Processing photovoltaic substrates

Abstract

A method for processing a coated glass substrate may include a high-temperature activation process.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of processing a plurality of coated photovoltaic substrates, the method comprising:
 coating a plurality of substrates with one or more semiconductor materials;   edge processing the plurality of substrates;   grouping the plurality of edge-processor substrates into a batch for annealing, the batch comprising two or more substrates into a batch for annealing;   batch annealing the entirety of the batch of substrates by passing the batch of substrates through a thermal processing chamber where the substrates of the batch are heated to a temperature of greater than or equal to 300° C. and less than or equal to 800° C. for a time period of greater than or equal to 30 seconds and less than or equal to 30 minutes, the thermal processing chamber having a plurality of zones, each having a unique set of process conditions.   
     
     
         2 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the at least two of the batched substrates pass through the thermal processing chamber side by side. 
     
     
         3 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the thermal processing chamber includes a plurality of rollers for passing the substrates of the batch between zones. 
     
     
         4 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of substrates of the batch are passed through the thermal processing chamber in a stacked orientation. 
     
     
         5 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the zones applies a cooling process and thermal processing chamber is configured to move the plurality of substrates of the batch back and forth during the cooling process. 
     
     
         6 . A method as in  claim 1 , further comprising vertically stacking the batch annealed substrates. 
     
     
         7 . A method as in  claim 6 , wherein each stack comprises from 2 to 15 substrates. 
     
     
         8 . A method as in  claim 6 , further comprising placing a glass separation media between stacked substrates. 
     
     
         9 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the zones contains a gas which is applied during the annealing. 
     
     
         10 . A method as in  claim 9 , wherein the gas comprises a mixture of hydrogen and nitrogen gas. 
     
     
         11 . A method as in  claim 10 , wherein the gas mixture includes nitrogen in the range of 70% to 95% and hydrogen in the range of 1% to 20%. 
     
     
         12 . A method as in  claim 9 , wherein the gas comprises oxygen and/or argon gas. 
     
     
         13 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the one or more semiconductor materials are coated on the plurality of substrates in the thermal processing chamber by vapor transport deposition which also supplies temperature for the batch annealing. 
     
     
         14 . A method as in  claim 1 , wherein the edge processing comprises shaping an edge of the plurality of substrates before annealing the batch of substrates. 
     
     
         15 . A method of processing a plurality of coated photovoltaic substrates, the method comprising:
 coating a plurality of substrates with one or more semiconductor materials;   grouping the plurality of substrates into a batch for annealing, the batch comprising two or more substrates;   bath annealing the entirety of the batch of substrates by passing the batch of substrates through a thermal processing chamber; at a predetermined temperature and for a predetermined period of time, where the thermal processing chamber processes the batch of substrates through a temperature ramp-up period, a temperature annealing period, and a temperature cool down period.   
     
     
         16 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein the ramp-up period is less than or equal to 1 minute. 
     
     
         17 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein the ramp-up period is greater than or equal to 1 minute and less than or equal to 10 minutes. 
     
     
         18 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein the cool down period is greater than or equal to 1 minute and less than or equal to 10 minutes. 
     
     
         19 . A method as in  claim 15 , wherein the predetermined annealing temperature is in the range of greater than or equal to 300° C. and less than or equal to 800° C. and a predetermined time of the annealing is in the range of greater than or equal to 30 seconds and less than or equal to 30 minutes. 
     
     
         20 . A method as in  claim 15 , further comprising shaping an edge of the plurality of substrates before annealing the batch of substrates.