Patent attributes
Processes and machines for producing large area sheets or films of crystalline, polycrystalline, or amorphous material are set forth; the production of such sheets being valuable for the manufacturing of solar photovoltaic cells, flat panel displays and the like. The surface of rotating cylindrical workpiece (10) is implanted with ion beam (30), whereby a layer of weakened material is formed below the surface. Sheet (20) is detached and peeled off, producing arbitrarily large, monolithic sheets. The sheet may be supported on a temporary or permanent handle (50) such as a glass sheet or a polymer film. Pinch roller (60) may assist in the lamination of handle (50) to sheet (20) before or after the point of separation of sheet (20) from workpiece (10). The implantation, annealing and separation processes are adapted to encourage the material to separate along the implanted layer rather than a particular crystal plane.
