VAPOR DEPOSITION APPARATUS AND PROCESS FOR CONTINUOUS DEPOSITION OF A DOPED THIN FILM LAYER ON A SUBSTRATE

摘要

An apparatus and related process are provided for vapor deposition of a sublimated source material as a doped thin film on a photovoltaic (PV) module substrate. A receptacle is disposed within a vacuum head chamber and is configured for receipt of a source material supplied from a first feed tube. A second feed tube can provide a dopant material into the deposition head. A heated distribution manifold is disposed below the receptacle and includes a plurality of passages defined therethrough. The receptacle is indirectly heated by the distribution manifold to a degree sufficient to sublimate source material within the receptacle. A distribution plate is disposed below the distribution manifold and at a defined distance above a horizontal plane of a substrate conveyed through the apparatus to further distribute the sublimated source material passing through the distribution manifold onto the upper surface of the underlying substrate.