Solar Panel

The future of economical thin film solar cell manufacturing is dependent on new in-line process technology for high speed continuous production. One such revolutionary technology is atmospheric plasma surface pretreatment. Plasma Treatment offers unique economies for in-line production.

Traditionally only vacuum plasma surface modification technology has been used in photovoltaic cell manufacturing. Vacuum plasma is primarily used in applications such as the deposition of amorphous hydrogenated silicon nitride (SiN) layers -enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) process to create anti-reflection and surface (and bulk) passivation on thin-film solar cells, or the use of vacuum plasma etching in barrel-type reactors to perform edge isolation in some remaining fabrication processes.

Window Glass Solar Application (click to enlarge)

As photovoltaic cell manufacturing processes evolve, and with the added pressures of increasing hazardous chemical waste disposal costs, there has been interest in atmospheric plasma treatment systems as efficient dry etching, surface cleaning and adhesion promotion process tools.

Considering the wide range of materials employed to maximize solar efficiencies, the ability to integrate the completely continuous in-line manufacturing of rigid panel and flexible solar cells by utilizing a variable chemistry surface modification technique relative to complex material constructions holds the prospect of significantly reducing manufacturing costs. Atmospheric pressure gas phase plasma treatment technology will therefore become essential for future in-line manufacturing of solar cells if major reductions in fabrication costs are to be achieved.