WO2003054975A2 - Baking oven for photovoltaic devices - Google Patents

Baking oven for photovoltaic devices Download PDF

Info

Publication number
WO2003054975A2
WO2003054975A2 PCT/EP2002/013372 EP0213372W WO03054975A2 WO 2003054975 A2 WO2003054975 A2 WO 2003054975A2 EP 0213372 W EP0213372 W EP 0213372W WO 03054975 A2 WO03054975 A2 WO 03054975A2
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
oven
semiconductor material
rolls
photovoltaic devices
housing
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/EP2002/013372
Other languages
French (fr)
Other versions
WO2003054975A3 (en
Inventor
Mariano Zarcone
Amerigo Romagnoli
Original Assignee
Enitecnologie S.P.A.
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Enitecnologie S.P.A. filed Critical Enitecnologie S.P.A.
Priority to AU2002358050A priority Critical patent/AU2002358050B2/en
Priority to JP2003555596A priority patent/JP4511186B2/en
Priority to EP02791725A priority patent/EP1454367A2/en
Publication of WO2003054975A2 publication Critical patent/WO2003054975A2/en
Publication of WO2003054975A3 publication Critical patent/WO2003054975A3/en

Links

Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
    • H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
    • H01L21/67—Apparatus specially adapted for handling semiconductor or electric solid state devices during manufacture or treatment thereof; Apparatus specially adapted for handling wafers during manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or electric solid state devices or components ; Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67005—Apparatus not specifically provided for elsewhere
    • H01L21/67011—Apparatus for manufacture or treatment
    • H01L21/67098—Apparatus for thermal treatment
    • H01L21/67109—Apparatus for thermal treatment mainly by convection

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a baking oven for photovoltaic devices starting from semiconductor material, characterized in that the entrainment of the semiconductor material inside the oven is effected by means of a series of rolls made of a ceramic material which rotate on their own axis .
  • photovoltaic devices involves, among the different types of treatment, various baking processes of the material, whose function is to fix doping elements, dispersed in solutions or in serigraphic pastes, or metallic contacts, onto the semiconductor.
  • continuous ovens i.e. ovens in which the material is charged and processed without any interruption.
  • the introduction of the semiconductor material into these ovens is typically carried out using a chain which, pulled by two rolls outside the muffle, passes through the oven.
  • the chain in normally made of a metallic material which can cause contaminations on the part of metallic impurities in the semiconductor material treated;
  • the temperature profiles at which the semiconductor ma- terial is subjected depend on the transport chain. This generally has a thermal inertia higher than that of the semiconductor material to be baked and consequently when moving, carries with it a considerable quantity of heat. Strongly varying profiles (for example 10-20°C/s) often necessary for optimal processes, can only be obtained with great difficulty.
  • Patent application EP 1010960 relates to a baking oven for photovoltaic devices which is based on the noninteraction of the entrainment system with the heating sys- tern of the oven.
  • the rolls which are made of quartz, are moved by means of a chain or belt, not individual, by friction.
