MODULAR SYSTEM AND PROCESS FOR CONTINUOUS DEPOSITION OF A THIN FILM LAYER ON A SUBSTRATE

摘要

A SYSTEM (10) AND ASSOCIATED PROCESS FOR VAPOR DEPOSITION OF A THIN FILM LAYER ON A PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) MODULE SUBSTRATE (14) IS INCLUDES ESTABLISHING A VACUUM CHAMBER (16) AND INTRODUCING THE SUBSTRATES (14) INDIVIDUALLY INTO THE VACUUM CHAMBER (16). A CONVEYOR SYSTEM IS OPERABLY DISPOSED WITHIN THE VACUUM CHAMBER (16) AND IS CONFIGURED FOR CONVEYING THE SUBSTRATES (14) IN A SERIAL ARRANGEMENT THROUGH A VAPOR DEPOSITION APPARATUS (24) WITHIN THE VACUUM CHAMBER (16) AT A CONTROLLED CONSTANT LINEAR SPEED. A POST-HEAT SECTION (32) IS DISPOSED WITHIN THE VACUUM CHAMBER (16) IMMEDIATELY DOWNSTREAM OF THE VAPOR DEPOSITION APPARATUS (24) IN THE CONVEYANCE DIRECTION OF THE SUBSTRATES (14). THE POST-HEAT SECTION (32) IS CONFIGURED TO MAINTAIN THE SUBSTRATES CONVEYED FROM THE VAPOR DEPOSITION APPARATUS (24) IN A DESIRED HEATED TEMPERATURE PROFILE UNTIL THE ENTIRE SUBSTRATE (14) HAS EXITED THE VAPOR DEPOSITION APPARATUS (24). THE MOST ILLUSTRATIVE DRAWING IS