Disclosed is a firing furnace for firing an electrode of a solar cell element, which is provided with: a transfer member, which transfers a substrate having a conductive paste applied thereto; a heating section, which heats the substrate and fires the conductive paste; and a cooling section, which cools the heated substrate. The furnace is also provided with a heating means for heating the transfer member. Specifically, at the time of firing the electrode paste using the wire-type firing furnace, since a wire is fired at a temperature substantially equivalent to the ambient temperature of the heating section, deterioration of yield due to having the electrode damaged by a deposited material of the metal component of the conductive paste is suppressed, said deposited material being deposited on the wire, and the wire-type firing furnace can be continuously used.

A method for providing a substrate coating comprises transferring a substrate to an enclosed ink jet printing system; printing organic material in a deposition region of the substrate using the enclosed ink jet printing system, the deposition region comprising at least a portion of an active region of a light-emitting device on the substrate; loading the substrate with the organic material deposited thereon to an enclosed curing module; supporting the substrate in the enclosed curing module, the supporting the substrate comprising floating the substrate on a gas cushion established by a floatation support apparatus; and while supporting the substrate in the enclosed curing module, curing the organic material deposited on the substrate to form an organic film layer.

A bonding system for bonding a semiconductor element to a substrate is provided. The bonding system includes a substrate oxide reduction chamber configured to receive a substrate. The substrate includes a plurality of first electrically conductive structures. The substrate oxide reduction chamber is configured to receive a reducing gas to contact each of the plurality of first electrically conductive structures. The bonding system also includes a substrate oxide prevention chamber for receiving the substrate after the reducing gas contacts the plurality of first electrically conductive structures. The substrate oxide prevention chamber has an inert environment when receiving the substrate. The bonding system also includes a reducing gas delivery system for providing a reducing gas environment during bonding of a semiconductor element to the substrate.

In certain embodiments, a workstation includes: a cleaning station configured to clean a die vessel, wherein the die vessel is configured to secure a semiconductor die; an inspection station configured to inspect the die vessel after cleaning to determine whether the die vessel is identified as passing inspection; and a conveyor configured to move the die vessel between the cleaning station and the inspection station.

A method and system for connecting electronic assemblies and/or for manufacturing workpieces, having a plurality of modules for connecting the electronic assemblies, includes at least one module configured as a loading station and/or unloading station. At least one further module is configured as a manufacturing station. A manufacturing workpiece carrier is provided for accommodating the electronic assemblies and/or the workpieces, and is movable in automated manner by way of a conveying unit from the loading station via the manufacturing station to the unloading station. The system is configured in particular for assembly line production. In a secondary aspect, a foil/film transfer unit is proposed which provides automated application of foils/films as a process cover in the loading station.

An apparatus is disclosed for transferring a pattern of a composition containing particles of an electrically conductive material and a thermally activated adhesive from a surface of a flexible web to a surface of a substrate. The apparatus comprises: respective drive mechanisms for advancing the web and the substrate to a nip through which the web and the substrate pass at the same time and where a pressure roller acts to press the surfaces of the web and the substrate against one another, a heating station for heating at least one of the web and the substrate prior to, or during, passage through the nip, to a temperature at which the adhesive in the composition is activated, a cooling station for cooling the web after passage through the nip, and a separating device for peeling the web away from the substrate after passage through the cooling station, to leave the pattern of composition adhered to the surface of the substrate.

Embodiments herein generally relate to inspection systems for substrates or wafers for solar cell applications. The inspection system is configured to analyze substrates or wafers for chips, cracks, and other defects. The system includes conveyor apparatuses, and the conveyor apparatuses include one or more conveyor elements. The conveyor elements are configured to transport rectangular wafers having a width between about 175 mm to about 250 mm. The conveyor elements include a first conveyor belt and second conveyor belt to transport the substrates. The spacing of the belts reduces vibrations of the substrate edge.

The present application provides a dispensing apparatus for processing an electronic component, comprising: a first track component and a second track component, a first flow-guiding component and a second flow-guiding component, the first flow-guiding component being arranged at the top of the first track component, the second flow-guiding component being arranged at the top of the second track component, the first flow-guiding component having at least one first gas inlet and at least one first gas outlet in communication with each other, the at least one first gas inlet being configured to be in communication with a clean gas source, the second flow-guiding component having at least one second gas inlet and at least one second gas outlet in communication with each other, the at least one second gas inlet being arranged facing the first gas outlet, and the at least one second gas outlet being configured to be in communication with a gas discharge motive power apparatus, so that clean gas can flow toward the at least one second gas inlet from the at least one first gas outlet, thereby forming a clean gas region above the electronic component to be processed, to avoid contamination with impurities during processing.

There is provided a vacuum processing apparatus in which at least one of the processing units includes a lower member and an upper member mounted on the lower member to be attachable and detachable that configure the vacuum container, a turning shaft member which is attached to an outer circumferential part of the base plate between the work space and the vacuum container, and has a turning shaft that moves from above the base plate when the turning shaft is connected to the lower member and the lower member turns around the connected part, and a maintenance member including an arm which is disposed above the turning shaft member and turns in a horizontal direction as the upper member is suspended, and in which the lower member is configured to be fixable at the position at a predetermined angle within a range of an angle at which the lower member is capable of turning around the shaft, and to be vertically movable as the arm of the maintenance member fixes the position above a center portion of the lower member of which the position is fixed within a range of the angle at which the lower member is capable of turning, and the upper member is suspended.

A substrate processing apparatus capable of minimizing process defects by controlling mist in a processing bath is provided. The substrate treating apparatus comprises a first processing bath and a second processing bath disposed adjacent to each other in a first direction, a first partition wall disposed between the first processing bath and the second processing bath and having an entrance, through which a substrate passes, a transfer unit installed in the first processing bath and the second processing bath and for moving the substrate, a chemical solution supply unit installed in the first processing bath and for providing a chemical solution to the substrate, and a first exhaust unit disposed between the first processing bath and the second processing bath, connected to the first partition wall, comprising a plurality of exhaust holes disposed along a second direction different from the first direction, and for exhausting mist in the first processing bath.