  • baking profiles are obtained by means of lamp heating, which can cause problems of stability and consequently uniformity; the en- trainment, moreover, can be subjected to non-uniformity as the movement of the rolls is not individual. Furthermore, the quartz rolls transparent to radiation selected for the heating of the semiconductors, are extremely expensive. It has now been found that it is possible to overcome the above drawbacks by using an oven in which the transporting of the semiconductor material through said oven, is effected by means of entrainment with ceramic rolls which rotate around their own axis by means of a shaft and belt drive .
  • the objective of the present invention relates to an oven for the preparation of photo- voltaic devices from semiconductor material comprising:
  • the housing preferably consists of ceramic material and the distance between one roll and another inside the housing, is such that the semiconductor material, during its rotating movement, rests on at least three of these.
  • the ceramic material used in the manufacturing of the oven is selected from sintered silica, quartz and other material with a poor chemical interaction with the silicon.
  • the semiconductor material which can be used for the preparation of photovoltaic devices is selected from slices of silicon, with thicknesses of 100-500 microns, or semiconductor materials in thin layers (films) which thicknesses varying from a few microns to 100 microns.
  • the heating of the oven can be effected according to the known methods, by the use of electric resistances or infrared lamps .
  • the temperatures inside the oven typically range from 100°C to 1200°C.
  • Figure 1 illustrates an oven consisting of a certain number of rolls (1) in series made of sintered silica and the contemporaneous movement of all the rolls is due to an electric engine (16) by means of a shaft and belt drive (13, 11).
  • the muffle (6) and its top (5), also made of sintered silica, are heated by a series of electrically-fed resistances (3) .
  • the temperature is controlled with an electronic device to keep it constant.
  • the oven is equipped with a frame (9) which encloses the insulation system (2) of the muffle, and has a removal system of the process fumes (18) .
  • the devices obtained using the oven according to the present invention are free of metallic contaminants and are characterized by an excellent quality, allowing them to be used, for example, for the production of photovoltaic cells.
  • EXAMPLE 1 An oven was produced for the diffusion of impurities of the phosphorous type with an entrainment system consisting of 300 rolls in series, made of sintered silica. The contemporaneous movement of all the rolls is due to an electric engine (16) by means of a shaft and belt drive (13, 11) . The muffle (6) made of sintered silica is heated by a series of electrically-fed resistances (3) .
  • the temperature is controlled with an electronic device for maintaining a constant value. On selecting a set point of 900°C, the variation observed was less than 0.5°C. Slices of silicon on which a phosphorous doping agent had been deposited, were passed into the oven. The passage lasted about twenty minutes .
  • the silicon slices thus obtained had an excellent diffusion of phosphorous impurities and could be used for the production of high-quality photovoltaic cells.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
  • Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Tunnel Furnaces (AREA)
  • Photovoltaic Devices (AREA)
  • Electric Stoves And Ranges (AREA)
  • Light Receiving Elements (AREA)

