Abstract: The invention relates to a vacuum processing system for processing a substrate (2), with an enclosure (1) for carrying the substrate (2) to be treated in a substrate plane (4), whereby the enclosure (1) comprises a first reflecting means (6) and a heating means (5) having a first plane surface (10) and an opposed second plane surface (11), the heating means (5) is configured for irradiating heating energy only via the first surface (10) and/or via the second surface (11), the first reflecting means (6) is configured for reflecting the heating energy irradiated by the heating means (5) onto the substrate plane (4), and the heating means (5) is arranged such that the first surface (10) faces towards the first reflecting means (6) and the second surface (11) faces towards the substrate plane (4).

Abstract: The invention relates to a roller drive device for use in a deposition system for manufacturing a photovoltaic device having a substrate (12), the roller drive device comprising a roller means (9) and a cover means (1), whereby the roller means is arranged slidable along a roller means axis (11) between a rolling position and a retracting position, whereby the roller means is configured for transporting the substrate in the rolling position, the cover means is arranged slidable along a cover means axis (2) between a shielding position and an opening position, whereby, if the roller means is in the retracting position, the cover means is configured for shielding the roller means against contamination by a substance present in the deposition system in the shielding position, and the roller means axis and the cover means axis are arranged tilted to each other.

Abstract: Solar cells or solar modules of the so-called tandem type, i.e. stacked arrangements of photovoltaic absorber devices on a substrate with a textured surface are described. The thin film solar cell has a substrate comprising a textured surface, and a front electrode layer comprising a transparent conductive oxide adjacent to the textured surface, wherein the electrode layer has a thickness less than the roughness of the textured surface.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a thin-film solar cell includes providing a first conducting layer on a substrate that has an area at least 0.75 m2. The first conducting layer is located in a deposition portion of the area. An ultraviolet laser beam is applied through a lens to the first conducting layer. Portions of the first conducting layer are scribed form a trench through the layer. The lens focuses the beam and has a focal length at least 100 mm. The focused beam includes an effective portion effective for the scribing and an ineffective portion ineffective for the scribing. The substrate sags and the first conducting layer remains in the effective portion of the focused beam across the area during the step of applying. One or more active layers are provided on the first conducting layer. A second conducting layer is provided on the one or more active layers.

Abstract: A large surface substrate (5, 5a) is Rf vacuum plasma treated with the help of an electrode arrangement (9) consisting of an even number of electrode strips (9a, 9b). At least one of the strips is Rf supplied at least two distinct loci (P1, P2) along the central axis (A) of the addressed strip (9a).

Abstract: The invention relates to a mounting interface configured for a photovoltaic module (1) comprising a backside (2) having an overall backside surface size (4, 5), the mounting interface comprising at least six mounting elements (3) attachable to the backside (2) of the photovoltaic module (1) for mounting the photovoltaic module (1) on a mounting surface, wherein each mounting element (3) comprises a mounting element surface having an overall mounting element surface size (6, 7) such that the contact area between the photovoltaic module (1) and the mounting element (3), when attached to the photovoltaic module (1), equals the overall mounting element surface size (6, 7), and the overall backside surface size (4, 5) of the photovoltaic module (1) divided by the summarized overall mounting element surface size (6, 7) of all mounting elements (3) is ?40 and ?160, preferably ?50 and ?80, more preferably 52.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a vacuum processing chamber comprising a volume which is defined by a wall and which can be evacuated, said wall being made of aluminum by casting, said wall comprising an outer face and an inner face, said inner face faces the volume, and a method for improving the inner face of the wall of a vacuum processing chamber, wherein the inner face of said wall is smoothened by grinding and is subsequently pearl-blasted or shot-blasted. Vacuum processing chambers obtained by said methods are provided too.

Abstract: The present invention provides a mounting, configured for fixing a reactor, in particular a PECVD reactor, in a vacuum chamber (1), the mounting (10) comprising a framework of at least two outer beams (11) being arranged opposite to each other, and a plurality of cross beams (12), wherein the outer beams (11) and the cross beams (12) form compartments (13), in which temperature controlling elements are provided. The mounting (10) according to the invention has a reduced weight and is producible cost saving.

