13 June 2012
Manz is presenting its new wet-chemical silicon wafer processing system for the first time in Europe at Intersolar Europe, booth 380 in hall A6. In addition to its current range of production equipment for crystalline solar cells and thin-film solar panels, Manz will also show its latest developments in CIGS thin-film technology.
Manz’s new wet chemical system IPSG CEI 4800 (inline removal of phosphor silicate glass IPSG and chemical edge isolation CEI) chemically removes the highly doped layer from the back and edges of a silicon wafer and isolates the emitter from the back. In a second step, the remaining layer of phosphor silicate glass on the topside is also removed. The new system has a throughput of up to 4,800 wafers per hour. With its wet chemical system for the PV industry and its vacuum coating and texturing systems scheduled for release in the fall, Manz has almost reached its goal of becoming a supplier of equipment for every step of the solar cell manufacturing process. At the same time, with its CIGSfab Manz says it is the only supplier of a fully integrated production line for CIGS thin-film solar panels that can be operated profitably. Last year the company successfully demonstrated the capability of its CIGSfab by presenting a CIGS thin-film panel with an aperture efficiency of up to a previously unmatched 15.1% (equal to 14% module efficiency).
Manz’s One-Step Selective Emitter, which last year won the Intersolar Award, offers an increase in efficiency while cutting manufacturing costs.
