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Methods of making controlled segregated phase domain structuresRelated Patent Categories: Coating Processes, With Pretreatment Of The Base, Preapplied Reactant Or Reaction Promoter Or Hardener (e.g., Catalyst, Etc.)Methods of making controlled segregated phase domain structures description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070160763, Methods of making controlled segregated phase domain structures. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND INFORMATION [0001] 1. Field of the Invention [0002] Embodiments of the invention relate generally to the field of materials. More particularly, embodiments of the invention relate to methods of controlling formation of a segregated phase domain structure within a chemical reaction product, compositions of matter including such a segregated phase domain structure, and machinery having a complex tool relief for making such compositions. [0003] 2. Discussion of the Related Art [0004] Prior art copper indium selenide based photovoltaics, sometimes called CIS based PV, are known to those skilled in the art of solar cells. CuInSe is the most reliable and best-performing thin film material for generating electricity from sunlight. A concern with this technology is that raw material supply constraints are going to arise in the future as the production of CIS PV increases. For instance, indium does not occur naturally in high concentration ores. Typically, indium is obtained from the discarded tailings of zinc ores. As the production of CIS PV approaches the large scale range of from approximately 10 gigawatts/year to approximately 100 gigawatts/year, indium supply constraints will become manifest. These supply constraints will lead to increased costs. Further, as the production of CIS PV increases, other raw material supply constraints will also emerge. What is required is a solution that reduces the amount of raw materials needed per watt of generating capacity in CIS PV thin films. [0005] One approach to reducing the amount of raw materials needed is to reduce the thickness of the CIS PV thin film material. The inherent absorption coefficient of CIS is very high (i.e., approximately 10.sup.5 cm.sup.-1). This means that most of the incident light energy can be absorbed with a very thin film of CIS. The use of a back surface reflector can further reduce the thickness necessary to absorb most of the incident light energy. While prior art CIS PV products are typically at least about 2 microns thick, it is important to appreciate that 0.25 microns is theoretically sufficient for a CIS PV thin film located on a back surface reflector to absorb most the incident light energy. What is also required is a solution that produces thinner CIS PV thin films. [0006] Meanwhile, field assisted simultaneous synthesis and transfer technology has been developed that is directly applicable to the manufacture of thinner CIS PV films. Various aspects of this field assisted simultaneous synthesis and transfer technology (which aspects may or may not be used together in combination) are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,736,986; 6,881,647; 6,787,012; 6,559,372; 6,500,733; 6,797,874; 6,720,239; and 6,593,213. [0007] An advantage of field assisted simultaneous synthesis and transfer technology is that it works better as the precursor stack becomes thinner. For instance, the vapor pressure of selenium in a CIS based reaction product layer is a function of temperature. The pressure needed to contain the selenium is a function of the temperature required for the process reaction. It is important to appreciate that the voltage, if utilized, to achieve a desired pressure goes down as the thickness goes down. As the required voltage is reduced, the physical demands on the system (e.g., stress on the dielectric) go down. Therefore, as the precursor stack is made thinner, the voltage needed to generate a given pressure goes down; which reduces stress on the dielectric (for instance a release layer), thereby expanding the scope of materials that can be utilized as a dielectric. [0008] Another advantage of field assisted simultaneous synthesis and transfer technology is that it enables a lower thermal budget. The lower thermal budget is a result of higher speed of the field assisted simultaneous synthesis and transfer technology compared to alternative approaches such as (physical or chemical) vapor deposition. In addition to the time and energy savings provided by the field assisted simultaneous synthesis and transfer technology, the quality of the resulting products can also be improved. For instance, in the case of manufacturing CIS based PV, the lower thermal budget enabled by the use of field assisted simultaneous synthesis and transfer technology leads to the reduction of undesirable reactions, such as between selenium and molybdenum at the interface between the CIS absorber and the back side metal contact. The reduction of this undesirable reaction results in reduced tarnishing which in-turn results in higher back surface reflectivity. [0009] Recently, it has been demonstrated that CIS thin films made by conventional techniques contain domains resulting from fluctuations in chemical composition.sup.