Graphite boat page and graphite boat

Abstract

The utility model relates to a graphite boat page and a graphite boat. The graphite boat page comprises a boat page main body, the at least one silicon wafer accommodating groove is formed in the upper surface of the boat page main body; and the plurality of limiting pieces are arranged in the silicon wafer accommodating groove and are connected with the side wall of the silicon wafer accommodating groove, the upper surface of each limiting piece comprises at least one inclined surface, and the inclined surfaces extend from the groove opening plane of the silicon wafer accommodating groove to the groove bottom plane. By means of the graphite boat page, the problem of winding plating in the solar cell coating process can be solved, and the coating quality is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of solar cell manufacturing technology, and in particular to a graphite boat and a graphite boat. Background Technology

[0002] The fabrication of solar cells requires coating the surface of silicon wafers. This coating process is typically performed in a tube plasma deposition furnace. The silicon wafer is placed on a graphite boat, which is then connected to an RF motor. Plasma is excited by discharge between the graphite boat blades to enhance the coating effect and obtain a suitable film layer. Currently, the main methods for supporting silicon wafers in graphite boats are horizontal and vertical insertion. Compared to vertical insertion, horizontal insertion can better eliminate markings on the silicon wafer surface. However, current horizontal insertion methods suffer from the problem of coating wrapping around the silicon wafer surface during the coating process, leading to a decrease in product yield.

[0003] There is still no effective solution to the problem of wrap-around coating during the coating process in related technologies. Utility Model Content

[0004] Therefore, it is necessary to provide a graphite boat and graphite boat to address the problem of winding coating in the solar cell coating process.

[0005] This disclosure provides a graphite boat, the graphite boat comprising: a boat body; at least one silicon wafer receiving groove disposed on the upper surface of the boat body; and a plurality of limiting members disposed in the silicon wafer receiving groove and connected to the sidewall of the silicon wafer receiving groove, wherein the upper surface of the limiting members includes at least one inclined surface extending from the groove opening plane of the silicon wafer receiving groove to the groove bottom plane.

[0006] The graphite boat provided in this embodiment can fix the silicon wafer and guide the airflow by setting a limiting member with an inclined surface in the silicon wafer receiving groove on the graphite boat, thereby reducing the occurrence of wrap-around plating.

[0007] In one embodiment, the first ends of two limiting members disposed on adjacent sidewalls are connected along the circumference of the silicon wafer receiving groove.

[0008] In one embodiment, the silicon wafer receiving groove is a square groove; along the circumference of the silicon wafer receiving groove, the first ends of the two limiting members disposed on adjacent sidewalls are spaced apart, and the two limiting members disposed on adjacent sidewalls are symmetrical about the diagonal of the silicon wafer receiving groove.

[0009] In one embodiment, the second end of the limiting member away from the sidewall of the silicon wafer receiving groove is provided with a groove.

[0010] In one embodiment, an air groove is provided at the bottom of the silicon wafer receiving groove.

[0011] In one embodiment, the air trough includes at least one first air passage and at least one second air passage, wherein the first air passage intersects with the second air passage.

[0012] In one embodiment, the lower surface of the boat body includes at least one airflow regulating groove, which is disposed opposite to the silicon wafer receiving groove. The projection of the airflow regulating groove on the boat body is located within the range of the projection of the silicon wafer receiving groove on the boat body, and the edges of the two projections do not overlap.

[0013] In one embodiment, the silicon wafer receiving groove is a rectangular groove, the groove depth of which is in the range of 1 mm to 2 mm; the length of which is in the range of 100 mm to 230 mm; and the width of which is in the range of 100 mm to 230 mm.

[0014] In one embodiment, the graphite boat page further includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion located at both ends of the boat page body, the first protrusion and the second protrusion being arranged along the diagonal direction of the graphite boat page, and the extending directions of the first protrusion and the second protrusion being parallel to the extending direction of the boat page body.

