POSITION-SENSITIVE METROLOGY SYSTEM

1 . A metrology scanner for analyzing a material surface comprising:

a position identification module configured to inspect a material surface to identify a measurement position; and

an analytical tool adjacent to the position identification configured to take an analytical measurement at the measurement position.

2 . The metrology scanner of claim 1 , wherein the position identification module and the analytical tool module are mounted on an adjustable mounting member to adjust the positions position identification module and analytical tool.

3 . The metrology scanner of claim 1 , wherein the position identification module and the analytical tool module are positioned on separate axes.

4 . The metrology scanner of claim 1 further comprising a control module for reading an output of the position identification module and moving the analytical tool to the measurement position.

5 . The metrology scanner of claim 1 , wherein the position identification module is configured to scan a material surface and identify a measurement position proximate to a consistent material surface.

6 . A metrology system for analyzing a material surface comprising:

an object position configured to position an object comprising a surface at least partially coated with a material.

a position identification module configured to inspect a material surface to identify a measurement position; and

an analytical tool adjacent to the position identification configured to take an analytical measurement at the measurement position and adjustable mounting member, wherein the analytical tool is mounted on the adjustable mounting member to adjust the positions of the analytical tool; and

a conveyor for transporting an object to the object position.

7 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the position identification module are mounted on the adjustable mounting member to adjust the positions of the position identification module.

8 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the position identification module are mounted on a second adjustable mounting member to adjust the positions of the position identification module.

9 . The metrology system of claim 6 further comprising a control module for reading an output of the position identification module and positioning the analytical tool in a position to take a measurement in the measurement position.

10 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the position identification module comprises an optical source that generates a probe beam capable of being directed at the measurement position.

11 . The metrology system of claim 10 , wherein the position identification module comprises a photodiode or photo-multiplier to convert an optical signal from the measurement position to electrical signals for processing.

12 . The metrology system of claim 10 , wherein the position identification module comprises a charge-coupled device with a resolution sufficient for inspecting the surface of an object in the object position.

13 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the analytical tool comprises:

an X-ray source for directing X-rays to the measurement position of an object at the object position, wherein secondary X-rays can be emitted from the measurement position after an object positioned at the object position is excited by the X-ray source;

a detector for detecting the secondary X-rays emitted from the measurement position; and

an analyzing unit for analyzing the detector measurements to obtain an element concentration based on the secondary X-rays.

14 . The metrology system of claim 13 , wherein the detector comprises at least one detector selected from the group containing PIN diode, Si (Li) detector, Ge (Li) detector, silicon drift detector.

15 . The metrology system of claim 13 , wherein the analytical tool comprises an energy dispersive spectrometer.

16 . The metrology system of claim 13 , wherein the analytical tool comprises a wavelength dispersive spectrometer.

17 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the analytical tool comprises at least one sensor selected from the group consisting Raman spectrometer, reflectometer, ellipsometer, transmission/absorption measurement device, or resistivity sensor.

18 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the analytical tool is configured to take a measurement from a semiconductor-coated surface positioned at the measurement position.

19 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the analytical tool is configured to take a measurement from a surface positioned at the measurement position, wherein the surface is at least partially coated with copper indium gallium diselenide.

20 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the analytical tool is configured to take a measurement from a surface positioned at the measurement position, wherein the surface is at least partially coated with cadmium telluride.

21 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the position identification module comprises an optical assembly, optical source, and optical sensor to collect optical reflection from a semiconductor device positioned at the object position.

22 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the position identification module comprises an optical assembly, optical source, and optical sensor to collect the light emitted from an object positioned at the object position.

23 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the position identification module comprises an optical assembly, optical source, and optical sensor to collect the light transmitted through an object positioned at the object position.

24 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the position identification module comprises a spectrometer to parse light into component wavelengths.

25 . The metrology system of claim 6 further comprising a feed-back control loop, wherein the system can adjust a material deposition process based on a measurement taken at the measurement position.

26 . The metrology system of claim 6 further comprising an enclosure, wherein the first sensor module and the second sensor module are positioned within the enclosure.

27 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the metrology system is configured to receive an object in a horizontal orientation from an inert atmosphere and return the object to the inert atmosphere for a following process upon completion of the measurements.

28 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the metrology system is configured to receive an object in a horizontal orientation from a controlled atmosphere and return the object to the controlled atmosphere for a following process upon completion of the measurements, wherein the controlled atmosphere comprises nitrogen and argon.

29 . The metrology system of claim 28 , wherein the controlled atmosphere is temperature and moisture controlled.

30 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the position identification module comprises at least two sensors and the measurements of the sensors are averaged to determine the measurement position.

31 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the position identification module is used in conjunction with a patterning recipe to determine the measurement position.

32 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the analytical tool comprises:

a source for generating a radiation to illuminate a region of a surface located at the object position;

a sensor for measuring the radiation reemitted from a surface located at the object position; and

a processing unit for analyzing the radiation measurement and outputting material information based on the radiation measurement.

33 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the position identification module comprises:

an optical source for generating an optical radiation to illuminate a region of a surface located at the object position, the source comprising a single-wavelength or wide band source; and

a sensor for measuring the optical radiation reflected from a surface located at the object position, the sensor comprising at least one charge-coupled device.

34 . The metrology system of claim 6 , wherein the position identification module comprises a laser scanner with a signal analysis module, the laser scanner generating a laser beam to scan the material surface, the signal analysis module correlating the object position to a reflection of the laser beam.

35 . A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device comprising:

providing a first photovoltaic device layer on a substrate;

providing a second photovoltaic device layer adjacent to the first semiconductor layer, wherein at least one of the photovoltaic device layers is discontinuous;

inspecting a surface of the photovoltaic device layers to determine a measurement region with consistent layer sequence; and

measuring the measurement region of the photovoltaic device to obtain material property information of the photovoltaic device.

36 . The method of claim 35 further comprising transporting the substrate on a conveyor.

37 . The method of claim 35 , wherein inspecting a surface of the photovoltaic device layers comprises:

generating an optical radiation to illuminate a region of the surface of the photovoltaic device layers;

measuring the absorption or reflection of the optical radiation in the photovoltaic device layers; and

analyzing the optical measurement to obtain the structural information of the photovoltaic device layers to determine the measurement region.

38 . The method of claim 35 , wherein measuring the measurement region of the photovoltaic device comprises obtaining at least one of layer thickness, layer composition, sheet resistivity and element concentration of the photovoltaic device.

39 . The method of claim 35 , wherein measuring the measurement region of the photovoltaic device comprises measuring a transmitted or reflected signal from the measurement region of the photovoltaic device by at least one sensor selected from the group consisting Raman spectrometer, reflectometer, ellipsometer, or transmission/absorption measurement device.

40 . The method of claim 35 , wherein measuring the measurement region of the photovoltaic device comprises contacting the measurement region of the photovoltaic device with a resistivity sensor.

41 . The method of claim 35 further comprising transporting the photovoltaic device in an inert gas ambient.

42 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the photovoltaic device comprises copper indium gallium diselenide.

43 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the photovoltaic device comprises cadmium telluride.

44 . The method of claim 35 , wherein the photovoltaic device comprises at least two layers of semiconductor material and at least one layer is discontinuous.