Abstract

A baking oven is described, for photovoltaic devices starting from semiconductor material characterized in that the entrainment of the semiconductor material inside the oven is effected by means of a series of rolls made of a ceramic material, which rotate on their own axis.

Description

BAKING OVEN FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES
The present invention relates to a baking oven for photovoltaic devices starting from semiconductor material, characterized in that the entrainment of the semiconductor material inside the oven is effected by means of a series of rolls made of a ceramic material which rotate on their own axis .
It is known that for the production of photovoltaic devices, commonly known as solar cells, slices of semiconductor material of varying thicknesses, are used.
The production of these photovoltaic devices involves, among the different types of treatment, various baking processes of the material, whose function is to fix doping elements, dispersed in solutions or in serigraphic pastes, or metallic contacts, onto the semiconductor.
In order to effect these baking processes, continuous ovens are used, i.e. ovens in which the material is charged and processed without any interruption. The introduction of the semiconductor material into these ovens is typically carried out using a chain which, pulled by two rolls outside the muffle, passes through the oven.
The apparatus described above, however, has various disadvantages, of which the most important are:
(1) the chain in normally made of a metallic material which can cause contaminations on the part of metallic impurities in the semiconductor material treated;.
(2) the temperature profiles at which the semiconductor ma- terial is subjected, depend on the transport chain. This generally has a thermal inertia higher than that of the semiconductor material to be baked and consequently when moving, carries with it a considerable quantity of heat. Strongly varying profiles (for example 10-20°C/s) often necessary for optimal processes, can only be obtained with great difficulty.
Patent application EP 1010960 relates to a baking oven for photovoltaic devices which is based on the noninteraction of the entrainment system with the heating sys- tern of the oven. In particular, the rolls, which are made of quartz, are moved by means of a chain or belt, not individual, by friction.
Operating according to this patent, baking profiles are obtained by means of lamp heating, which can cause problems of stability and consequently uniformity; the en- trainment, moreover, can be subjected to non-uniformity as the movement of the rolls is not individual. Furthermore, the quartz rolls transparent to radiation selected for the heating of the semiconductors, are extremely expensive. It has now been found that it is possible to overcome the above drawbacks by using an oven in which the transporting of the semiconductor material through said oven, is effected by means of entrainment with ceramic rolls which rotate around their own axis by means of a shaft and belt drive .
The use of high purity ceramic material for the production of the rolls drastically reduces metallic contamination. Furthermore, as the rolls which move the semiconductor material are fixed in their position in the oven and the movement is transmitted by their rotation on their own axis, there are no temperature entrainment effects. In this way, even very sheer temperature profiles can be obtained.
In accordance with this, the objective of the present invention relates to an oven for the preparation of photo- voltaic devices from semiconductor material comprising:
(a) a housing delimited by curved or flat lateral walls, a top, a bottom and side passages which allow the insertion of rolls;
(b) an electric engine which by means of a shaft and belt drive allows the contemporaneous movement of the rolls; (c) a device for keeping the temperature inside the housing (a) constant;
(d) an insulation system of the housing (a) ;
(e) a removal system of the gases formed during the baking process.
The housing preferably consists of ceramic material and the distance between one roll and another inside the housing, is such that the semiconductor material, during its rotating movement, rests on at least three of these. The ceramic material used in the manufacturing of the oven is selected from sintered silica, quartz and other material with a poor chemical interaction with the silicon.
The semiconductor material which can be used for the preparation of photovoltaic devices is selected from slices of silicon, with thicknesses of 100-500 microns, or semiconductor materials in thin layers (films) which thicknesses varying from a few microns to 100 microns.
The heating of the oven can be effected according to the known methods, by the use of electric resistances or infrared lamps .
The temperatures inside the oven typically range from 100°C to 1200°C.
A description is provided of a typical embodiment of the invention with reference to figure 1. The embodiment is illustrative and should in no way be considered as limiting the scope of the invention.
Figure 1 illustrates an oven consisting of a certain number of rolls (1) in series made of sintered silica and the contemporaneous movement of all the rolls is due to an electric engine (16) by means of a shaft and belt drive (13, 11). The muffle (6) and its top (5), also made of sintered silica, are heated by a series of electrically-fed resistances (3) . The temperature is controlled with an electronic device to keep it constant. The oven is equipped with a frame (9) which encloses the insulation system (2) of the muffle, and has a removal system of the process fumes (18) .
(1) Roll
(2) Insulation
(3) Resistances
(4) Resistance support
(5) Muffle top
(6) Muffle
(7) Ball-bearing
(8) Bearing support
(9) Frame
(10) Shaft support
(11) Crossed belt
(12) Pulley
(13) Shaft (14) Pinion
(15) Chain
(16) Engine
(17) Crown (18) Stack
The devices obtained using the oven according to the present invention are free of metallic contaminants and are characterized by an excellent quality, allowing them to be used, for example, for the production of photovoltaic cells.
An example is provided hereunder for a better illustration of the functioning of the apparatus according to the invention. EXAMPLE 1 An oven was produced for the diffusion of impurities of the phosphorous type with an entrainment system consisting of 300 rolls in series, made of sintered silica. The contemporaneous movement of all the rolls is due to an electric engine (16) by means of a shaft and belt drive (13, 11) . The muffle (6) made of sintered silica is heated by a series of electrically-fed resistances (3) .
The temperature is controlled with an electronic device for maintaining a constant value. On selecting a set point of 900°C, the variation observed was less than 0.5°C. Slices of silicon on which a phosphorous doping agent had been deposited, were passed into the oven. The passage lasted about twenty minutes .
The silicon slices thus obtained had an excellent diffusion of phosphorous impurities and could be used for the production of high-quality photovoltaic cells.