[0015] This disclosure also provides a graphite boat, which includes a base plate, a cover plate, and a plurality of graphite boat sheets as described in any of the above embodiments, wherein the graphite boat sheets are stacked between the base plate and the cover plate.

[0016] The aforementioned graphite boat uses a silicon wafer accommodating groove to hold silicon wafers for the coating process. A limiting element on the sidewall of the accommodating groove can fix the position of the silicon wafer. The inclined surface on the limiting element can control the airflow direction during the coating process, ensuring the airflow passes over the upper and side surfaces of the silicon wafer, reducing the likelihood of circumferential coating. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of a graphite boat sheet structure according to an embodiment of this application;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the limiting member structure according to an embodiment of this application;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a left cross-sectional view of the airflow regulating groove according to an embodiment of this application;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a graphite boat according to an embodiment of this application.

[0021] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures: 10, graphite boat; 11, boat body; 12, silicon wafer receiving groove; 13, limiting member; 131, first end; 132, second end; 121, air groove; 1211, first air passage; 1212, second air passage; 14, airflow regulating groove; 111, first protrusion; 112, second protrusion; 20, base plate; 30, cover plate; W, silicon wafer. Detailed Implementation

[0022] To make the above-mentioned objects, features, and advantages of the present invention more apparent and understandable, specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Many specific details are set forth in the following description to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, the present invention can be practiced in many other ways different from those described herein, and those skilled in the art can make similar modifications without departing from the spirit of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments disclosed below.

[0023] In the description of this invention, it should be understood that the terms "center," "longitudinal," "lateral," "length," "width," "thickness," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," "outer," "clockwise," "counterclockwise," "axial," "radial," and "circumferential" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this invention.

[0024] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means at least two, such as two, three, etc., unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0025] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installation," "connection," "linking," and "fixing," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components, unless otherwise explicitly limited. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this invention according to the specific circumstances.

[0026] In this invention, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can mean that the first feature is in direct contact with the second feature, or that the first feature is in indirect contact with the second feature through an intermediate medium. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature can mean that the first feature is directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0027] It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there may be an intervening element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there may be an intervening element. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only possible implementation.

[0028] A graphite boat is a special type of boat made with graphite as its base material. Due to its high temperature resistance, good chemical stability, high strength, and excellent electrical conductivity, graphite boats are widely used in the solar energy, semiconductor, and lithium battery industries. The graphite boat sheet is a crucial component of the graphite boat. In the fabrication process of solar cells, the graphite boat sheet is used to support the silicon wafer to be coated. However, in related technologies, the graphite boat sheet faces the problem of coating around the silicon wafer during the coating process. Therefore, how to solve this problem and improve the coating effect and quality of the silicon wafer has become an urgent issue to be addressed in the current solar energy industry.

[0029] Please see Figures 1 to 4This utility model provides a graphite boat 10, which includes a boat body 11 made of graphite. Due to the conductive properties of graphite, the boat body 11 can be energized when connected to an electrode. At least one silicon wafer receiving groove 12 is provided on the boat body 11. Preferably, to improve the silicon wafer deposition efficiency and increase solar cell production, one or more rows of silicon wafer receiving areas can be provided on a single boat body 11, each row including one or more silicon wafer receiving grooves 12. The silicon wafer receiving grooves 12 are located on the upper surface of the boat body 11. The size of the silicon wafer receiving grooves 12 is adapted to the size of the silicon wafers used for deposition. Multiple limiting members 13 are provided in the silicon wafer receiving grooves 12 and connected to the sidewalls of the silicon wafer receiving grooves 12. The limiting members 13 are arranged circumferentially along the silicon wafer receiving grooves 12, with one end away from the sidewall used to contact and fix the silicon wafer placed in the silicon wafer receiving groove 12. The upper surface of the limiting member 13 includes at least one inclined surface extending from the groove opening plane of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 to the bottom plane of the groove. Preferably, the bottom of the inclined surface is slightly lower than the silicon wafer surface, which can reduce the influence of the limiting member height on airflow and thus improve the uniformity of silicon wafer coating. In one embodiment, the upper surface of the limiting member 13 includes only one inclined surface. In another embodiment, the upper surface of the limiting member 13 may also be a combination of a horizontal plane and an inclined plane, wherein the horizontal plane is flush with the groove opening height.

