SINGULUS thin film solar cell tool cleans rear and sides in 1 step

July 1, 2011 -- SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG will launch its enhanced wet-chemical processing system for thin film solar cell production, VITRUM GEN 2, at Intersolar North America in July at the SINGULUS booth 9335.

The new tool simultaneously cleans back-sides and edges of thin film solar cells in a single step. It protects the active layer from etch by process hoods and performs pencil and rear side etching with brushes and chemicals. SINGULUS claims the system is better than dip etch tools, showing improvements in homogeneity, reliability, and reproducibility; and longer etch length and higher concentration, with processing up to 5m/min with minimized carryover.

The VITRUM GEN 2 suits existing photovoltaics manufacturing lines, added for cleaning after oven processes and for etching undesirable coatings off rear side and edges when making CdTe or CdS solar cells.

CdTe manufacturing process: VITRUM GEN 2 handles glass washing, back side cleaning CdTe, CdCl2 deposition using roller and salt removal to glass washing and developer.

a-Si/muc-Si and CIS/CIGS cell fab: VITRUM performs glass washing and TCO etching, KCN etching or NH3 treatment.

It also provides NP, DAE and EDTA etching for substrate sizes up to 2,200.

The new design improves maintenance work access in a large installation cabinet. Piping is similar for all liquid circuits.

Visit SINGULUS at Intersolar North America, booth 9335, July 12-14, 2011, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, CA, http://www.intersolar.us/

Learn more at http://www.singulus.de/de/solar/thin-film-solar/washing-cleaning.html