Claims

1. A baking oven for photovoltaic devices starting from semiconductor material characterized in that the entrainment of the semiconductor material inside the oven is effected by means of a series of rolls made of a ceramic material, which rotate on their own axis.
2. The baking oven for photovoltaic devices according to claim 1, comprising:
(a) a housing delimited by curved or flat lateral walls, a top, a bottom and side passages which allow the insertion of rolls;
(b) an electric engine which, by means of a shaft and belt drive, allows the contemporaneous movement of the rolls; (c) a device for keeping the temperature inside the housing (a) constant;
(d) an insulation system of the housing (a) ;
(e) a removal system of the gases formed during the baking process.
3. The oven according to claim 2, wherein the housing (a) is a muffle consisting of ceramic material .
4. The oven according to claim 1, wherein the ceramic material is selected from sintered silica, quartz and other material with a low chemical interaction with the silicon.
5. The oven according to claim 1, wherein the distance between one roll and another is such that the semiconductor material, in its rotating movement, rests on at least three of these.
6. The oven according to claim 1, wherein the heating is effected with electric resistances or with infrared lamps.
7. The oven according to claim 1, wherein the semiconductor material which can be used for the preparation of photovoltaic devices is selected from slices of silicon, with thicknesses of 100-500 microns, or semiconductor materials in thin layers (films) with thicknesses varying from a few microns to 100 microns.
PCT/EP2002/013372 2001-12-13 2002-11-27 Baking oven for photovoltaic devices WO2003054975A2 (en)

Priority Applications (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU2002358050A AU2002358050B2 (en) 2001-12-13 2002-11-27 Baking oven for photovoltaic devices
JP2003555596A JP4511186B2 (en) 2001-12-13 2002-11-27 Photovoltaic baking oven
EP02791725A EP1454367A2 (en) 2001-12-13 2002-11-27 Baking oven for photovoltaic devices

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITMI20012628 ITMI20012628A1 (en) 2001-12-13 2001-12-13 BAKING OVEN FOR PHOTOVOLTAIC DEVICES
ITMI01A002628 2001-12-13

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2003054975A2 true WO2003054975A2 (en) 2003-07-03
WO2003054975A3 WO2003054975A3 (en) 2004-01-08

Family

ID=11448688

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/EP2002/013372 WO2003054975A2 (en) 2001-12-13 2002-11-27 Baking oven for photovoltaic devices

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1454367A2 (en)
JP (1) JP4511186B2 (en)
CN (1) CN100356589C (en)
AU (1) AU2002358050B2 (en)
IT (1) ITMI20012628A1 (en)
WO (1) WO2003054975A2 (en)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010063405A2 (en) 2008-12-03 2010-06-10 Aci-Ecotec Gmbh & Co. Kg Hardening device for photovoltaic thin-film solar cells
WO2010124781A3 (en) * 2009-04-29 2011-08-11 Eisenmann Ag Furnace for producing photovoltaic thin-film cells
DE102010016512A1 (en) 2010-04-19 2011-10-20 Roth & Rau Ag Flow-through system e.g. diffusion furnace, for heat treatment of glass panes in glass industry, has planar glass substrates comprising transport layers arranged one above other in process chamber, where substrates are processed by chamber
DE102010016509A1 (en) 2010-04-19 2011-10-20 Roth & Rau Ag Flowthrough system for processing substrate in atmosphere, has gas inlets and gas outlets arranged on line parallel to rollers, where one of gas outlets is fixed on channels at transport direction while other gas outlet is placed on chamber
WO2012073196A1 (en) * 2010-12-01 2012-06-07 Roth & Rau Ag Conveying roller
DE102011004441A1 (en) 2011-02-21 2012-08-23 Roth & Rau Ag Method and device for coating substrates
US8720370B2 (en) 2011-04-07 2014-05-13 Dynamic Micro System Semiconductor Equipment GmbH Methods and apparatuses for roll-on coating
US8739728B2 (en) 2011-04-07 2014-06-03 Dynamic Micro Systems, Semiconductor Equipment Gmbh Methods and apparatuses for roll-on coating
US8795785B2 (en) 2011-04-07 2014-08-05 Dynamic Micro System Methods and apparatuses for roll-on coating

