By Ultrasonic Systems, Inc. (USI)
In-line Thermal Diffusion and Selective Emitter Laser Doping Process The PV-360 is a high-volume coating system for crystalline solar cell manufacturing applications. The PV-360 processes up to 4,300 wafers per hour, leveraging USI's proprietary nozzle-less ultrasonic spray head technology to apply a thin, uniform layer of dopant. apply a thin, uniform layer of dopant. Ultra-Spray technology provides a superior coating deposition compared to other technologies. Features - Proprietary ultrasonic spray technology - Aqueous & solvent based dopants - Non-contact coating deposition - Up to 95% transfer efficiency - Integrates with any diffusion furnace - Water-based conveyor cleaning system - Automatic spray head cleaning system - Closed-loop metering pump liquid delivery - 5 lanes for 156mm wafers - 6 lanes for 125mm wafers - Optional double sided coating capability PV360 Coating System Specifications Coating Technology Liquid Delivery Conveyor - Continuous mesh belt - Teflon coated Kevlar construction - Water-based cleaning system - IR drying system - Conveyor speed: up to 1.8m/min (6 ft/min) Nozzle-less Ultrasonic Spray Head Technology USI's core technology consists of proprietary nozzle-less ultrasonic spray head technology for the thin, uniform application of a variety of low viscosity materials. The sprayhead consists of an ultrasonic transducer with a spray-forming tip, an ultrasonic generator, an external liquid applicator, and air directors. Spray is produced with ultrasonic energy and shaped with low pressure air for a more precise and controlled coating application. Ultrasonic Systems, Inc. Worldwide Headquarters 135 Ward Hill Avenue Haverhill, MA USA 01835 Tel: +1.978.521.0095 Fax: +1.978.521.7023 914mm (36 in) Process Width Head Speed - Spray stroke: up to 1,500mm/sec (79 in/sec) - Return stroke: up to 1,500mm/sec (79 in/sec) Traversing Mechanism - Servo motor/gearbox - Synchronous belt drive actuator Ultra-Spray Blade Head - Ultrasonic frequency 45kHz - Ultrasonic generator - Electronic controls for liquid flow - Electronic controls for airflow - Spray width up to 215mm (8.5 inches) - Flow rate range 10 to 30 ml/min Spray Stroke - Head moves from home to conveyor width - Spray is activated Return Stroke - Head returns home - Spray is not activated Home Position - Head stays at home until conveyor travels distance equal to spray pattern width; up to 215mm (78.5 in) Process Control System - Single Programmable Automation Controller (PAC) - Touch Panel Graphical User Interface (GUI) - Menus for process setup and recipe call up Wafer Dryer - IR wafer drying system Footprint 2,390 x 1,880 x 2,007mm (94.1 x 74 x 79 in) Weight 1,135 kg (2,500 lbs) DI Water Supply 19 LPM (5 GPM) @ 0.7 bar (10 psi) Power Requirements - 480V AC, 3-phase, 35 Amps (USA) - 380V AC, 3-phase, 35 Amps (Europe/Asia) Pneumatic Requirements - Clean, dry compressed air at 5.5 bar (80 psi) @ 566 l/min (20 SCFM) - Compressed nitrogen at 5.5 bar (80 psi) @ 283 l/min (10 SCFM) - 8,500 l/min (300 SCFM) exhaust in a 167mm (6.6 in) duct PMP-200 Precision Metering Pump - Dual 100ml capacity metering pumps - Automatic pump refill for continuous operation - Servo motor drive Rectilinear Spray Pattern 2011 - Ultra-Spray is a registered trademark of Ultrasonic Systems, Inc. Teflon and Kevlar are registered trademarks of E.I. duPont de Nemours and Company. Air Directors Liquid Applicator Ultrasonic Transducer Solenoid Valve
The PRISM-500 is a high-performance X-Y-Z motion and positioning platform designed for the application of a wide variety of coatings. This flexible and highly configurable system is ideal for both production and R&D applications. All PRISM systems leverage USI’s proprietary, nozzle-less ultra-Thin Coating Application Technology (t CAT) which delivers a more precise coating application than conventional spray nozzles, film coaters, roll coaters, and jetting technology. Features and benefits: - Proprietary, nozzle-less ultra-Thin Coating Application Technology (t CAT) - Additional spray and dispense technologies available - Configurable, flexible platform to suit the requirements of precision coating applications in various markets, including: - Semiconductor Packaging - Display - Fuel Cell - Medical - Multiple liquid delivery system configurations including: - PMP-100 Precision Metering Pump liquid delivery system, features: - Micro stepping positive displacement liquid metering pump - Single or dual pump configurations available - Optional integrated fluid stirring to keep suspensions and inks mixed - Automatic pump refill from coating reservoir - Data logging - Pressurized reservoir with liquid solenoid valve for flow control - Pressurized reservoir with agitation and liquid recirculation - Available in a batch configuration or with in-line conveyor - Automatic spray head clean and purge - 3- or 4-axis of motion - Designed to spray flammable solvents - Isolated and ventilated spray area - Windows 10 based graphical user interface - Optional substrate heater with vacuum - Optional spray head rotation and tilt function - Robot load lift/shuttle station available
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The Ultra-Spray head is an integrated assembly consisting of an ultrasonic transducer with a spray forming tip, a liquid applicator and air directors. The ultrasonic transducer vibrates at an ultrasonic frequency ( 20 kHz). The particular ultrasonic frequency is selected based upon the material to be sprayed and the coating application requirements. In general, a lower frequency ultrasonic transducer is capable of spraying a higher viscosity liquid and producing higher flow rates. The amplitude of vibration of the spray-forming tip is also set with the ultrasonic generator. The coating liquid is delivered to the spray-forming tip on the ultrasonic transducer by liquid applicator. The liquid is stored in a reservoir and fed to the liquid applicator at a precisely controlled flow rate by a positive displacement Precision Metering Pump (PMP). The ultrasonic vibrations of the spray-forming tip break up the liquid into small drops and propel them from the tip in the form of a spray. The spray produced with ultrasonic energy alone has a very low velocity “sheet-like” pattern. Air directors are used to produce air streams to shape and accelerate the ultrasonically-produced spray. The air director impinges a jet of air on tip of the spray head opposite the liquid feed side. The resulting airflow entrains and expands the ultrasonically-produced spray to produce a flat (rectilinear) pattern up to five (5) times the width of the pattern produced by the ultrasonic energy alone. When using the air directors, the spray pattern width is a function of the spray-forming tip width and tip-to-substrate distance. Since the spray is produced with ultrasonic energy rather than pressure, and because a low-velocity air stream is used only to shape the spray, very little coating is wasted due to overspray with a transfer efficiency of 97% to 99%. All process parameters for the Ultra-Spray head are set electronically for maximum control and flexibility, including: - Liquid flow rate - Air pressure - Head height - Head speed - Motion path
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This nozzle-less ultrasonic spray head produces a substantially rectangular shaped coating distribution on the substrate. The rectangular shape is ideal for producing a uniform coating on a flat surface. The actual coating distribution is uniform across about 90% of the width of the sprayed pattern and the edges are “feathered” from the applied coating thickness to zero thickness. The figure below shows the spray pattern distribution comparison between the nozzle-less spray head and a traditional spray head as well as the resultant distribution after a series of overlapping passes.
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The coating system platform consists of an X-Y-Z-Ɵ-Ø gantry system for the motion and positioning of the nozzle-less ultrasonic spray head, as well as integrated control of the precision metering pump liquid delivery system, and transport mechanism for the carriers. All critical process parameters are managed by the platform software and control system. Additionally, a log of the critical process data is recorded and stored in a process log file.
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