Semiconductor devices and methods of fabricating semiconductor devices having a dilute nitride layer and at least one semiconductor material overlying the dilute nitride layer are disclosed. Hybrid epitaxial growth and the use of aluminum barrier layers to minimize hydrogen diffusion into the dilute nitride layer are used to fabricate high-efficiency multijunction solar cells.

An ion beam treatment or implantation system includes an ion source emitting a plurality of parallel ion beams having a given spacing. A first lens magnet having a non-uniform magnetic field receives the plurality of ion beams from the ion source and focuses the plurality of ion beams toward a common point. The system may optionally include a second lens magnet having a non-uniform magnetic field receiving the ion beams focused by the first lens magnet and redirecting the ion beams such that they have a parallel arrangement having a closer spacing than said given spacing in a direction toward a target substrate.

Processing methods may be performed to form a pixel isolation structure on a semiconductor substrate. The method may include forming a pixel isolation bilayer on the semiconductor substrate. The pixel isolation bilayer may include a high-k layer overlying a stopping layer. The method may include forming a lithographic mask on a first region of the pixel isolation bilayer. The method may also include etching the pixel isolation bilayer external to the first region. The etching may reveal the semiconductor substrate. The etching may form the pixel isolation structure.

The present invention provides a technique for performing film formation at low cost without causing a short-circuit between sputtered films formed on opposite surfaces of a film-formation target substrate. According to the present invention, in a substrate-holder conveyance mechanism 3, a substrate holder 11 is conveyed by a first conveyance portion so that the substrate holder 11 passes through a first film formation region; film formation is performed by sputtering on a first surface of a film-formation target substrate 50 held by the substrate holder 11; the substrate holder 11 is conveyed from the first conveyance portion to a second conveyance portion in such a manner as to make a turn with the up/down orientation of the substrate holder 11 maintained; the substrate holder 11 is conveyed by the second conveyance portion in a direction opposite to the direction of conveyance by the first conveyance portion so that the substrate holder 11 passes through a second film formation region; and film formation is performed by sputtering on a second surface of the film-formation target substrate 50. The substrate holder 11 has openings 14 and 15 through which first and second surfaces of the film-formation target substrate 50 are exposed, and includes a shield portion 16 for shielding an edge portion of the film-formation target substrate 50 from a film formation material supplied from a second sputtering source.

A display includes a plurality of pixel chips, chixels, provided on a substrate. The chixels and the light emitters thereon may be shaped, sized and arranged to minimize chixel, pixel, and sub-pixel gaps and to provide a seamless look between adjacent display modules. The substrate may include light manipulators, such as filters, light converters and the like to manipulate the light emitted from light emitters of the chixels. The light manipulators may be arranged to minimize chixel gaps between adjacent chixels.

To eliminate electric discharge when an element formation layer including a semiconductor element is peeled from a substrate used for manufacturing the semiconductor element, a substrate over which an element formation layer and a peeling layer are formed and a film are made to go through a gap between pressurization rollers. The film is attached to the element formation layer between the pressurization rollers, bent along a curved surface of the pressurization roller on a side of the pressurization rollers, and collected. Peeling is generated between the element formation layer and the peeling layer and the element formation layer is transferred to the film. Liquid is sequentially supplied by a nozzle to a gap between the element formation layer and the peeling layer, which is generated by peeling, so that electric charge generated on surfaces of the element formation layer and the peeling layer is diffused by the liquid.

Solar cell arrangement of a thin film solar cell array on a substrate; each solar cell being layered with a bottom electrode, a photovoltaic active layer, a top electrode and an insulating layer. A first trench and a second trench parallel to the first trench at a first side, separate a first solar cell and an adjacent second solar cell. The first and second trenches are filled with insulating material. The first trench extends to the substrate. The second trench extends into the photovoltaic active layer below the top electrode. A third trench extending to the bottom electrode is between the first and second trench. A fourth trench extending to the top electrode is at a second side of the first trench. The third and fourth trench are filled with conductive material. A conductive bridge connects the third trench and the fourth trench across the first trench.

This specification describes automated reel processes for producing solar modules and solar module reels. In some examples, a method includes receiving a continuous feed of photovoltaic devices on a photovoltaic device sheet. The method includes locating and bypassing one or more defective photovoltaic devices on the photovoltaic device sheet. The method includes installing bussing for the photovoltaic devices on the photovoltaic device sheet. The method includes feeding the photovoltaic device sheet to an encapsulation system to output a photovoltaic module sheet.

A simple manufacturing method is provided for the fabrication of the IV-VI group of semiconductor films on inexpensive substrates for highly efficient tandem or multi junction solar cells and a variety of other electronic devices such as transistors and LEDs. Specifically, the method includes depositing a textured oxide buffer on a substrate; depositing a metal-inorganic film from a eutectic alloy on the buffer layer, the metal being a component of a IV-VI compound; and forming a layer on the metal-inorganic film on which an additional element from the IV-VI compound is added, forming a IV-VI layer on a semiconductor device. The films comprising tin sulfidesSnS (tin sulphide), SnS.sub.2, and SnS.sub.3are grown on inexpensive substrates, such as glass or flexible plastic, at low temperature, allowing for R2R (roll-to-roll) processing.

In an apparatus for producing thin layers on substrates for solar cell production, wherein the thin layers are applied by an APCVD process at temperatures of more than 250 C., the substrates are conveyed on a horizontal conveyor path and coated by means of an APCVD coating in continuous operation. The conveyor path has conveyor rollers, which consist of a temperature-resistant, non-metallic material, preferably of ceramic. A heating device and/or a purge gas feeding device is/are arranged on that side of the conveyor path which is remote from the coating apparatus.