Claims:WE CLAIM:

1. A system (100) for detecting cracks in semiconductor substrates comprising
an infrared (IR) detector enclosure (102) accommodating a detector plate (112) for placing a semiconductor substrate;
an infrared (IR) source (104) formed at the top of the infrared (IR) detector enclosure (102) for supplying the infrared rays;
a control unit (106) for controlling the amount of infrared rays; and
a display unit (108) for displaying the message and approximate location of crack in the semiconductor substrate.

2. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the top of the infrared (IR) detector enclosure (102) comprises a set of peep windows (110).

3. The system (100) as claimed in claim 2, wherein the infrared (IR) source (104) is placed in the centre of the peep windows (110) formed at the top of the infrared (IR) detector enclosure (102).

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the infrared (IR) detector enclosure (102) is rectilinear in shape including square shape.

5. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein side walls of the infrared (IR) detector enclosure (102) are made of material including wood coated with black colour.

6. The system (100) as claimed in claim 1, wherein bottom portion of the IR detector module comprises a detector module plate type IR sensor.

7. The system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the detector module plate type IR sensor comprises phototransistors, divided in four quadrants.

8. A method (300) for detecting cracks in semiconductor substrates comprising steps of:
placing a semiconductor substrate on a detector plate of an infrared (IR) detector enclosure (102);
supplying the infrared rays through an infrared (IR) source (104) formed at the top of the infrared (IR) detector enclosure (102);
controlling the amount of infrared rays through a control unit (106); and
displaying the message and approximate location of crack in semiconductor substrate through a display unit (108).
, Description:A SYSTEM FOR DETECTING CRACKS IN SEMICONDUCTOR SUBSTRATES AND METHOD THEREOF

