Patent ID: 8163089

Claim:
An apparatus for vapor deposition of a sublimated source material as a thin film on a photovoltaic (PV) module substrate, said apparatus comprising: a deposition head; a receptacle disposed in said deposition head, said receptacle configured for receipt of a granular source material; a heated distribution manifold disposed below said receptacle, said heated distribution manifold configured to heat said receptacle to a degree sufficient to sublimate source material within said receptacle; and, a molybdenum deposition plate disposed below said distribution manifold and at a defined distance above a horizontal conveyance plane of an upper surface of a substrate conveyed through said apparatus, said molybdenum distribution plate defining a pattern of passages therethrough that further distribute the sublimated source material passing through said distribution manifold, wherein said molybdenum distribution plate comprises greater than about 75% by weight molybdenum.