[0030] The graphite boat 10 of this invention optimizes the vertical placement of silicon wafers in related technologies to horizontal placement, with the back of the silicon wafer directly attached to the boat. This improves the problem of wafer wrapping and the cracking and fragmentation caused by the collision between the wafer and the mounting point in the vertical placement method. Furthermore, compared to the prior art where protruding positioning points are directly set on the graphite boat 10 to fix the silicon wafer, the graphite boat 10 of this invention, through the combined application of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 and the limiting member 13 including the inclined surface, achieves wafer positioning while avoiding the problem of wafer wrapping caused by the protruding positioning point affecting the process gas flow. It also reduces the impact of the height difference between the boat body 11 and the silicon wafer on the airflow, improves the uniformity of the silicon wafer coating, and enhances the coating quality.

[0031] In one embodiment, the first ends 131 of two limiting members 13 disposed on adjacent sidewalls are connected along the circumference of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12. Specifically, the first direction is defined as the extension direction of the corresponding sidewall of the limiting member, and the two ends of the limiting member 13 extending along the first direction are defined as the first ends 131. When the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 is a circular groove, the limiting member 13 extends arcuately along the first direction. Preferably, the silicon wafer is square, the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 is a square groove, the limiting member 13 extends linearly along the first direction, and the extension directions of the two limiting members 13 disposed on adjacent sidewalls are orthogonal and their first ends 131 are connected.

[0032] In one embodiment, the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 is a square groove; along the circumference of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12, the first ends 131 of two limiting members 13 disposed on adjacent sidewalls are spaced apart, and the two limiting members 13 disposed on adjacent sidewalls are symmetrical about the diagonal of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12. Specifically, when the first ends 131 of the two limiting members 13 disposed on adjacent sidewalls are spaced apart, the length of the limiting member 13 along the first direction is shorter than the length of the limiting member 13 in the previous embodiment. There can be one or more limiting members 13 disposed on the same sidewall. Based on the limiting member 13 of this embodiment, the volume of the limiting member 13 can be reduced, the material cost can be reduced, and the overall weight of the graphite boat 10 can be reduced.

[0033] In one embodiment, the second end 132 of the positioning member 13, away from the sidewall of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12, is provided with a groove. Specifically, the direction perpendicular to the sidewall of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 is defined as the second direction, and the end away from the sidewall of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 is defined as the second end 132. By providing a groove at the second end 132, the second end 132 of the positioning member 13 is forked. When the silicon wafer is placed into the silicon wafer receiving groove 12, the second end 132 of the positioning member 13 contacts the side of the silicon wafer and positions the silicon wafer. The groove design at the second end 132 reduces the contact area between the positioning member 13 and the silicon wafer, which is beneficial for improving the coating effect, reducing silicon wafer fragmentation and other problems, and improving the yield of the silicon wafer coating process.

[0034] In one embodiment, an air groove 121 is provided at the bottom of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12. Specifically, the air groove 121 is a channel for airflow entry. In the related coating process, the contact portion between the upper surface of the graphite boat and the silicon wafer is planar. After coating, negative pressure is easily generated between the silicon wafer and the graphite boat, making it difficult for the silicon wafer to be removed by the robotic arm, or causing damage or microcracks when the silicon wafer is removed. This embodiment, by providing an air groove 121 at the bottom of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12, makes it easier to remove the silicon wafer and improves the product yield in the solar cell production process.