FIELD OF INVENTION:
[0001] The present disclosure, in general, relates to the detection of cracks in semiconductor substrates and specifically relates to a method and a system for detection and localization of cracks using Infrared waves, in semiconductor substrates, such as in semiconductor substrates.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION:
[0002] Background description includes information that may be useful in understanding the present invention. It is not an admission that any of the information provided herein is prior art or relevant to the presently claimed invention, or that any publication specifically or implicitly referenced is prior.
[0003] With alarming situation of pollution level across world, thrust is now shifting towards renewable source of energy as compared to conventional energy sources. Solar photovoltaic is one of the prime energy source heavily banked upon. In today's market of competitiveness, profit margin for EPC contractors and module manufacturer is shrinking day by day. Hence, there is a need of increasing the profit margin by reducing the cost incurred.
[0004] In general, Crystalline semiconductor is the prime substrate used in solar cells manufacturing today and accounts for over 85% of the global PV market share. The increasingly competitive nature of the industry has driven solar cell manufacturers to seek new methods of reducing capex associated with semiconductor refining and substrate fabrication, which together sum to 58% of the total capex of semiconductor module manufacturing.
[0005] In addition to the present market scenario every step and corner are being explored for cost saving purpose in field of photovoltaic industry. One such area, heavily banked upon is reduction in thickness of solar substrates. However, introducing thin substrates into manufacturing lines result in cracking, creating a yield-based disincentive. Most likely the substrate is prone to break at stage of screen printing since pressure is applied by squeegee on substrates during to and fro motion. At this stage substrates has already passed through several steps such as diffusion, polishing, ARC coating, etc. hence breakage at this step results in a significant loss of effort and yield having cost implications. Moreover, production line is stopped on occurrence of such incident for cleaning purpose. Even if substrate survives printing stage, micro cracks developed during emitter formation may lead to shunting of solar cell.
[0006] The presence of residual stress and defects within the substrates increases the likelihood of fracture and can reduce the production yield. Residual stress in the substrates arises because of radial temperature gradients that are present during the ingot cooling process. When the ingot is sliced into substrates the residual stress can relax by causing out-of-plane deformation in the substrate; this is known as substrate bow. Thinner substrates are more susceptible to out-of-plane deformation and thus experience more bow. Substrates with large bow are more likely to fail during substrate handling.
[0007] Inline inspection techniques are often used to monitor substrate bow and identify substrates that are likely to fail during the production process. These sophisticated equipments relay on imaging software and are fairly expensive. Hence, there is need of a simple and inexpensive method and apparatus for detecting cracks in semiconductor substrate.
[0008] In view of the above, the present invention has been proposed that will fulfil all the requirements.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION:
[0009] Some of the objects of the present disclosure, which at least one embodiment herein satisfy, are listed herein below.
[0010] It is a general or primary object of the present disclosure to provide a simple and inexpensive method and system for detecting cracks in semiconductor substrate.
[0011] It is another object of the present disclosure to provide an efficient method for detecting cracks in semiconductor substrate.
[0012] It is further another object of the present disclosure to reduce the production cycle time required for manufacturing solar cells.
[0013] It is yet another object of the present to reduce an extra cost incurred during increment in the production cycle time.
[0014] These and other objects and advantages will become more apparent when reference is made to the following description and accompanying drawings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION:
[0015] This summary is provided to introduce concepts related to establishing a simple and inexpensive method and system for detecting cracks in semiconductor substrate. The concepts are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.
[0016] In accordance with an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a system for detecting cracks in semiconductor substrates comprising an infrared (IR) detector enclosure including a detector plate for placing the semiconductor substrate; an IR source formed at a top of the infrared (IR) detector enclosure for supplying the infrared rays; a control unit (106) for controlling the amount of infrared rays; and a display unit for displaying the message and approximate location of crack in semiconductor substrate.
[0017] In an aspect, the top of the IR detector enclosure further comprises a set of peep windows.
[0018] In an aspect, the IR source is placed in the middle of the peep windows formed at the top of the infrared (IR) detector enclosure.
[0019] In an aspect, the infrared (IR) detector enclosure is rectilinear in shape including square shape.
[0020] In an aspect, the side walls of the infrared (IR) detector enclosure are made of material including wood coated with black colour.
[0021] In an aspect, the bottom portion of the IR detector module comprises a detector module plate type IR sensor .
[0022] In an aspect, the detector module plate type IR sensor comprises phototransistors, divided in four quadrants.
[0023] In accordance with an embodiment, the present disclosure provides a method for detecting cracks in semiconductor substrates comprising placing the semiconductor substrate on a detector plate of an infrared (IR) detector enclosure; supplying the infrared rays through an IR source formed at a top of the infrared (IR) detector enclosure; controlling the amount of infrared rays through a control unit; and displaying the message and approximate location of crack in semiconductor substrate through a display unit.
[0024] Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the inventive subject matter will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, along with the accompanying drawing figures in which like numerals represent like components.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS :
[0025] The illustrated embodiments of the subject matter will be best understood by reference to the drawings, wherein like parts are designated by like numerals throughout. The following description is intended only by way of example, and simply illustrates certain selected embodiments of devices, systems, and methods that are consistent with the subject matter as claimed herein, wherein:
[0026] FIG.1 illustrates a block diagram that shows the interconnection between various components of a system in accordance with the present disclosure.
[0027] FIG.2 illustrates a structure of an IR detector in accordance with the present disclosure.
[0028] FIG.3 illustrates a method used by a system for detecting cracks in semiconductor substrate in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAIL DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION WITH REFERENCE TO THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS:
[0029] The following is a detailed description of embodiments of the disclosure depicted in the accompanying drawings. The embodiments are in such detail as to clearly communicate the disclosure. However, the amount of detail offered is not intended to limit the anticipated variations of embodiments; on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the appended claims.
[0030] The present invention makes a disclosure regarding a technology pertaining to a system and method for detecting cracks in semiconductor substrates.
[0031] Reference is made to FIG.1 illustrating a block diagram that shows the interconnection between various components of a system in accordance with the present disclosure. The system comprises an infrared (IR) detector enclosure 102, an IR source 104, a display 106 and a control unit 108.The IR detector enclosure 102 comprises a closed structure as shown in FIG.2 . The walls of structure are treated with special coating to avoid any reflection of infra red (IR) waves. Two peep windows 110 are provided at the top of the enclosure for monitoring purpose. The IR source 104 is positioned at the centre of the top of enclosure 102 and tuned to emit a particular infrared wavelength. The IR source 104 is placed at a distance equal from both the peep windows 110. The intensity, operation and wavelength of the IR waves are controlled by a microcontroller that is a part of a control unit 108, housed inside box at bottom. The IR detector module further comprises a detector module plate type IR sensor that comprises phototransistors, divided in four quadrants which helps in detecting specific IR wavelength.
[0032] In general, the Infrared waves are projected in downward direction, over top of substrate placed over the detector plate of the IR detector enclosure. The enclosure is also equipped with an IR wave reflecting mechanism.
[0033] The microcontroller is microcontroller that is interfaced with IR source and IR detector. Result is displayed on graphical interface.

