IP Library Granted Patent US 9,177,877
Granted Patent B2
US 9,177,877 · App. 14/259,906 · Granted Nov 3, 2015

Temperature-adjusted spectrometer

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,177,877
App. No.
14/259,906
Granted
Nov 3, 2015
Kind
B2
Abstract

A temperature-adjusted spectrometer can include a light source and a temperature sensor.

Claims (36)

1. A method of obtaining a temperature-adjusted spectrum from a sample area of a substrate, comprising:

generating light to illuminate a sample area of a substrate by a light source,

wherein the light is reflected from the sample area, the reflected light comprising a scattered radiation;

analyzing the scattered radiation by a spectral analyzer to obtain a spectrum of the sample area of the substrate;

directing thermal radiation from material deposited on the substrate to a temperature sensor through a first lens;

measuring the temperature of the material deposited on the substrate from the thermal radiation by the temperature sensor; and

blocking the light during the temperature measurement to avoid the influence of the light on the temperature measurement.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the spectrum based on the measured temperature and providing a calibration table for temperature-based adjustment to the spectrum.

3. A method of obtaining a temperature-adjusted spectrum from a sample area of a substrate, comprising,

generating light to illuminate a sample area of a substrate by a light source,

wherein the light is reflected from the sample area, the reflected light comprising a scattered radiation;

analyzing the scattered radiation by a spectral analyzer to obtain a spectrum of the sample area of the substrate;

directing thermal radiation from material deposited on the substrate to a temperature sensor through a first lens;

measuring the temperature of the material deposited on the substrate from the thermal radiation by the temperature sensor; and

blocking the temperature sensor during analyzing the scattered radiation to avoid the interference with the scattered radiation measurement.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising optically focusing the light to the sample area of the substrate by a second lens.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising coupling the light to the sample area of the substrate by a waveguide structure.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising transporting the substrate on a conveyor.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the temperature adjusted spectrum measurement data in a measurement data storage module for analysis.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising real time diagnosing the temperature-adjusted spectrum by a measurement data processing module.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of directing thermal radiation from a material deposited on the substrate comprises directing thermal radiation from material deposited in the sample area on the substrate.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of directing thermal radiation from a material deposited on the substrate comprises directing thermal radiation from material deposited outside the sample area.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising interpolating a material temperature of material in the sample area from the temperature of the material outside the sample area, after the step of measuring the temperature of the material deposited on the substrate.

12. A method of manufacturing a photovoltaic device, comprising:

forming a film on a substrate;

generating light to illuminate a sample area of the film on the substrate by a light source, wherein the light is reflected from the sample area, the reflected light comprising a scattered radiation;

analyzing the scattered radiation by a spectral analyzer to obtain a spectrum of the sample area of the substrate;

analyzing thermal radiation from the sample area of the substrate by a temperature sensor to obtain the temperature of the sample area of the substrate;

analyzing the spectrum with the measured temperature by a calibration module to provide a temperature-adjusted spectrum; and

monitoring the film's composition based a temperature-adjusted spectrum from the sample area of the substrate.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the film on the substrate comprises a copper indium gallium selenide.

14. The method of any of claim 12 , further comprising transporting the substrate on a conveyor.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising providing a calibration table for temperature-based adjustment to the spectrum.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising blocking the light during the temperature measurement to avoid the influence of the light on the temperature measurement.

17. The method of claim 12 , further comprising blocking the temperature sensor during analyzing the scattered radiation to avoid the interference with the scattered radiation measurement.

18. The method of claim 12 , further comprising optically focusing the light to the sample area of the substrate by a second lens.

Assignments (2)
TERMINATION AND RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENT RIGHTS Recorded Nov 15, 2021
From: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
To: FIRST SOLAR, INC.
Reel/Frame 058132/0566 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Jul 12, 2017
From: FIRST SOLAR, INC.
To: JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A., AS ADMINISTRATIVE AGENT
Reel/Frame 043177/0581 →