Apparatus for forming energy storage and photovoltaic devices in a linear system

Abstract

A method and apparatus are provided for formation of a composite material on a substrate. The composite material includes carbon nanotubes and/or nanofibers, and composite intrinsic and doped silicon structures. In one embodiment, the substrates are in the form of an elongated sheet or web of material, and the apparatus includes supply and take-up rolls to support the web prior to and after formation of the composite materials. The web is guided through various processing chambers to form the composite materials. In another embodiment, the large scale substrates comprise discrete substrates. The discrete substrates are supported on a conveyor system or, alternatively, are handled by robots that route the substrates through the processing chambers to form the composite materials on the substrates. The composite materials are useful in the formation of energy storage devices and/or photovoltaic devices.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for forming a composite material, comprising:
 a first end;   a second end;   at least one web of material extending from the first end to the second end;   a support system to support the at least one web of material from the first end to the second end; and   a plurality of chambers disposed between the first and the second end, the plurality of chambers being adapted and configured to form the composite material on the substrate, wherein the at least one web of material extends through the plurality of chambers.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises:
 a first chamber having a source that is configured to deliver a catalytic precursor to a surface of the substrate; and   a second chamber having a heating element that is adapted to heat a deposited catalyst material to form catalyst particles on the substrate.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises:
 a first chamber that has a source that is configured to form graphitic nanofilaments on the substrate using a thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process, a plasma enhanced CVD process or a hot wire CVD process; and   a second chamber that is configured to form an amorphous silicon layer over the graphitic nanofilaments using a hot wire CVD process.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of chambers further comprises:
 a third chamber that is configured to form a polymeric material over the amorphous silicon layer using an initiated CVD process; and   a fourth chamber that is configured to form a cathodic material on the polymeric material using a hot wire CVD process or a physical vapor deposition process.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a supply roll at the first end for supplying the continuous web of material to the plurality of chambers; and   a take-up roll at the second end for receiving the continuous web of material with the composite material formed thereon.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises:
 a first chamber for deposition of intrinsic silicon on one of the first or second sides of the large scale substrates; and   a second chamber for deposition of doped silicon on the intrinsic silicon.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , further comprising return means between the second chamber and the second end of the apparatus, the return means adapted and configured to flip the plurality of discrete large scale silicon substrates and return them to the first chamber for deposition of the intrinsic silicon on the other of the first and second sides of the large scale substrates and to the second chamber for deposition of a doped silicon on the intrinsic silicon. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , further comprising inverting means between the second chamber and the second end of the apparatus, the inverting means adapted and configured to flip the plurality of discrete large scale silicon substrates. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises a third chamber for deposition of intrinsic silicon on the other of the first or second sides of the large scale substrates. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the plurality of chambers comprises a fourth chamber for deposition of doped silicon on the intrinsic silicon deposited on the other of the first or second sides of the large scale substrates.