WORKING OF THE INVENTION:
[0034] For crack detection, substrate is placed on top of detector plate of the IR enclosure102 at step 302. Signal is sent from IR source 104 that is positioned in the middle at top of enclosure at step 304. The control unit 106 controls the source to emit IR of particular wavelength at step 306. The IR waves are collimated and beamed out at semiconductor substrate. IR waves gets absorbed by semiconductor substrate. In case of cracks present on substrates, the IR wave propagates through substrate and reaches detector module. The detector module acknowledges IR waves and signal is passed to control unit 106, which in turn displays the message and approximate location of crack in semiconductor substrate through the display unit 108 at step 308.
[0035] Thus, after detecting the crack in the substrate through the system and the method as claimed in the present disclosure, various technical problems of the state of the art are resolved.

TECHNICAL ADVANTAGES:
[0036] The present disclosure provides a simple and inexpensive method and system for detecting cracks in semiconductor substrate.
[0037] The present disclosure provides an efficient method for detecting cracks in semiconductor substrate.
[0038] The present disclosure helps in reducing the production cycle time for manufacturing the solar cells.
[0039] The present disclosure helps in reducing an extra cost incurred during increment in the production cycle time.
[0040] The system claimed in the present disclosure is user friendly.
[0041] The system claimed in the present disclosure works efficiently.
[0042] The system claimed in the present disclosure provides better performance and reliability.

[0043] These and other advantages of the present subject matter would be described in greater detail with reference to the following figures. It should be noted that the description merely illustrates the principles of the present subject matter. It will thus be appreciated that those skilled in the art will be able to devise various arrangements that, although not explicitly described herein, embody the principles of the present subject matter and are included within its scope.
[0044] It will be understood by those within the art that, in general, terms used herein, and especially in the appended claims (e.g., bodies of the appended claims) are generally intended as “open” terms (e.g., the term “including” should be interpreted as “including but not limited to,” the term “having” should be interpreted as “having at least,” the term “includes” should be interpreted as “includes but is not limited to,” etc.). It will be further understood by those within the art that if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is intended, such an intent will be explicitly recited in the claim, and in the absence of such recitation no such intent is present. For example, as an aid to understanding, the following appended claims may contain usage of the introductory phrases “at least one” and “one or more” to introduce claim recitations. However, the use of such phrases should not be construed to imply that the introduction of a claim recitation by the indefinite articles “a” or “an” limits any particular claim containing such introduced claim recitation to inventions containing only one such recitation, even when the same claim includes the introductory phrases “one or more” or “at least one” and indefinite articles such as “a” or “an” (e.g., “a” and/or “an” should typically be interpreted to mean “at least one” or “one or more”); the same holds true for the use of definite articles used to introduce claim recitations. In addition, even if a specific number of an introduced claim recitation is explicitly recited, those skilled in the art will recognize that such recitation should typically be interpreted to mean at least the recited number (e.g., the bare recitation of “two recitations,” without other modifiers, typically means at least two recitations, or two or more recitations). It will be further understood by those within the art that virtually any disjunctive word and/or phrase presenting two or more alternative terms, whether in the description, claims, or drawings, should be understood to contemplate the possibilities of including one of the terms, either of the terms, or both terms. For example, the phrase “A or B” will be understood to include the possibilities of “A” or “B” or “A and B.”
[0045] It will be further appreciated that functions or structures of a plurality of components or steps may be combined into a single component or step, or the functions or structures of one-step or component may be split among plural steps or components. The present invention contemplates all of these combinations. Unless stated otherwise, dimensions and geometries of the various structures depicted herein are not intended to be restrictive of the invention, and other dimensions or geometries are possible. In addition, while a feature of the present invention may have been described in the context of only one of the illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of other embodiments, for any given application. It will also be appreciated from the above that the fabrication of the unique structures herein and the operation thereof also constitute methods in accordance with the present invention. The present invention also encompasses intermediate and end products resulting from the practice of the methods herein. The use of “comprising” or “including” also contemplates embodiments that “consist essentially of” or “consist of” the recited feature.
[0046] Although embodiments for the present subject matter have been described in language specific to structural features, it is to be understood that the present subject matter is not necessarily limited to the specific features described. Rather, the specific features and methods are disclosed as embodiments for the present subject matter. Numerous modifications and adaptations of the system/component of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, and thus it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and adaptations, which fall within the scope of the present subject matter.