05/18/2010 07:42:00 CEST
- Commercialization of highly innovative production technology is the result of in-depth R&D activities
- New technology allows ultra-efficient cells with increased effectiveness and higher profitability
- First orders received from Yingli, Bosch and Conergy
Reutlingen, May 18, 2010 – Manz Automation AG, one of the world’s leading technology providers for the photovoltaic and flat panel display (FPD) industries, has received initial orders from Yingli, Bosch and Conergy for its OneStep Selective Emitter Technology. The innovative process has gone through very successful testing in many test series. All three customers will introduce the Manz system in their pilot production over the coming months and then verify it in mass production. That puts Manz very clearly a further step along the path from new development to commercialization of the innovative selective emitter process.
In the Manz OneStep Selective Emitter process, selective emitter structures are created using a laser. Specially developed laser optics allow parts of the phosphorous, present after diffusion in phosphorus glass, to be carefully diffused again to the surface of the solar cell without any defects. As a result, the doping with phosphor atoms can be locally increased, thus significantly boosting the conductivity between the silicon wafer and the contact fingers.
In connection with an adjusted diffusion profile in the entire cell, an increase in effectiveness of more than 0.5 percentage points in test series conducted with various customers, has been verified. In order to unlock the full potential to increase effectiveness, the contact fingers have to be placed over the selective emitter structure created by the laser with very high precision. And this is exactly what the high-precision printer HAP2400, developed by Manz, does. In extensive tests and test series, a reproducible accuracy of significantly less than ten micrometers was proved.
With these properties, HAP2400 is by far the most precise and fastest screen-printer on the market. The machine is an integral component of the Manz back-end line, and together with the OneStep Selective Emitter laser line it offers the ideal combination to produce highly efficient solar cells. Dieter Manz, Manz Automation AG’s CEO, is enthusiastic about the excellent results of the in-depth research and development activities, and is convinced that this is a new technological milestone for Manz: “Our selective emitter technology, coupled with our ultra-precise screen-printer will enable us to develop additional market shares.” He went on to describe the new product’s benefits: “This technology offers just what solar manufacturers need. According to our research, the process we have developed to create selective emitters offers by far the lowest production costs, and that is why it will help our customers to improve their profitability. We are very pleased that we can provide proof of this equipment’s suitability for production, both here in Germany as well as in China, with Bosch, Conergy and Yingli.”
