Ho M Choi

US Patent:

8231431, Jul 31, 2012

Filed:

Jan 23, 2009

Appl. No.:

12/358814

Inventors:

Dhruv Gajaria - Sunnyvale CA, US
Zhiyong Li - San Jose CA, US
Gopalakrishna B. Prabhu - San Jose CA, US
Yacov Elgar - Sunnyvale CA, US
John Visitacion - Newark CA, US
Yong Liu - San Jose CA, US
Jeffrey S. Sullivan - Castro Valley CA, US
Salvador Umotoy - Antioch CA, US
Tai T. Ngo - Dublin CA, US
Michael Marriott - Morgan Hill CA, US
Peter Crundwell - Horsham, GB
Vinay Shah - San Mateo CA, US
Ho Gene Choi - Santa Clara CA, US
Dennis C. Pierce - Pleasanton CA, US

Assignee:

Applied Materials, Inc. - Santa Clara CA

International Classification:

B24B 49/00
B24B 7/06
B24B 53/21

US Classification:

451 8, 451 21, 451194, 451213, 451443

Abstract:

The present invention generally relates to an edge deletion module positioned within an automated solar cell fabrication line. The edge deletion module may include a grinding wheel device for removing material from edge regions of a solar cell device and cleaning the edge regions of the solar cell device after removing the material. The edge deletion module may also include an abrasive element, a portion of which is ground as it is periodically, laterally advanced toward the grinding wheel device. A controller is provided for controlling the operation and function of various facets of the module.