Abstract: An automatic store and a method for storing plates of electronic circuits comprising a feed belt that feeds the plates of electronic circuits along a first plane (F); collection boxes positioned along at least one side of the feed belt and in which the plates of electronic circuits fed by the feed belt are grouped together according to quality classes; and one or more clearing stations disposed in cooperation with the feed belt in order to position the plates of electronic circuits in the respective collection boxes. The store comprises at least two rows of collection boxes disposed along at least one side of the feed belt, and a movement unit associated with the collection boxes to discharge the filled collection boxes and to position new collection boxes to be filled.

Abstract: A device for supporting a substrate is provided. The device includes a base body having two or more layers of an insulating material, a substrate support surface formed by the upper layer of the insulating material, one or more cavities formed in a thickness of the base body, and one or more metal elements disposed in the one or more cavities. The substrate support surface of the base body supports the substrate thereon in a processing nest of a printing apparatus. In addition, each metal element comprises one or more features that are used to couple the base body to the processing nest. The metal elements are also provided for magnetically or electromagnetically positioning the base body on a magnetic work plane of a grinding tool. A method is also provided to make the device and attach the device to a planar surface of a processing nest.

Abstract: A method for the production and control of plates for electronics comprising a first step in which a plate is positioned, by positioning means, in a loading station; a second step in which the plate is disposed in a deposition station associated with a unit for depositing metal or other material; a third step in which the plate is disposed in an exit station and a detection means is activated to detect the presence of defects in the plate; and a fourth step in which the plate is discharged from the exit station. In the first step, the detection means is activated to identify defects in the plate disposed in the loading station. In the second step, the deposition unit is activated in order to deposit the metal on the plate when in the first step the detection means has not detected any defect in the plate.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods of printing MWT solar cells. The methods include positioning the non-light-receiving side of a solar cell substrate on a support. The solar cell substrate has a plurality of holes formed therethrough. The plurality of holes are then metalized. Metalizing the holes includes applying a first silver-containing paste within the holes, or depositing the first silver-containing paste on the interior surface of the holes. The first silver-containing paste is in electrical communication with the front surface and the back surface of the substrate. Then, a plurality of collection fingers are formed on the front surface of the substrate using a second silver-containing paste. The substrate may then be flipped, and one or more printing processes may be performed on the non-light-receiving side of the substrate.

Abstract: A method for multi-layer printing on a support, comprising a first printing step performed in a printing station in a system, one or more subsequent printing steps that are performed in one or more subsequent printing stations in the system and a plurality of alignment steps performed in the system, wherein the alignment steps are used to effect the correct positioning of a material printed in a subsequent printing step. The method comprises, downstream of each printing step and upstream of each alignment step, a control step in which detection devices detect the position of a layer printed on a support and/or the position of the support in the system by use of a control unit that compares at least one of the positions detected with predefined positions and/or with the positions detected in the previous control step, and wherein the results of the comparison are used in the alignment step.

Abstract: A method of detecting the alignment of a substrate during a sequence of printing steps, comprises detecting in a detection unit a position of at least one printing track that forms a printed pattern onto a surface of the substrate in a first printing station, determining a reference point in at least a portion of the printing track, comparing the actual position of the reference point with an expected or previously detected position of the reference point, determining an offset between the actual position and the expected or previously detected position of the reference point, adjusting the reciprocal position between the printing head of a second printing station and the substrate to account for the determined offset, and then printing a second pattern over the first pattern.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention may provide a method of printing one or more print tracks on a print support, or substrate, comprising two or more printing steps in each of which a layer of material is deposited on the print support according to a predetermined print profile. In each printing step, subsequent to the first step, each layer of material is deposited at least partially on top of the layer of material printed in the preceding printing step, so that each layer of printed material has an identical or different print profile with respect to at least a layer of material underneath. The method may further comprise depositing material in each printing step that is equivalent to or different from the material deposited in at least one of other the print layers.

Abstract: A method for the production and control of plates for electronics comprising a first step in which a plate is positioned, by means of positioning means, in a loading station; a second step in which the plate is disposed in a deposition station associated with a unit for depositing metal, or other material, in which the metal is deposited on the plate, in order to generate on the plates metal tracks, according to a pre-determined and desired topological disposition; a third step in which the plate is disposed in an exit station and a detection means is activated so as to detect the presence of defects in the plate; and a fourth step in which the plate is discharged from the exit station. In the first step the detection means is activated to identify defects in the plate disposed in the loading station. In the second step the deposition unit is activated in order to deposit the metal on the plate when in the first step the detection means has not detected any defect in the plate.

