APARELHO PARA A MANUFATURA DE DISPOSITIVOS FOTOVOLTAICOS E CONJUNTO PARA DEPOSITAR UM MATERIAL SOBRE UM SUBSTRATO A PARTIR DE UM PLASMA EXCITADO POR ENERGIA DE MICROONDAS

摘要

Disclosed is an apparatus and assembly (50) for manufacturing photovoltaic devices of the type including a plurality of layers of semiconductor materials by depositing the materials onto a substrate (11) from a microwave energy excited plasma. The asembly includes a deposition chamber (30) a source of microwave energy, and an antenna (64) extending into the chamber (30) and coupled to the microwave energy source. The antenna (64) includes an outer sheath formed from a conductive material, an inner conductor extending within and electrically insulated from the outer sheath, and a slot within the outer sheath. The assembly also includes a new and improved feed-through (130) for the antenna permitting the antenna to extend into the chamber while establishing a vacuum seal between the chamber and the antenna. …The apparatus includes a plurality of deposition chambers each chamber arranged to deposit a respective one of the layers of semiconductor materials onto the substrate as the substrate is advanced therethrough. At least one of the deposition chambers is arranged as above.