Patent ID: 8430966

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 distribution manifold comprising a plurality of passages defined therethrough, said receptacle indirectly heated by said distribution manifold to a degree sufficient to sublimate source material within said receptacle, wherein said distribution manifold comprises internal heating elements arranged between said passages in said manifold; a distribution 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 distribution plate comprising a pattern of passages therethrough that further distribute the sublimated source material passing through said distribution manifold; and a conveyor system positioned below the distribution plate and configured to convey the substrate through said apparatus.