Abstract: A method and device for ablation of thin layers on the rim region of the surface of a plane substrate coated with a thin film. The rim region runs along the edge or edges of the substrate, and the thin layers should be ablated in at least two, not necessarily unconnected areas of the rim region along edge pieces not parallel to one another. A laser beam is pointed toward an ablation area. The areas of the rim region to be ablated are guided through the area so that in a plane of the surface of the substrate, during the whole ablation process, there is basically a constant distance in the space that lies partly in the ablation area and has its starting point outside the substrate surface and its end point within the substrate surface.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of coating a substrate with a zinc oxide film, the method comprising the steps of: Providing a substrate with at least one substantially flat surface; Subjecting said surface at least partially to a plasma-etching process; Depositing a layer on said etched surface, the layer comprising zinc oxide. The method according to the invention is particularly suitable for manufacturing solar cells with an improved efficiency.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are provided for improved utilization of a sputter target in the longitudinal end regions. The focus of erosion in the end regions is widened, thereby extending the useful life of the target. This provides improved efficiency and reduces waste because a greater proportion of the target material in the more expansive central region can be harvested, because the target is utilized for a longer period of time.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for dividing a semiconductor film formed on a substrate into plural regions by multiple laser beam irradiation using a sequence of at least two laser beam treatments affecting essentially a same area of said film. Except of a final laser beam treatment, the treatments of said sequence of at least two laser beam treatments are used for a conditioning of the treated film area which is to be removed. Said final laser beam treatment is applied to actually remove material in order to form a groove. Further, the invention relates to an arrangement for dividing a semiconductor film formed on a substrate into plural regions by multiple laser beam irradiation using a sequence of at least two laser beam treatments affecting essentially a same area of said film.

Abstract: A vacuum vessel and at least two electrodes define an internal process space. At least one power supply is connectable with the electrodes. A substrate holder holds a substrate to be treated in the internal process space. At least one of the electrodes has along a first cross section a concave profile and has along a second cross section a convex profile, the first cross section being parallel to the second cross section. Gas is provided to the space through a gas inlet. Power is provided to the electrodes and the substrate is treated.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hot-trap device (1) comprising an enclosure (2) with at least one inlet (3), at least one outlet (5) at least one heating means (7) and at least one collector means (10) for the conversion of reaction by-products into products, wherein the collector means is arranged within the enclosure between the inlet and the outlet has a diameter that substantially matches the diameter of the enclosure and has at least one opening (18).

Abstract: Micromorph tandem cells with stabilized efficiencies of 11.0% have been achieved on as-grown LPCVD ZnO front TCO at bottom cell thickness of just 1.3 ?m in combination with an antireflection concept. Applying an advanced LPCVD ZnO front TCO stabilized tandem cells of 10.6% have been realized at a bottom cell thickness of only 0.8 ?m. Implementing intermediate reflectors in Micromorph tandem cell devices allow for, compared to commercial SnO2, reduced optical losses when LPCVD ZnO is used. At present highest stabilized cell efficiency reached 11.3% incorporating an in-situ intermediate reflector with a bottom cell thickness of 1.6 ?m.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a photovoltaic module comprising the following steps: a) assembling a front end part (10) comprising a front cover element and a photovoltaic cell, b) assembling a back end part (12) comprising a back reflector, a junction box and a back cover element, and c) connecting the assembled front end part (10) with the assembled back end part (12). Further, the invention relates to an assembled back end part (12) and to an interlayer foil (14).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for manufacturing a vacuum processing chamber comprising a volume which is defined by a wall and which can be evacuated, said wall being made of aluminum by casting, said wall comprising an outer face and an inner face, said inner face faces the volume, and a method for improving the inner face of the wall of a vacuum processing chamber, wherein the inner face of said wall is smoothened by grinding and is subsequently pearl-blasted or shot-blasted. Vacuum processing chambers obtained by said methods are provided too.

Abstract: A vacuum processing system with a vacuum chamber has an inlet, at least first and second outlets, exhaust means at a first of said outlets and a remote plasma source RPS, wherein the RPS is attached to a connecting point to the second of said outlets. In a method for remote plasma cleaning of a vacuum processing system with such an arrangement a flow of radicals is generated by said remote plasma source and directed to the first of said outlets whilst operating exhaust means via the second of said outlets.

Abstract: A thin film photovoltaic device on a substrate is being realized by a method for manufacturing a p-i-n junction semiconductor layer stack with a p-type microcrystalline silicon layer, a p-type amorphous silicon layer, a buffer silicon layer comprising preferably intrinsic amorphous silicon, an intrinsic type amorphous silicon layer, and an n-type silicon layer over the intrinsic type amorphous silicon layer.

Abstract: The present application provides a method for the production of photovoltaic devices, preferably tandem solar cells. The method comprises the steps of: Providing at least one substrate comprising a front contact; and depositing at least a first semiconductor stack onto the substrate to produce a photo-voltaic device; and comprises at least two of the steps of: applying a back contact to the photovoltaic device; contacting of the photovoltaic device; removal of unnecessary material from the edge regions of the photovoltaic device; encapsulation; cross-contacting; and/or framing of the photovoltaic device, wherein the substrate is continuously or semi-continuously moved from one step of the method to the next step of the method. The present application furthermore provides a system to carry out the method of the invention.