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN102393139A (en) * 2011-11-16 2012-03-28 杨桂玲 Roller way type solar battery silicon wafer sintering furnace

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2788957A (en) * 1953-03-30 1957-04-16 Drever Co Refractory roller furnace conveyor system
US3867748A (en) * 1974-03-07 1975-02-25 Libbey Owens Ford Co Supporting and driving frangible rollers
US4343395A (en) * 1977-11-10 1982-08-10 Holcroft & Co. Roller hearth furnace
US4932864A (en) * 1988-06-08 1990-06-12 Chugai Ro Co., Ltd. Roller hearth type heat treating furnace
US5044920A (en) * 1988-08-04 1991-09-03 Gerlach Juergen Heat treatment apparatus for continuously advanced material
US5266027A (en) * 1992-08-12 1993-11-30 Ngk Insulators, Ltd. Roller-hearth continuous furnace
EP0908928A2 (en) * 1997-10-09 1999-04-14 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Baking furnace and control method therefor
EP1010960A1 (en) * 1998-12-17 2000-06-21 O.T.B. Engineering B.V. Furnace for heating articles

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS6332295U (en) * 1986-08-12 1988-03-02
JP2961295B2 (en) * 1994-12-20 1999-10-12 光洋リンドバーグ株式会社 Roller hearth furnace
CN1107618C (en) * 1999-09-03 2003-05-07 北新建材(集团)有限公司 Automatic plate packing line

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2788957A (en) * 1953-03-30 1957-04-16 Drever Co Refractory roller furnace conveyor system
US3867748A (en) * 1974-03-07 1975-02-25 Libbey Owens Ford Co Supporting and driving frangible rollers
US4343395A (en) * 1977-11-10 1982-08-10 Holcroft & Co. Roller hearth furnace
US4932864A (en) * 1988-06-08 1990-06-12 Chugai Ro Co., Ltd. Roller hearth type heat treating furnace
US5044920A (en) * 1988-08-04 1991-09-03 Gerlach Juergen Heat treatment apparatus for continuously advanced material
US5266027A (en) * 1992-08-12 1993-11-30 Ngk Insulators, Ltd. Roller-hearth continuous furnace
EP0908928A2 (en) * 1997-10-09 1999-04-14 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Baking furnace and control method therefor
EP1010960A1 (en) * 1998-12-17 2000-06-21 O.T.B. Engineering B.V. Furnace for heating articles

Cited By (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2010063405A2 (en) 2008-12-03 2010-06-10 Aci-Ecotec Gmbh & Co. Kg Hardening device for photovoltaic thin-film solar cells
WO2010063405A3 (en) * 2008-12-03 2011-03-10 Aci-Ecotec Gmbh & Co. Kg Hardening device for photovoltaic thin-film solar cells
WO2010124781A3 (en) * 2009-04-29 2011-08-11 Eisenmann Ag Furnace for producing photovoltaic thin-film cells
DE102010016512A1 (en) 2010-04-19 2011-10-20 Roth & Rau Ag Flow-through system e.g. diffusion furnace, for heat treatment of glass panes in glass industry, has planar glass substrates comprising transport layers arranged one above other in process chamber, where substrates are processed by chamber
DE102010016509A1 (en) 2010-04-19 2011-10-20 Roth & Rau Ag Flowthrough system for processing substrate in atmosphere, has gas inlets and gas outlets arranged on line parallel to rollers, where one of gas outlets is fixed on channels at transport direction while other gas outlet is placed on chamber
WO2012073196A1 (en) * 2010-12-01 2012-06-07 Roth & Rau Ag Conveying roller
DE102011004441A1 (en) 2011-02-21 2012-08-23 Roth & Rau Ag Method and device for coating substrates
WO2012113750A1 (en) 2011-02-21 2012-08-30 Ctf Solar Gmbh Method and device for coating substrates
DE102011004441B4 (en) * 2011-02-21 2016-09-01 Ctf Solar Gmbh Method and device for coating tempered to transformation temperature glass substrates
DE202011110836U1 (en) 2011-02-21 2016-09-02 Ctf Solar Gmbh Device for coating substrates
US8720370B2 (en) 2011-04-07 2014-05-13 Dynamic Micro System Semiconductor Equipment GmbH Methods and apparatuses for roll-on coating
US8739728B2 (en) 2011-04-07 2014-06-03 Dynamic Micro Systems, Semiconductor Equipment Gmbh Methods and apparatuses for roll-on coating
US8795785B2 (en) 2011-04-07 2014-08-05 Dynamic Micro System Methods and apparatuses for roll-on coating