Abstract: An apparatus for screen printing a surface of a substrate includes a screen printing net, a print extremity element, and a supporting structure supporting the print extremity element. The supporting structure includes a slider coupled to the print extremity element and adapted to guide the movement of the print extremity element in a first direction, a support frame having a housing that is associated with a portion of the slider so as to allow movement of the slider relative to the support frame, and an actuation member coupled to the slider. The print extremity element urges a print material through the screen printing net onto the surface of the substrate. The actuation member positions the print extremity element relative to the screen printing net in the first direction, and includes magnets disposed within the housing of the support frame, and an electric coil disposed proximate to the magnets.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing a substrate includes an inspection system disposed in a first position to detect the location and orientation of the substrate supported on a supporting surface of a processing nest positioned in the first position and one or more processing heads disposed in the second and third positions and configured to perform a first and a second process on the substrate when the processing nest is moved to the second and third positions by an actuator assembly. A method for processing a substrate includes detecting the location and orientation of the substrate disposed on the processing nest which is positioned in the first position and aligning one or more processing heads to the substrate when the processing nest is positioned in the second and third positions and under the processing heads using data detected by an inspection system positioned in the first position.

Abstract: A method for depositing a material on a surface of a substrate includes depositing a first print material and a second print material on the surface of the substrate using a printing apparatus, and depositing a marker element on a portion of the substrate surface. The deposited first print material forms a plurality of first print tracks in a pattern and the deposited second print material forms one or more second print tracks on the surface of the substrate. In addition, the second print tracks includes a centering feature, where there is no second print material within the centering feature and at least a portion of the centering feature is disposed on the portion of the surface of the substrate having the marker element. Further, at least a portion of the second print tracks cover at least a portion of the plurality of first print tracks.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for processing substrates using a multiple screen printing chamber processing system that has an increased system throughput, improved system uptime, and improved device yield performance, while maintaining a repeatable and accurate screen printing process on the processed substrates. In one embodiment, the multiple screen printing chamber processing system is adapted to perform a screen printing process within a portion of a crystalline silicon solar cell production line in which a substrate is patterned with a desired material, and then processed in one or more subsequent processing chambers.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide apparatus and methods of handling a damaged substrate in substrate processing systems, such as screen printing systems for solar cell devices. The damaged substrate handling apparatus includes a container mounted centrally on a rotary actuator assembly. A plurality of substrate supports are arranged around the periphery of the rotary actuator assembly. Damaged substrates are transferred to the container from the substrate supports. Both automated and manual apparatus and methods are disclosed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus and method for processing substrates in a processing system that has an increased system throughput, improved system uptime, and improved device yield performance, while maintaining a repeatable and accurate substrate processing. The system may include multiple processing nests laterally positionable by use of a planar motor via multiple planar movers controlled by a system controller. A substrate supported by each processing nest may be angularly positionable by a rotary actuator. The system may be used in screen printing, ink jet printing, thermal processing, device testing, and material removal processes, among others.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide a solar cell formation process that includes the formation of metal contacts over heavily doped regions that are formed in a desired pattern on a surface of a substrate. Embodiments of the invention also provide an inspection system and supporting hardware that is used to reliably position a similarly shaped, or patterned, metal contact structure on the patterned heavily doped regions to allow an Ohmic contact to be made. The metal contact structure, such as fingers and busbars, are formed on the heavily doped regions so that a high quality electrical connection can be formed between these two regions.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to a transport unit for transporting a print support, or substrate, through a plant that deposits print tracks on a surface of the print support. The plant has at least one print station having at least one print head to deposit the print track onto the print support according to a predetermined pattern. The transport unit comprises a transport element having a transport surface facing, during use, toward the print head and on which the print support is disposed during processing. The transport surface comprises a portion covered with an adhesive surface layer upon which the print support is positioned.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide apparatus and methods of screen printing a multiple layer pattern on a substrate. In one embodiment, a first layer of a pattern is printed onto a surface of a substrate along with a plurality of alignment marks. The locations of the alignment marks are measured with respect to a feature of the substrate to determine the actual location of the pattern. The actual location is compared with the expected location to determine the positional error of the pattern placement on the substrate. This information is used to adjust the placement of the next layer of the pattern to be printed onto the first layer for more accurate placement and reduced positional error.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention generally provide apparatus and methods of screen printing a pattern on a substrate. In one embodiment, a patterned layer is printed onto a surface of a substrate along with a plurality of alignment marks. The locations of the alignment marks are measured with respect to a feature of the substrate to determine the actual location of the patterned layer. The actual location is compared with the expected location to determine the positional error of the patterned layer placement on the substrate. This information is used to adjust the placement of a patterned layer onto subsequently processed substrates.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention also generally provide a solar cell formation process that includes the formation of metal contacts over heavly doped regions that are formed in a desired pattern on a surface of a substrate. Embodiments of the invention also provide an inspection system and supporting hardware that is used to reliably position a similarly shaped, or patterned, metal contact structure on the patterned heavily doped regions to allow an Ohmic contact to be made. The metal contact structure, such as fingers and busbars, are formed on the heavily doped regions so that a high quality electrical connection can be formed between these two regions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing high-speed substrate inverting to facilitate photovoltaic fabrication processing of either substrate surface, comprising two stacked conveyors which are rotated in tandem and positioned to simultaneously engage both surfaces of a substrate to enable loading, inverting, and dispensing of the substrates traveling along the substrate production flow plane of an automated production system, and further having provisions to continually remove processing and environmental debris that may be collected on the conveyer belts as the result of coming into contact with substrate surfaces and facilitating cleaning of processing and environmental debris directly from substrate surfaces.