Plasma vapor deposition system and method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels

Abstract

A plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels including a flexible substrate disposed about and removably supported by a dual-walled cylindrical substrate support for axially rotating the flexible substrate about its longitudinal axis, the dual-walled cylindrical substrate support comprising an inner wall spaced apart by an outer wall to define a coaxial cavity, a plasma vapor deposition torch located substantially adjacent to the flexible substrate for depositing at least one thin film material layer on an outer surface of the flexible substrate; and a traversing platform for supporting the rotatable substrate support relative to the plasma vapor deposition torch, the rotatable substrate support being traversed along its longitudinal axis by the traversing platform.

1 . A plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels, comprising:
 a flexible substrate disposed about and removably supported by a rotatable substrate support; and   a plasma vapor deposition torch located substantially adjacent to the flexible substrate for depositing at least one thin film material layer on an outer surface of the flexible substrate.   
     
     
         2 . The plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable substrate support is a temperature controlled cylinder. 
     
     
         3 . The plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable substrate support comprises:
 an outer wall and an inner wall spaced apart from the outer wall, the outer wall and inner wall defining a coaxial compartment;   a heating/cooling coil located within the coaxial compartment for providing at least one of heating and cooling to the outer surface of the outer wall.   
     
     
         4 . The plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises a sheetlike material capable of withstanding deposition temperatures of the plasma vapor deposition torch. 
     
     
         5 . The plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 1 , wherein the flexible substrate is selected from stainless steel and high temperature polyimide film. 
     
     
         6 . The plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 1 , wherein the plasma vapor deposition torch is a inductively coupled plasma torch. 
     
     
         7 . A plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels, comprising:
 a flexible substrate disposed about and removably supported by a dual-walled cylindrical substrate support for axially rotating the flexible substrate about its longitudinal axis, the dual-walled cylindrical substrate support comprising an inner wall spaced apart by an outer wall to define a coaxial cavity;   a plasma vapor deposition torch located substantially adjacent to the flexible substrate for depositing at least one thin film material layer on an outer surface of the flexible substrate; and   a traversing platform for supporting the rotatable substrate support relative to the plasma vapor deposition torch, the rotatable substrate support being traversed along its longitudinal axis by the traversing platform.   
     
     
         8 . The plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 7 , wherein the dual-walled cylindrical substrate support further comprises:
 at least one of a heating and cooling element located within the coaxial cavity.   
     
     
         9 . The plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 8 , wherein the dual-walled cylindrical substrate support further comprises:
 a controller for controlling the at least one of a heating and cooling element.   
     
     
         10 . The plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 7 , wherein the dual-walled cylindrical substrate support further comprises:
 a rotatable connector in fluid communication with the coaxial cavity for transmitting one of a gas and a liquid through the coaxial cavity.   
     
     
         11 . The plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 7 , wherein the dual-walled cylindrical substrate support has a length of at least 100 centimeters. 
     
     
         12 . The plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 7 , wherein the dual-walled cylindrical substrate support has a diameter of at least 2 centimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 7 , wherein the dual-walled cylindrical substrate support has electric coils located within the coaxial cavity. 
     
     
         14 . The plasma vapor deposition system for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 7 , wherein the plasma vapor deposition torch is a inductively coupled plasma torch. 
     
     
         15 . A plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels, comprising:
 providing a rotatable substrate support;   providing a high frequency induction coupled plasma torch comprising a coil, the induction coupled plasma torch being selected positionable along the surface area of rotatable substrate support;   mounting a flexible sheet-like substrate about an outer surface of the rotatable substrate support, the flexible sheet-like substrate substantially taking the shape of the rotatable substrate support;   introducing a plasma gas into the high frequency induction coupled plasma torch to form a plasma within the coil;   injecting at least one source chemical into the high frequency induction coupled plasma torch; and   depositing at least one thin film layer on the outer surface of the sheet-like flexible substrate.   
     
     
         16 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 controlling the temperature of the rotatable substrate support.   
     
     
         17 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 flowing one of a gas and a liquid through the rotatable substrate support to control its temperature.   
     
     
         18 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 traversing the sheet-like flexible substrate back and forth along its longitudinal axis relative to the high frequency induction coupled plasma torch.   
     
     
         19 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 rotating the sheet-like flexible substrate about its longitudinal axis relative to the high frequency induction coupled plasma torch.   
     
     
         20 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , wherein depositing at least one thin film layer comprises:
 depositing at least one of a n-type doped silicon layer, a i-type doped silicon layer, and a p-type doped silicon layer on the outer surface of the sheet-like flexible substrate.   
     
     
         21 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one source chemicals is selected from the group consisting of SiCl 4 , SiHCl 3 , SiH 4 , SiF 4 , and other silicon containing compound. 
     
     
         22 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one source chemicals is selected from the group consisting of PH 3  and B 2 H 6 . 
     
     
         23 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , wherein the at least one source chemicals is selected from the group consisting of GeH 4 , GeCl 4 , GeF 4 , and other germanium containing compounds. 
     
     
         24 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , wherein the source chemicals are in a form selected from the group consisting of a gas, vapor, aerosol, small particle, and powder. 
     
     
         25 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , wherein the depositing at least one thin film layer further comprises:
 depositing a thin film layer of transparent conductive metal oxide on the outer surface of the sheet-like flexible substrate after the deposition of the at least one thin film layer.   
     
     
         26 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 25 , wherein the transparent conductive metal oxide is an oxide selected from the group consisting of indium, tin, and zinc. 
     
     
         27 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , wherein the plasma gas is selected from the group consisting of helium, neon, argon, hydrogen and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , wherein the silicon thin film solar cell modules are selected from the group consisting of p-i-n and n-i-p type layered structures. 
     
     
         29 . The plasma vapor deposition method for making multi-junction silicon thin film solar cell modules and panels of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 cutting the solar cell modules into smaller portions to be mounted on a substrate for producing a solar cell panel.