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High Throughput Processing for PV
About
Our vision is to develop groundbreaking technologies to revolutionize the way solar technology is produced and used. We develop high-throughput methods that make it possible to study many material combinations and process parameters in parallel. Printing is the most effective way to install structures on large surfaces. This is a paradigm shift in manufacturing with the potential to drive solar power generation at extremely low costs.
Research Topics
Printing and coating of semiconductors in solution has an outstanding potential to increase throughput in production and reduce solar energy costs. The development of the microstructure during drying and curing is extremely important for the performance of printed solar cells. In our team, we investigate the influence of process conditions and ink composition on efficiency using methods similar to those used in large-scale technical systems. We specialize in combinatorial methods on continuous coating plants to shorten the “Lab-to-Fab” transition time. Our group mainly focuses on:
- Process and material development for 3rd generation photovoltaics
- Continuous combinatorial processes for solution-processed semiconductors
- Basic understanding of microstructure development during drying of thin films
- Continuous characterization methods and process control
- “Lab-to-Fab” device and process scaling
Our infrastructure
is specially designed for printing and coating soluble semiconductors. It offers maximum flexibility in terms of substrate, material and process properties for printing solar modules. This includes systems for process development, material evaluation and module production:
- Fully equipped chemical laboratory with cleanroom functions and semiconductor material storage and handling
- State-of-the-art printing (Ink-Jet, Screen, Flexo) and coating laboratory for nm precision in Z-direction on rigid and flexible substrates
- Fully automatic multi-head R2R printing and coating system for the processing of functional electronic, optoelectronic and dielectric materials up to 40 cm web width
- Multiple galvo head equipped batch and R2R capable laser systems (ns, fs) for structuring single and multilayer stacks with nm precision in the Z direction and lateral resolution in the micrometer range
- Backend laboratory for contacting, encapsulating and packaging of solar modules
- Accredited electrocharacterization laboratory for test structures, solar cells and PV modules
- Non-destructive imaging laboratory with spectroscopic and hyperspectral imaging and scanning methods (Raman, FTIR, PL, EL, Thermography, AFM, REM)
- Accelerated lifetime testing with variable temperatures (up to 1000 °C), illumination (up to 500 suns) and atmospheres (controlled humidity, O2 or other gases)
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Last Modified: 18.08.2022