Inspecting solar cell production
An in-line monitoring system that is compatible with copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) and cadmium telluride solar cell production is available from LayTec, based in Berlin, Germany.
The company claims the technology will accelerate development and reduce processing costs for a range of thin film deposition processes.
‘The future of thin film solar cell production heavily depends on reliable in-line thickness and other solar cell properties that influence effectiveness and production costs,’ says Dr Steffen Uredat, from Laytec’s R&D department.
‘Measurements in thin film photovoltaic (PV) processes are [currently] performed offline and not on each batch, but we have provided PV makers with a tool to control their production in-line and enhance their yield.’