Roll-to-roll production system for deposition of CIGS solar cells on films
Application
Solar energy is not only free but – with some time restrictions – it is also available everywhere. Solar cells are lighter and less expensive than carrying energy in the form of batteries or fuel to areas where being separated from the grid is unavoidable, such as in stationary systems in remote locations, in mobile outdoor applications or in satellites. Solar cells also need to be very light for installation on roofs that are not structurally engineered for heavy panels, or even for canvas.
Requirements for the systems
A line of roll-to-roll systems to coat films with solar cells. The films are up to 1.6 m wide and up to 3 km long and require a metallic back electrode, a CIGS absorber coating and a transparent front electrode. Whereas the electrodes are produced by sputtering, the absorber layer is produced by evaporation. The film sometimes needs to be heated to well above 200°C for proper layer formation.
Solutions to requirements
The production line consists of four roll-to-roll systems, where the two sputtering systems (front and back contact) and the two evaporation systems (absorber layer) have the same design, respectively. In all systems, the entire winding system is run out on a large flange for easy accessibility when inserting the coil. The technological units – magnetrons with their targets as well as evaporators – remain in the chamber. The systems are equipped with devices for spreading and guiding the web.
The special features of this system are:
- Efficient roll-to-roll production systems with a web width of up to 1600 mm as single pieces
- Combination of sputtering and evaporation thin-film technologies
- Systems with up to three process drums
- Highest material utilization and longest target service life using rotary cathodes
- Partial web heating up to well over 200 °C
Key features
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FEATURES |
DATA |
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Substrate size |
Band width: up to 1600 mm, thickness: 25 - 200 μm |
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Substrate materials |
PET, PEN, PI and other polymers |
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Deposition materials |
ITO (AZO, other dielektrica, metalls and alloys) |
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Process drum temperature |
-10 °C ... 200 °C |
