Apparatus and methods for processing substrates

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus for processing coated substrates, characterized in that at least one evacuatable processing box for accommodating at least one substrate has a hermetically closable enclosure forming a hollow cavity, wherein the housing comprises at least one housing segment configured such that the substrate can be thermally treated by impinging electromagnetic heat radiation, wherein the housing has at least one housing segment couplable with a cooling device for cooling thereof and At least one housing segment not coupled to a cooling device, wherein the cavity is divided by at least one separating wall into a processing space and an intermediate space for accommodating the substrate, wherein the separating wall has one or more openings and is arranged on the substrate and between the casing segment coupled with the cooling device, and wherein the casing is equipped with at least one gas sleeve leading to the cavity, which can be closed for evacuating and introducing gas into the cavity; for the process box Cooling device for cooling the housing segment which can be coupled with the cooling device; at least one loading / unloading unit for loading and / or unloading the process chamber; at least one heating unit for heating the substrate in the process chamber; At least one cooling unit for cooling the substrate in the processing cabinet; at least one suction device for suctioning the cavity of the processing cabinet; at least one for feeding at least one gas to the cavity of the processing cabinet at least one transport mechanism configured to effect a relative movement between the process tank on the one hand and the heating unit, cooling unit and loading / unloading unit on the other.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates to apparatus and methods for processing coated substrates in a processing chamber. Background technique [0002] Photovoltaic layer systems for the direct conversion of sunlight into electrical energy are well known. These photovoltaic layer systems are generally referred to as “solar cells”, where the term “thin-film solar cells” refers to layer systems with small thicknesses of only a few micrometers, which require a substrate for sufficient mechanical strength. Known substrates include mineral glass, plastics (polymers) or metals, especially metal alloys, and can be designed as rigid plates or flexible films, depending on the respective layer thickness and specific material properties. [0003] Thin-film solar cells with absorbers made of compound semiconductors have proven to be advantageous in terms of process maneuverability and efficiency. Thin-film solar cells have been described several times in the patent liter...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

For this reason, the input costs for this process step take up a not insignificant share of the total input costs of a solar plant

Furthermore, it has been shown in practice that these technically complex and comparatively expensive components suffer from significant increases due to transport of coated substrates or process boxes, heating to high maximum temperatures of more than 500° C. and due to corrosive process atmospheres. wear and may become leaky

In the event of a failure, the complete assembly line is interrupted by required maintenance work

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