Solar cells and methods and apparatuses for forming the same...

Semiconductor device manufacturing: process – Making device or circuit responsive to nonelectrical signal – Responsive to electromagnetic radiation

Reexamination Certificate

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C438S096000, C438S906000, C257SE21002

Reexamination Certificate

active

07875486

ABSTRACT:
Embodiments of the present invention generally provide an apparatus and method for forming an improved thin film single or multi-junction solar cell in a substrate processing device. One embodiment provides a system that contains at least one processing chamber that is adapted to deposit one or more layers that form a portion of a solar cell device. In one embodiment, a method is employed to reduce the contamination of a substrate processed in the processing chamber by performing a cleaning process on the inner surfaces of the processing chamber prior to depositing the one or more layers on a substrate. The cleaning process may include depositing a layer, such as a seasoning layer or passivation layer, that tends to trap contaminants found in the processing chamber. Other embodiments of the invention may provide scheduling and/or positioning the cleaning processing steps at desirable times within a substrate processing sequence to improve the overall system substrate throughput.

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