Method and system of chemical bath deposition

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9433966-B2
Application number	US-201414186002-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 21, 2014
Priority date	Feb 21, 2014
Publication date	Sep 6, 2016
Grant date	Sep 6, 2016

Abstract

An apparatus for chemical bath deposition includes a housing defining a chemical tank, a circulation pipe, and at least one flow adjustment device disposed inside the chemical tank. The chemical tank has an opening on a top surface and is configured to accept and hold at least one substrate inside the chemical tank. The circulation pipe has at least one portion inside the chemical tank, and is configured to supply at least one chemical to the chemical tank. The at least one flowing adjustment device includes any one of a turbine, a diffuser and a bubbler, or a combination thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for chemical bath deposition, comprising:
a housing defining a chemical tank, the chemical tank having an opening on a top surface and configured to accept and hold at least one substrate therein;
a circulation pipe, having at least one horizontal portion inside the chemical tank, and configured to supply at least one chemical to the chemical tank; and
at least one flow adjustment device disposed inside the chemical tank, the at least one flowing adjustment device comprising a turbine or a diffuser,
wherein the at least one horizontal portion of the circulation pipe inside the chemical tank has a plurality of vent holes configured to provide the chemical from the circulation pipe to the chemical tank;
wherein the turbine is a reversible turbine disposed adjacent to one side wall of the chemical tank, the one side wall being a vertical wall.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one horizontal portion of the circulation pipe inside the chemical tank is disposed above and adjacent to a bottom wall of the chemical tank.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of vent holes on the portion of the circulation pipe is configured to provide the chemical substantially downward from the circulation pipe.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the turbine has a center, and at least one blade disposed radially from the center and substantially parallel to the one side wall of the chemical tank, and the at least one blade is configured to selectively rotate around the center in one of a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow adjustment device comprises a diffuser disposed above the circulation pipe, the diffuser comprising a plate having a plurality of holes and configured to diffuse the chemical from the circulation pipe upward through the plate.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the diffuser and the circulation pipe are disposed adjacent to and above a bottom wall of the chemical tank, and below the at least one substrate inside the chemical tank.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow adjustment device further comprises a bubbler disposed adjacent to and above a bottom wall of the chemical tank, and configured to provide gas bubbles inside the chemical tank.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least one flow adjustment device comprises a combination of two or more selected from the group consisting of a turbine, a diffuser and a bubbler.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a heater disposed inside the chemical tank and configured to adjust a temperature of the chemical inside the chemical tank.

10. An apparatus for chemical bath deposition, comprising:
a housing defining a chemical tank, the chemical tank having an opening on a top surface and configured to accept and hold at least one substrate therein;
a circulation pipe, having at least one horizontal portion inside the chemical tank, and configured to supply at least one chemical to the chemical tank; and
at least one flow adjustment device disposed inside the chemical tank, the at least one flowing adjustment device comprising
a turbine disposed adjacent to one side wall of the chemical tank, and
a diffuser disposed above the circulation pipe,

wherein the at least one horizontal portion of the circulation pipe inside the chemical tank has a plurality of vent holes configured to provide the chemical from the circulation pipe to the chemical tank;
wherein the turbine is a reversible turbine disposed adjacent to one side wall of the chemical tank, the one side wall being a vertical wall.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the diffuser comprises a plate having a plurality of holes and configured to diffuse the chemical from the circulation pipe upward through the plate.

12. The apparatus of claim 10 , wherein the at least one flowing adjustment device comprises a bubbler disposed adjacent to and above a bottom wall of the chemical tank, and configured to provide gas bubbles inside the chemical tank.

13. An apparatus for chemical bath deposition, comprising:
a housing defining a chemical tank, the chemical tank having an opening on a top surface and configured to accept and hold at least one substrate therein;
a circulation pipe, having at least one horizontal portion inside the chemical tank, and configured to supply at least one chemical to the chemical tank; and
at least one flow adjustment device disposed inside the chemical tank, wherein the at least one flow adjustment device comprises a combination of two or more selected from the group consisting of a turbine, a diffuser and a bubbler,
wherein the at least one horizontal portion of the circulation pipe inside the chemical tank has a plurality of vent holes configured to provide the chemical from the circulation pipe to the chemical tank;
wherein the turbine is a reversible turbine disposed adjacent to one side wall of the chemical tank, the one side wall being a vertical wall.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the turbine has a center, and at least one blade disposed radially from the center and substantially parallel to the one side wall of the chemical tank, and the at least one blade is configured to selectively rotate around the center in one of a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the diffuser is disposed above the circulation pipe, the diffuser comprising a plate having a plurality of holes and configured to diffuse the chemical from the circulation pipe upward through the plate.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the bubbler is disposed adjacent to and above a bottom wall of the chemical tank, and configured to provide gas bubbles inside the chemical tank.

Assignees

• Tsmc Solar Ltd
• Taiwan Semiconductor Mfg Co Ltd

Inventors

• Tsai Pei-Chen

Classifications

• H10F71/125 Primary

  The active layers comprising only Group II-VI materials, e.g. CdS, ZnS or CdTe · CPC title

• H10F71/00

  Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) · CPC title

• Y02E10/50

  Photovoltaic [PV] energy · CPC title

• H01L31/1828

  Electricity · mapped topic

• B05C3/005 Primary

  incorporating means for heating or cooling the liquid or other fluent material (B05C11/1042 takes precedence) · CPC title