[0035] In one embodiment, the gas groove 121 includes at least one first gas passage 1211 and at least one second gas passage 1212, which intersect. Specifically, the first gas passage 1211 and the second gas passage 1212 can be straight grooves, curved grooves, or a combination of both. In one specific embodiment, the gas groove 121 includes three first gas passages 1211 and three second gas passages 1212, which intersect. Furthermore, the gas groove 121 also includes a third gas passage and circular recesses. The third gas passage connects the first gas passages 1211 and the second gas passages 1212. The recesses are respectively disposed in the first gas passages 1211 and the second gas passages 1212. The combination of the multi-gas passage structure and the recess structure enhances the flow of gas within the gas groove 121.

[0036] In one embodiment, the lower surface of the boat body 11 includes at least one airflow regulating groove 14, which is disposed opposite to the silicon wafer receiving groove 12. The projection of the airflow regulating groove 14 on the boat body 11 is within the range of the projection of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 on the boat body 11, and the edges of the two projections do not overlap.

[0037] Specifically, the airflow regulating groove 14 is disposed on the lower surface of the boat body 11. The size of the airflow regulating groove 14 is smaller than the size of the silicon wafer, and it is located directly below the silicon wafer receiving groove 12. When multiple graphite boats 10 are assembled into a graphite boat, the presence of the airflow regulating groove 14 causes fluctuations in the distance between the graphite boat 10 containing the silicon wafer and the graphite boat 10 above it. The middle part of the silicon wafer is farther from the bottom of the airflow regulating groove 14 above it, while the edge part of the silicon wafer is closer to the opening of the airflow regulating groove 14 above it. This results in a certain difference in the discharge gap between the middle part and the edge part of the silicon wafer, with the edge discharge gap being smaller than that of the middle part. Since the electric field strength is greater at the edge part with a smaller discharge gap, the ionization rate of the reactive gas is higher. This can compensate for the influence of the gap between the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 and the silicon wafer on the airflow, thereby reducing the difference in film thickness on the silicon wafer surface and improving the coating uniformity.

[0038] In one embodiment, the depth of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 is in the range of 1 mm to 2 mm; the length of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 is in the range of 100 mm to 230 mm; and the width of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 is in the range of 100 mm to 230 mm.

[0039] In one embodiment, the graphite boat 10 further includes a first protrusion 111 and a second protrusion 112 located at both ends of the boat body 11. The first protrusion 111 and the second protrusion 112 are arranged along the diagonal direction of the graphite boat 10, and the extending directions of the first protrusion 111 and the second protrusion 112 are parallel to the extending direction of the boat body 11. The first protrusion 111 and the second protrusion 112 are respectively provided with mounting holes. When a rod that mates with the mounting holes passes through the mounting holes of the multiple graphite boats 10, the graphite boat 10 can be assembled and fixed in the graphite boat.

[0040] This application also provides a graphite boat, which further includes a base plate 20, a cover plate 30, graphite boat sheets 10, a fixing component, and a spacer component. The graphite boat sheets 10 are the same as those described in any of the above embodiments, and there are multiple such sheets. The graphite boat sheets 10 are stacked and disposed between the base plate 20 and the cover plate 30.

[0041] In one embodiment, a graphite boat is provided, comprising a cover plate 30, multiple graphite boat blades 10, and a base plate 20. The cover plate 30 serves as the top electrode carrier of the graphite boat. Each graphite boat blade 10 has a silicon wafer receiving groove 12 for accommodating silicon wafers. An air groove 121 is formed at the bottom of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 to prevent the silicon wafer from tightly adhering to the bottom of the boat blade, creating a vacuum zone that would affect wafer removal. A limiting member 13 is also provided within the silicon wafer receiving groove 12. The upper surface of the limiting member 13 includes a slope extending from the edge of the silicon wafer receiving groove 12 to the edge of the silicon wafer. The height of the slope at the contact point with the silicon wafer is less than or equal to the thickness of the silicon wafer. The limiting member 13 can adjust the airflow direction, reduce plating problems, and improve the uniformity of the silicon wafer coating. The graphite boat blades 10 serve as silicon wafer carriers and act as discharge electrodes when energized. The base plate 20 serves as the mounting base for the graphite boat blades 10, supporting the weight of the graphite boat. Preferably, the lower surface of the base plate 20 is provided with reinforcing ribs to enhance the strength of the graphite boat. The graphite boat also includes multiple sleeved ceramic fixing rods, ceramic spacer rings, and fixing nuts for fixing the graphite boat sheets 10. The base plate 20, the graphite boat sheets 10, and the cover plate 30 are provided with coaxial through holes in the vertical direction. The fixing rods pass through the corresponding through holes in the base plate 20, the spacer rings, the graphite boat sheets 10, and the cover plate 30, respectively. The two ends of the fixing rods are fixed by threaded connections with fixing nuts located on the lower surface of the base plate 20 and the upper surface of the cover plate 30. The spacer rings are used to ensure the discharge gap between the boat sheets. Furthermore, graphite connecting blocks are provided between adjacent odd-numbered layers of graphite boat sheets 10 and between adjacent even-numbered layers of graphite boat sheets 10 to ensure electrical conductivity between the boat sheets.