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN1602554A (en) 2005-03-30
AU2002358050A1 (en) 2003-07-09
AU2002358050B2 (en) 2007-10-11
ITMI20012628A1 (en) 2003-06-13
JP2005513406A (en) 2005-05-12
EP1454367A2 (en) 2004-09-08
WO2003054975A3 (en) 2004-01-08
CN100356589C (en) 2007-12-19
JP4511186B2 (en) 2010-07-28

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US6117266A (en) Furnace for continuous, high throughput diffusion processes from various diffusion sources
US6444940B1 (en) Heat treating device and heat treating method
JP3578402B2 (en) Wafer processing system and wafer processing method
AU2002358050B2 (en) Baking oven for photovoltaic devices
US5662469A (en) Heat treatment method
JP2006339396A (en) Ion implantation annealing method, method of manufacturing semiconductor element, and semiconductor element
JPH04207024A (en) Formation of film
JPH10107018A (en) Semiconductor wafer heat treatment apparatus
KR19980702037A (en) Heat treatment method and apparatus
KR20050026708A (en) Device and method for thermally treating semiconductor wafers
JP2002367914A (en) Heat treatment device
JPH11288894A (en) Lamp annealing apparatus
US6149728A (en) Semiconductor manufacturing device
JP2003031515A (en) Substrate processing apparatus and method of manufacturing semiconductor device
US20110030236A1 (en) Procedure for increasing the long-term stability of transport aids
JP4449307B2 (en) Wafer heat treatment method and heat treatment apparatus
JPS60239400A (en) Process for annealing compound semiconductor
JPH01212431A (en) Manufacture of thin film semiconductor device
JPH0234824Y2 (en)
JPH0653223A (en) Heat treatment furnace
JPH11154649A (en) Rapid heat processor
JP3980663B2 (en) Heat treatment method
JPH02181916A (en) Method of heat-treating semiconductor substrate
JPH027516A (en) Method of diffusing impurity in semiconductor
JPS603124A (en) Annealing method of compound semiconductor

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
AK Designated states

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): AE AG AL AM AT AU AZ BA BB BG BR BY BZ CA CH CN CO CR CU CZ DE DK DM DZ EC EE ES FI GB GD GE GH GM HR HU ID IL IN IS JP KE KG KP KR KZ LC LK LR LS LT LU LV MA MD MG MK MN MW MX MZ NO NZ OM PH PL PT RO RU SC SD SE SG SI SK SL TJ TM TN TR TT TZ UA UG US UZ VC VN YU ZA ZM ZW

AL Designated countries for regional patents

Kind code of ref document: A2

Designated state(s): GH GM KE LS MW MZ SD SL SZ TZ UG ZM ZW AM AZ BY KG KZ MD RU TJ TM AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR IE IT LU MC NL PT SE SK TR BF BJ CF CG CI CM GA GN GQ GW ML MR NE SN TD TG

DFPE Request for preliminary examination filed prior to expiration of 19th month from priority date (pct application filed before 20040101)
121 Ep: the epo has been informed by wipo that ep was designated in this application
WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 2002791725

Country of ref document: EP

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 2002358050

Country of ref document: AU

WWE Wipo information: entry into national phase

Ref document number: 20028246241

Country of ref document: CN

Ref document number: 2003555596

Country of ref document: JP

WWP Wipo information: published in national office

Ref document number: 2002791725

Country of ref document: EP