(1-2, 5). Undesirable recombination of charge carriers takes place at the boundaries between the nanodomains within such a CIS based PV absorber. Therefore, what is also required is a solution to controlling, and ideally optimizing, the boundaries between, these nanodomains with varying chemical compositions. [0010] Heretofore, the requirements of reduced raw materials requirements, reduced thickness and controlled boundaries between nanodomains referred to above have not been fully met. What is, therefore, needed is a solution that simultaneously solves all of these problems. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0011] There is a need for the following embodiments of the invention. Of course, the invention is not limited to these embodiments. [0012] According to an embodiment of the invention, a process comprises: providing a first precursor on a first substrate; providing a second precursor on a second substrate; contacting the first precursor and the second precursor; reacting the first precursor and the second precursor to form a chemical reaction product; and moving the first substrate and the second substrate relative to one another to separate the chemical reaction product from at least one member selected from the group consisting of the first substrate and the second substrate, characterized in that, to control formation of a segregated phase domain structure within the chemical reaction product, a constituent of at least one member selected from the group consisting of the first precursor and the second precursor is provided in a quantity that substantially regularly periodically varies from a mean quantity with regard to basal spatial location. [0013] According to another embodiment of the invention, a machine comprises: a first substrate; and a second substrate coupled to the first substrate, characterized in that, to control formation of a segregated phase domain structure within a chemical reaction product by controlling an amount of a constituent of a precursor that is present per unit surface area, at least one member selected from the group consisting of the first substrate and the second substrate defines a substantially regularly periodically varying relief with respect to basal spatial location. [0014] According to another embodiment of the invention, a composition of matter comprises: a chemical reaction product defining a first surface and a second surface, characterized in that the chemical reaction product includes a segregated phase domain structure including a plurality of domain structures, wherein at least one of the plurality of domain structures includes at least one domain that extends from a first surface of the chemical reaction product to a second surface of the chemical reaction product. [0015] These, and other, embodiments of the invention will be better appreciated and understood when considered in conjunction with the following description and the accompanying drawings. [0016] It should be understood, however, that the following description, while indicating various embodiments of the invention and numerous specific details thereof, is given by way of illustration and not of limitation. Many substitutions, modifications, additions and/or rearrangements may be made within the scope of an embodiment of the invention without departing from the spirit thereof, and embodiments of the invention include all such substitutions, modifications, additions and/or rearrangements. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0017] The drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification are included to depict certain embodiments of the invention. A clearer conception of embodiments of the invention, and of the components combinable with, and operation of systems provided with, embodiments of the invention, will become more readily apparent by referring to the exemplary, and therefore nonlimiting, embodiments illustrated in the drawings, wherein identical reference numerals (if they occur in more than one view) designate the same elements. Embodiments of the invention may be better understood by reference to one or more of these drawings in combination with the description presented herein. It should be noted that the features illustrated in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. [0018] FIGS. 1A-1C are elevational views of pairs of substrates where at least one of each pair defines a substantially regularly periodically varying relief with respect to basal spatial location, representing an embodiment of the invention. [0019] FIGS. 2A-2C are elevational views of pairs of substrates where at least one of each pair carriers a constituent of a precursor in a quantity that substantially regularly periodically varies from a mean quantity with regard to basal spatial location. [0020] FIGS. 3A-3D are plan views of segregated phase domain structures including a segregated phase domain hexagonal array, representing an embodiment of the invention. [0021] FIGS. 3E-3H are plan views of segregated phase domain structures including a segregated phase domain orthogonal array, representing an embodiment of the invention. Continue reading about Methods of making controlled segregated phase domain structures... Full patent description for Methods of making controlled segregated phase domain structures Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Methods of making controlled segregated phase domain structures patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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