Abstract: In an apparatus for producing thin layers on substrates for solar cell production, wherein the thin layers are applied by an APCVD process at temperatures of more than 250° C., the substrates are conveyed on a horizontal conveyor path and coated by means of an APCVD coating in continuous operation. The conveyor path has conveyor rollers, which consist of a temperature-resistant, non-metallic material, preferably of ceramic. A heating device and/or a purge gas feeding device is/are arranged on that side of the conveyor path which is remote from the coating apparatus.

Abstract: In an apparatus for producing thin layers on substrates for solar cell production, wherein the thin layers are applied by an APCVD process at temperatures of more than 250° C., the substrates are conveyed on a horizontal conveyor path and coated by means of an APCVD coating in continuous operation. The conveyor path has conveyor rollers, which consist of a temperature-resistant, non-metallic material, preferably of ceramic. A heating device and/or a purge gas feeding device is/are arranged on that side of the conveyor path which is remote from the coating apparatus.

Abstract: A method for forming a boron doped region within a silicon material substrate, and the resulting silicon material substrate that includes the boron doped region, each use a boron doped aluminum oxide material layer as a boron dopant source layer. The method provides the boron doped region with a sheet resistance in a range from about 15 to about 300 ohms per square. The method is also applicable, in general, to forming an n doped region, a p doped region or an n and p co-doped region within a silicon material substrate.

Abstract: A method for the selective doping of silicon of a silicon substrate (1) for producing a pn-junction in the silicon is characterized by the following steps: a) Providing the surface of the silicon substrate (1) with a doping agent (2) based on phosphorous, b) heating the silicon substrate (1) for creating a phosphorous silicate glass (2) on the surface of the silicon, wherein phosphorous diffuses into the silicon as a first doping (3), c) applying a mask (4) on the phosphorous silicate glass (2), covering the regions (5) that are later highly doped, d) removing the phosphorous silicate glass (2) in the non-masked regions, e) removing the mask (4) from the phosphorous silicate glass (2), f) again heating for the further diffusion of phosphorous from the phosphorous silicate glass (2) into the silicon as a second doping for creating the highly doped regions (5), g); complete removal of the phosphorous silicate glass (2) from the silicon.

Abstract: In a method for the production of a solar cell, a flat aluminium layer is applied to the back of a solar cell substrate. The aluminium is alloyed into the silicon substrate by the effect of the temperature and forms an aluminium BSF. The remaining aluminium that has not been alloyed into the silicon is subsequently removed. The aluminium BSF is transparent to light.

Abstract: In a method for processing monocrystalline silicon wafers, which are transported while lying flat along a horizontal transport path, etching solution for texturing the surface is applied from above by means of nozzles or the like. The etching solution is applied from above several times in succession onto the upper side of the silicon substrates, remains there and reacts with the silicon substrate.

Abstract: In a method for the treatment of the surface of a wafer for producing a solar cell, onto which wafer an antireflection and passivation layer has been applied onto a p-doped layer in a step preceding the method, the surface is treated in a processing step and then a subsequent metallization on the surface of the wafer for producing contacts for the solar cell takes place. This processing step is for passivation or for removal of the p-doped layer in the region of disturbances such as scratches, defect sites, pinholes and inhomogeneous regions in the antireflection and passivation layer. It is thus possible to avoid metal depositions at these disturbances.

Abstract: In a method for the treatment of substrates (13) for solar cells composed of silicon, after multiple etching the substrates are cleaned (18) with DI water. Afterwards, the substrates (13) are dried and heated in drying stations (22, 25). The heated substrates (13) are subsequently oxidized in an oxidation station (30) by means of oxidation gas (34) with a proportion of ozone.

Abstract: A method for the selective doping of silicon of a silicon substrate (1) for producing a pn-junction in the silicon is characterized by the following steps: a) Providing the surface of the silicon substrate (1) with a doping agent (2) based on phosphorous, b) heating the silicon substrate (1) for creating a phosphorous silicate glass (2) on the surface of the silicon, wherein phosphorous diffuses into the silicon as a first doping (3), c) applying a mask (4) on the phosphorous silicate glass (2), covering the regions (5) that are later highly doped, d) removing the phosphorous silicate glass (2) in the non-masked regions, e) removing the mask (4) from the phosphorous silicate glass (2), f) again heating for the further diffusion of phosphorous from the phosphorous silicate glass (2) into the silicon as a second doping for creating the highly doped regions (5), g); complete removal of the phosphorous silicate glass (2) from the silicon.

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: In a method for the production of a solar cell, a flat aluminium layer is applied to the back of a solar cell substrate. The aluminium is alloyed into the silicon substrate by the effect of the temperature and forms an aluminium BSF. The remaining aluminium that has not been alloyed into the silicon is subsequently removed. The aluminium BSF is transparent to light.

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.