Constant force mechanical scribers and methods for using same in semiconductor processing applications

1. A scribing system comprising:

(A) a mounting mechanism that is configured to rotate an elongated object having a long dimension in such a manner that the elongated object is subjected to a bow effect wherein a middle portion of the elongated object bends relative to a first and a second end portion of the elongated object;

(B) a stylus for scribing the elongated object at a position x along the long dimension of the elongated object, while the mounting mechanism rotates the elongated object and thereby subjects said elongated object to said bow effect; and

(C) a force generating mechanism connected to the stylus so that the stylus applies the same constant force to the elongated object regardless of the position x along the long dimension of the elongated object that the stylus is positioned, while the mounting mechanism rotates the elongated object and thereby subjects said elongated object to said bow effect, thereby scribing the elongated object.

2. The scribing system of claim 1 , wherein the stylus comprises a carbide tip, a diamond coated tip, a stainless steel tip, or a tin nitride coated carbide tip.

3. The scribing system of claim 1 , wherein the styles applies a constant force to the elongated object that is between about 10 grams (g) and about 300 g.

4. The scribing system of claim 1 , wherein the elongated object comprises a semiconductor junction that comprises a layer of copper-indium-gallium-diselenide CIGS and a layer of CdS, and the scribing system applies a constant force to the semiconductor junction through the stylus that is about 80 g.

5. The scribing system of claim 1 , wherein the elongated object comprises a transparent conductor layer.

6. The scribing system of claim 5 , wherein the scribing system applies a constant force to the transparent conductor layer through the stylus that is about 80 g.

7. The scribing system of claim 1 , wherein the force generating mechanism comprises:

an air cylinder;

a piston having a head end and a tail end, wherein the head end of the piston is inside the air cylinder and the tail end of the piston is connected to the stylus; and

a control system in communication with the air cylinder such that the control system controls the air pressure inside the air cylinder and thereby applies a constant air pressure to the head end of the piston.

8. The scribing system of any one of claim 1 , wherein the force generating mechanism comprises:

a spring connected to the stylus; and

a control system that applies a constant force to the spring.

9. The scribing system of claim 8 , wherein a direction of the constant force applied to the spring is parallel to a long dimension of the spring.

10. The scribing system of claim 8 , wherein a direction of the constant force applied to the spring is perpendicular to a long dimension of the spring.

11. The scribing system of claim 1 , wherein the force generating mechanism comprises:

a pivot point connected to the stylus; and

a pendulum having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the pivot point at a point perpendicular to a long dimension of the stylus, and the second end of the pendulum comprises a weight.

12. The scribing system of claim 11 , wherein the pendulum is horizontal and the gravitational force of the weight provides the constant force on the elongated object.

13. The scribing system of claim 1 , wherein the force generating mechanism comprises:

a motor having a drive shaft; and

a rod having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is connected to the drive shaft and the second end is connected to the stylus.

14. The scribing system of claim 13 , wherein a torque produced by the motor provides a constant force on the elongated object.

15. The scribing system of claim 1 , wherein the mounting mechanism is a lathe.

16. The scribing system of claim 1 , wherein the elongated object is an elongated photovoltaic module.

17. The scribing system of claim 16 , wherein the elongated photovoltaic module has a circular cross-section.

18. The scribing system of claim 16 , wherein at least a portion of the elongated photovoltaic module is cylindrical.

19. A constant force mechanical scriber comprising:

an air cylinder;

a stylus;

a piston having a head end and a tail end, wherein the head end of the piston is inside the air cylinder and the tail end of the piston is connected to the stylus; and

a control system configured to control an air pressure inside the air cylinder and thereby apply a constant air pressure to the head end of the piston so that the stylus applies a constant force to an elongated object being scribed by the stylus.

20. A constant force mechanical scriber comprising:

a stylus;

a spring connected to the stylus; and

a control system, wherein the control system is configured to apply a constant force to the spring thereby allowing the stylus to apply a constant force to an elongated object regardless of a position x along a long dimension of the elongated object that the stylus engages the elongated object and wherein the constant force mechanical scriber is configured to induce a bow effect on the elongated object whereby a middle portion of the elongated object bows relative to a first and a second end portion of the elongated object while being scribed by the stylus.

21. The constant force mechanical scriber of claim 20 , wherein the elongated object is an elongated photovoltaic module.

22. A constant force mechanical scriber comprising:

a stylus;

a pivot point connected to the stylus; and

a pendulum having a first end and a second end, wherein:

i) the first end of the pendulum is connected to the pivot point at a point perpendicular to a long axis of the stylus and the second end of the pendulum comprises a weight; and

ii) a gravitational force of the weight allows the stylus to apply the same constant force to an elongated object while the stylus scribes the elongated object regardless of which position x along a long dimension of the elongated object that the stylus engages the elongated object and wherein the constant force mechanical scriber is configured to subject the elongated object to a bow effect whereby a middle portion of the elongated object bows relative to a first and a second end portion of the elongated object while being scribed by the stylus.

