in the material mix.

First claim

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1 . A system comprising:
a powder vibratory unit for providing a powder semiconductor material; a carrier gas input flow line for directing a carrier gas into the powder vibratory unit; a process gas input flow line for directing a process gas into the powder vibratory unit; and an output flow line for directing an output of the powder vibratory unit to a vaporizer unit.

2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising
a carrier gas bypass flow line for selectively directing a gas into the vaporizer unit and bypassing the powder vibratory unit.

3 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising
a first mass flow controller coupled to a carrier gas input flow line for regulating a flow of carrier gas into the powder vibratory unit; and a second mass flow controller coupled to the process gas input flow line for regulating a flow of the process gas into the powder vibratory unit.

4 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising
a first mass flow controller coupled to a carrier gas input flow line for regulating a flow of carrier gas into the powder vibratory unit; a second mass flow controller coupled to the process gas input flow line for regulating a flow of the process gas into the powder vibratory unit; and a third mass flow controller coupled to the carrier gas bypass flow line for regulating a flow of bypass carrier gas into the vaporizer unit.

5 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising
a flow-valve coupled to the output flow line for regulating the flow of a combination of carrier gas and powder out of the powder vibratory unit.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the flow-valve is a shut-off valve for restricting or allowing the flow of a combination of carrier gas and powder out of the powder vibratory unit.

7 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising
a valve coupled to the output flow line and to the carrier bypass flow line for regulating the flow of carrier gas and/or powder into the vaporizer unit.

8 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising
a particle filter coupled to the carrier gas bypass flow line to prevent powder from back-streaming from the output flow line into the carrier gas bypass flow line.

9 . The system of claim 4 , further comprising
an interlock system for controlling operation of at least one of said powder vibratory unit, first mass flow controller, second mass flow controller and third mass flow controller.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the interlock system further comprises a sensor for sensing whether said first mass flow controller is on or off, wherein when the first mass flow controller is off, the interlock system turns off the second mass flow controller.

11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the interlock system further comprises a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure in the carrier gas bypass flow line, wherein when the pressure sensor senses a pressure in the carrier gas bypass flow line that exceeds a predetermined value, the interlock system turns off the third mass flow controller.

12 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the interlock system further comprises a sensor for sensing the temperature of the vaporizer unit, wherein when the sensor senses an average temperature of the vaporizer unit that is less than a predetermined value the interlock system turns off the powder vibratory unit.

13 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier gas is helium.

14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the process gas is compressed dry air.

15 . The system of claim 2 , further comprising
a second powder vibratory unit for providing a second powder semiconductor material; a second process gas input flow line for directing a process gas into the second powder vibratory unit; a second carrier gas input flow line for directing a carrier gas into the second powder vibratory unit; a second output flow line for directing an output of the second powder vibratory unit to a second inlet of the vaporizer unit; and a second carrier gas bypass flow line for directing carrier gas to the second inlet of the vaporizer unit by bypassing the second powder vibratory unit.

16 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising
a process gas mass flow controller for regulating the flow of process gas into the second powder vibratory unit; a carrier gas mass flow controller for regulating the flow of carrier gas into the second powder vibratory unit; and a carrier gas bypass mass flow controller for regulating the flow of carrier gas into the second inlet into the vaporizer unit.

17 . The system of claim 16 , further comprising
an interlock system for controlling operation of at least one of said first vibratory unit, second vibratory unit, process gas mass flow controller, carrier gas mass flow controller and carrier gas bypass mass flow controller.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the interlock system further comprises a sensor for sensing whether said carrier gas mass flow controller is on or off, wherein when the carrier gas mass flow controller is on, the interlock system turns off the process gas mass flow controller.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the interlock system further comprises a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure in the second carrier gas bypass flow line, wherein when the pressure sensor senses a pressure in the second carrier gas bypass flow line that exceeds a predetermined value, the interlock system turns off the carrier gas bypass mass flow controller.

20 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the interlock system further comprises a sensor for sensing the temperature of the vaporizer unit, wherein when the sensor senses an average temperature of the vaporizer unit that is less than a predetermined value the interlock system turns off the first and second powder vibratory units.

21 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the raw material comprises CdTe.

22 . The system of claim 16 , wherein the raw material consists of CdTe and a dopant.

Assignees

• First Solar Inc

Inventors

• Liao Feng
• Powell Rick C
• Xiong Gang

Classifications

• C23C14/228 Primary

  Gas flow assisted PVD deposition · CPC title

• B65G53/16

  Gas pressure systems operating with fluidisation of the materials · CPC title

• C23C14/24 Primary

  Vacuum evaporation · CPC title