[0042] The technical features of the above embodiments can be combined in any way. For the sake of brevity, not all possible combinations of the technical features in the above embodiments are described. However, as long as there is no contradiction in the combination of these technical features, they should be considered to be within the scope of this specification.

[0043] The embodiments described above are merely illustrative of several implementations of the present invention, and while the descriptions are relatively specific and detailed, they should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention patent. It should be noted that those skilled in the art can make various modifications and improvements without departing from the concept of the present invention, and these all fall within the protection scope of the present invention. Therefore, the protection scope of this invention patent should be determined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A graphite boat leaf, characterized in that, The graphite boat page includes: Boat-shaped main body; At least one silicon wafer receiving groove is disposed on the upper surface of the boat body; Multiple limiting members are disposed in the silicon wafer receiving groove and connected to the side wall of the silicon wafer receiving groove. The upper surface of each limiting member includes at least one inclined surface, which extends from the groove opening plane of the silicon wafer receiving groove to the groove bottom plane.

2. The graphite boat sheet according to claim 1, characterized in that, Along the circumference of the silicon wafer receiving groove, the first ends of the two limiting members disposed on adjacent sidewalls are connected.

3. The graphite boat sheet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The silicon wafer receiving groove is a square groove; along the circumference of the silicon wafer receiving groove, the first ends of the two limiting members disposed on adjacent sidewalls are spaced apart, and the two limiting members disposed on adjacent sidewalls are symmetrical about the diagonal of the silicon wafer receiving groove.

4. The graphite boat sheet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The second end of the limiting member away from the side wall of the silicon wafer receiving groove is provided with a groove.

5. The graphite boat sheet according to claim 1, characterized in that, An air trough is provided at the bottom of the silicon wafer receiving tank.

6. The graphite boat sheet according to claim 5, characterized in that, The air trough includes at least one first air path and at least one second air path, wherein the first air path intersects with the second air path.

7. The graphite boat sheet according to claim 1, characterized in that, The lower surface of the boat body includes at least one airflow regulating groove, which is disposed opposite to the silicon wafer receiving groove. The projection of the airflow regulating groove on the boat body is located within the range of the projection of the silicon wafer receiving groove on the boat body, and the edges of the two projections do not coincide.

8. The graphite boat sheet according to claim 7, characterized in that, The depth of the silicon wafer receiving groove is in the range of 1 mm to 2 mm; the length of the silicon wafer receiving groove is in the range of 100 mm to 230 mm; and the width of the silicon wafer receiving groove is in the range of 100 mm to 230 mm.

9. The graphite boat leaf according to claim 1, characterized in that, The graphite boat also includes a first protrusion and a second protrusion located at both ends of the boat body, the first protrusion and the second protrusion being arranged along the diagonal direction of the graphite boat, and the extending directions of the first protrusion and the second protrusion being parallel to the extending direction of the boat body.

10. A graphite boat, characterized in that, The graphite boat includes: Base plate; Cover plate; Multiple graphite boat sheets as described in any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the graphite boat sheets are stacked between the base plate and the cover plate.

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