23. The constant force mechanical scriber of claim 22 , wherein the elongated object is an elongated photovoltaic module.

24. A constant force mechanical scriber comprising:

a stylus;

a motor having a drive shaft; and

a rod having a first end and a second end, wherein:

i) the first end of the rod is connected to the drive shaft and the second end of the rod is connected to the stylus; and

ii) the motor is configured to produce a constant torque that allows the stylus to apply a constant force to an elongated object in order to scribe the elongated object regardless of which position x along a long dimension of the elongated object that the stylus engages the elongated object and wherein the constant force mechanical scriber is configured to subject the elongated object to a bow effect whereby a middle portion of the elongated object bows relative to a first and a second end portion of the elongated object while being scribed by the stylus.

25. The constant force mechanical scriber of claim 24 , wherein the elongated object is an elongated photovoltaic module.

26. A constant force mechanical scriber comprising:

a stylus; and

a force generating mechanism connected to the stylus, wherein the force generating mechanism controls the stylus to allow the stylus to apply a constant force to an elongated object in order to scribe the elongated object regardless of which position x along a long dimension of the elongated object that the stylus engages the elongated object and wherein the constant force mechanical scriber is configured to subject the elongated object to a bow effect whereby a middle portion of the elongated object bows relative to a first and a second end portion of the elongated object while being scribed by the stylus.

27. The constant force mechanical scriber of claim 26 , wherein the elongated object is an elongated photovoltaic module.

28. A constant force mechanical scriber, the scriber comprising:

a scribing means for scribing an elongated object; and

a control means for controlling the scribing means, wherein the control means is configured to allow the scribing means to apply the same constant force to the elongated object in order to scribe the elongated object regardless of which position x along a long dimension of the elongated object that the scribing means engages the elongated object and wherein the constant force mechanical scriber is configured to subject the elongated object to a bow effect whereby a middle portion of the elongated object bows relative to a first and a second end portion of the elongated object while being scribed by the scribing means.

29. The constant force mechanical scriber of claim 28 , wherein the elongated object is an elongated photovoltaic module.

30. A method of scribing an elongated object, the method comprising:

(A) rotationally scribing a groove in the elongated object, wherein the rotational scribing is achieved by a mechanical scriber capable of scribing the elongated object with the same constant force regardless of which position x along a long dimension of the elongated object that the scribing means engages the elongated object when the elongated object is subjected to a bow effect whereby a middle portion of the elongated object bows relative to the a first end portion and a second end portion of the elongated object.

31. The method of claim 30 , wherein the elongated object comprises a semiconductor junction that is rotationally scribed by said rotationally scribing (A) and the elongated object is rotated at a rate of between about 100 RPM and about 1000 RPM.

32. The method of claim 30 , wherein the elongated object comprises a transparent conductor layer that is rotationally scribed by said rotationally scribing (A) and the elongated object is rotated at a rate of between about 100 RPM and about 1000 RPM.

33. The method of claim 30 , wherein the mechanical scriber comprises:

an air cylinder;

a stylus;

a piston having a head end and a tail end, wherein the head end of the piston is inside the air cylinder and the tail end of the piston is connected to the stylus; and

a control system configured to control an air pressure inside the air cylinder and thereby apply a constant air pressure to the head end of the piston thereby so that the stylus applies a constant force to the elongated object regardless of which position x along a long dimension of the elongated object that the stylus engages the elongated object.

34. The method of claim 30 , wherein the mechanical scriber comprises:

a stylus;

a spring connected to the stylus; and

a control system, wherein the control system is configured to apply a constant force to the spring thereby allowing the stylus to apply a constant force to an elongated object regardless of a position x along a long dimension of the elongated object that the stylus engages the elongated object.

35. The method of claim 30 , wherein mechanical scriber comprises:

a stylus;

a pivot point connected to the stylus; and

a pendulum having a first end and a second end, wherein:

i) the first end of the pendulum is connected to the pivot point at a point perpendicular to the stylus, and the second end of the pendulum comprises a weight; and

ii) a gravitational force of the weight allows the stylus to apply the same constant force to the elongated object while the stylus scribes the elongated object regardless of which position x along a long dimension of the elongated object that the stylus engages the elongated object.

36. The method of claim 30 , wherein the mechanical scriber comprises:

a stylus;

a motor having a drive shaft; and

a rod having a first end and a second end, wherein:

i) the first end of the rod is connected to the drive shaft and the second end of the rod is connected to the stylus; and

ii) the motor is configured produce a constant torque that allows the stylus to apply a constant force to the elongated object regardless of which position x along a long dimension of the elongated object that the stylus engages the elongated object.

37. The method of claim 30 , wherein the elongated object is an elongated photovoltaic module.