Abstract: A device and a method for fitting solar cell contact wires providing a series connection, and which run continuously in a string direction to join a front solar cell wafer and a rear solar cell wafer. The device includes a wire-laying mechanism having a wire feed gripper, a wire transport gripper movable in the string direction relative to the wire feed gripper, a wire-holding gripper to grip and hold the contact wires behind the wafer-holding position for the rear solar cell wafer, and a wire cutter. Once a front solar cell wafer has been positioned, the contact wires are transferred from the wire feed gripper to the wire transport gripper, are advanced in the string direction over the wafer-holding position, are gripped and held by the wire-holding gripper, and are then cut behind the wire-holding gripper by the wire cutter.

Abstract: A device and a method for fitting solar cell contact wires providing a series connection, and which run continuously in a string direction to join a front solar cell wafer and a rear solar cell wafer. The device includes a wire-laying mechanism having a wire feed gripper, a wire transport gripper movable in the string direction relative to the wire feed gripper, a wire-holding gripper to grip and hold the contact wires behind the wafer-holding position for the rear solar cell wafer, and a wire cutter. Once a front solar cell wafer has been positioned, the contact wires are transferred from the wire feed gripper to the wire transport gripper, are advanced in the string direction over the wafer-holding position, are gripped and held by the wire-holding gripper, and are then cut behind the wire-holding gripper by the wire cutter.

Abstract: A device for stacking a plurality of silicon wafers has an upright machine carrier for holding a plurality of silicon wafers, the silicon wafers being provided in a horizontal position in the machine carrier. The device has three identical loading cassettes for introducing several silicon wafers therein. The machine carrier has holding devices for the loading cassettes. The loading cassettes have a lower support surface for putting silicon wafers on in stack-like fashion, and a rear side wall running substantially perpendicular thereto. The loading cassette is designed in such a way that the side opposite the rear side wall, and the top side are freely accessible.

Abstract: A device for stacking a plurality of silicon wafers has an upright machine carrier for holding a plurality of silicon wafers, the silicon wafers being provided in a horizontal position in the machine carrier. The device has three identical loading cassettes for introducing several silicon wafers therein. The machine carrier has holding devices for the loading cassettes. The loading cassettes have a lower support surface for putting silicon wafers on in stack-like fashion, and a rear side wall running substantially perpendicular thereto. The loading cassette is designed in such a way that the side opposite the rear side wall, and the top side are freely accessible.

Abstract: A device for applying an even, thin fluid layer, in particular a phosphoric acid layer, onto substrates, in particular silicon cells for photovoltaic application, is provided with a process chamber, which is provided with a fluid pan and a high-frequency ultrasound device that converts the fluid into fluid mist, and with a transport device that is arranged beneath a fluid-mist dropping shaft of the process chamber for the substrates.

Abstract: In a method for soldering contact wires to a side of a solar cell for producing the electrical contact-making, the solar cells have at least one metallic strip-shaped region. A contact wire is soldered onto the latter for the electrical connection of the solar cell, wherein the soldering duration or the duration of the energy input externally onto the soldering region is very short and is less than 800 ms.

Abstract: A carrier for a plurality of solar cells has a dedicated holding location for each cell for the purpose of mounting it. The carrier is designed like a plate and substantially as a closed plate, each holding location having suction means for a mounted solar cell. A plurality of small holes or passages are provided per holding location in order to come at a mounted solar cell or to reach the latter even from the other side of the carrier at its underside mounted thereon, for example in order to carry out contact soldering.

Abstract: A device for positioning and blocking thin silicon wafers after wire-sawing a silicon wafer block. The device comprises a cassette that accommodates the wafer block and is provided with two contact strips whose sides facing the wafer block encompass elements which engage into narrow cutting gap between the wafers so as to maintain a distance and provide support. This allows the wafers to be fixed in the position thereof even after removing a supporting glass plate such that particularly the gap in the area of the former connecting point to the removed supporting glass plate is maintained and the subsequent singulation process is simplified.

Abstract: In a method for the manufacture of a solar cell from a silicon substrate to the front and back surfaces are firstly applied a first antireflection coating with an optical refractive index n between 3.6 and 3.9. To the latter is applied a second antireflection with an optical refractive index n between 1.94 and 2.1. The antireflection coatings are separated down to the underlying silicon substrate in order to introduce metal contacts to the silicon substrate into the antireflection coatings.

Abstract: A device for positioning and blocking thin silicon wafers after wire-sawing a silicon wafer block. The device comprises a cassette that accommodates the wafer block and is provided with two contact strips whose sides facing the wafer block encompass elements which engage into narrow cutting gap between the wafers so as to maintain a distance and provide support. This allows the wafers to be fixed in the position thereof even after removing a supporting glass plate such that particularly the gap in the area of the former connecting point to the removed supporting glass plate is maintained and the subsequent singulation process is simplified.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to improve the energy yield efficiency of solar cells. According to the invention, the silicon material is doped with one or more different lanthanides such that said material penetrates into a layer approximately 60 nm deep. Photons, whose energy is at least double that of the 1.2 eV silicon material band gap, are thus converted into at least two photons having energy in the region of the silicon band gap, by excitation and recombination of the unpaired 4f electrons of the lanthanides. As a result, additional photons having advantageous energy close to the silicon band gap are provided for electron-hole pair formation.