Abstract: A thin-film solar module with a substrate and a layer structure applied thereon comprising a rear electrode layer, a front electrode layer, and an absorber layer arranged between the back electrode layer and the front electrode layer. Serially connected solar cells are formed in the layer region by patterning zones, having a rear electrode layer section. The layer region has at least one linear decoating region. The decoating region has an alternating sequence of optically transparent zones and electrode zones. The optically transparent zones are rear-electrode-layer-free and the electrode zones are absorber-layer-free and have a rear electrode layer section. The rear-electrode-layer-sections of at least one pair made up of one solar cell of one solar cell string and one solar cell of the other solar cell string are areally connected to one another by the rear-electrode-layer-section of at least one electrode zone.

Abstract: A thin-film solar module with a substrate and a layer structure applied thereon that comprises a rear electrode layer, a front electrode layer, and an absorber layer arranged between the back electrode layer and the front electrode layer. Serially connected solar cells are formed in the layer structure by patterning zones, wherein each patterning zone comprises a first patterning line for subdividing at least the rear electrode layer, a second patterning line for subdividing at least the absorber layer, and at least one third patterning line for subdividing at least the front electrode layer. At least one patterning zone has one or more optically transparent zones in a zone region reduced by the first patterning line, which are in each case rear-electrode-layer-free, wherein the one or more optically transparent zones are implemented such that the rear electrode layer is continuous in the zone region.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for heat treating an object, in particular a coated substrate, with an in particular gas-tightly sealable housing that encloses a hollow space, wherein the hollow space has a separating wall, by which the hollow space is divided into a process space for accommodating the object and an intermediate space, wherein the separating wall has one or a plurality of openings, which are implemented such that the separating wall acts as a barrier for the diffusion out of the process space into the intermediate space of a gaseous substance generated in the process space by the heat treatment of the object. The housing has at least one housing section coupled to a cooling device for its active cooling, wherein the separating wall is arranged between the object and the coolable housing section. The invention further relates to the use of a separating wall as a diffusion barrier in a device for heat treating an object as well as a corresponding method for heat treating an object.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a layer system (1) for thin-film solar cells (100) and solar modules, comprising an absorber layer (4), which includes a chalcogenide compound semiconductor, and a buffer layer (5), which is arranged on the absorber layer (4) and includes halogen-enriched ZnxIn1-xSy with 0.01?x?0.9 and 1?y?2, wherein the buffer layer (5) consists of a first layer region (5.1) adjoining the absorber layer (4) with a halogen mole fraction A1 and a second layer region (5.2) adjoining the first layer region (5.1) with a halogen mole fraction A2 and the ratio A1/A2 is ?2 and the layer thickness (d1) of the first layer region (5.1) is ?50% of the layer thickness (d) of the buffer layer (5).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for processing coated substrates, having the following features: at least one evacuable process box for accommodating at least one substrate with a gas-tightly sealable housing, which forms a hollow space, wherein the housing comprises at least one housing section, which is implemented such that the substrate is thermally treatable by incident electromagnetic thermal radiation, wherein the housing has at least one housing section coupleable to a cooling device for its cooling and at least one housing section not coupled to the cooling device, wherein the hollow space is divided by at least one separating wall into a process space for accommodating the substrate and an intermediate space, wherein the separating wall has one or a plurality of openings and is arranged between the substrate and the housing section coupled to the cooling device, and wherein the housing is provided with at least one sealable gas passage that opens into the hollow space, for evacuating and i

Abstract: The present invention relates to a layer system (1) for thin-film solar cells with an absorber layer (4) that contains a chalcogenide compound semiconductor and a buffer layer (5) that is arranged on the absorber layer (4), wherein the buffer layer (5) contains NaxIn1SyClz with 0.05?x<0.2 or 0.2<x?0.5, 1?y?2, and 0.6?x/z ?1.4.

Abstract: The invention concerns a layer system for thin-layer solar cells, said layer system comprising an absorber layer for absorbing light and a buffer layer on the absorber layer, said buffer layer containing NaxIny-x/3S, in which 0.063?x?0.625 and 0.681?y?1.50.

Abstract: A device for forming a reduced chamber space, which is a process box or a process hood, containing an apparatus, which positions at least two multilayer bodies each including a surface to be processed, wherein the apparatus is designed such that the multilayer bodies are opposite to each other, wherein the surfaces to be processed are facing away from each other such that the multilayer bodies can be processed as a multilayer body arrangement in a processing system. In addition, a method for positioning the two multilayer bodies comprising a surface to be processed, with the two multilayer bodies disposed in such a device such that multilayer bodies are opposite each other, wherein the surfaces to be processed are facing away from each other, such that the multilayer bodies are processable as a multilayer body arrangement in a processing system.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for depositing a layer made of at least two components on an object, with a deposition chamber for disposing the object, at least one source with material to be deposited, as well as at least one device for controlling the deposition process, implemented such that the concentration of at least one component of the material to be deposited can be modified in its gas phase prior to deposition on the substrate by selective binding of a specified quantity of the at least one component, wherein the selectively bound quantity of the at least one component can be controlled by modifying at least one control parameter that is actively coupled to a binding rate or the component. It further relates to a device for depositing a layer made of at least two components on an object, wherein a device for controlling the deposition process has at least one gettering element made of a reactive material, wherein the reactive material includes copper and/or molybdenum.

Abstract: A back contact substrate for a photovoltaic cell includes a carrier substrate and an electrode, the electrode including an alloy thin film based on at least two elements, at least one first element MA chosen among copper (Cu), silver (Ag) and gold (Au), and at least one second element MB chosen among zinc (Zn), titanium (Ti), tin (Sn), silicon (Si), germanium (Ge), zirconium (Zr), hafnium (Hf), carbon (C) and lead (Pb).

Abstract: A back contact substrate for a photovoltaic cell includes a carrier substrate and an electrode, the electrode including an alloy thin film based: on at least one among copper (Cu) and silver (Ag); and on zinc (Zn).

Abstract: A back contact substrate for a photovoltaic cell, including a carrier substrate and an electrode, the electrode including a conductive coating including a metallic thin film based on a metal or metal alloy; a barrier to selenization thin film for protecting the conductive coating and based on at least one among MoxOyNz, WxOyNz, TaxOyNz, NbxOyNz, RexOyNz.

Abstract: The invention relates to a multilayer body arrangement, which comprises at least two multilayer bodies each having at least one surface to be processed as well as at least one device for positioning the multilayer bodies, wherein the device is configured such that the respective surfaces to be processed are opposite each other and thus form a quasi-closed processing space disposed between the surfaces, in which the processing occurs. It further relates to a system for processing multilayer bodies with such a multilayer body arrangement, as well as a method for processing multilayer bodies, wherein the multilayer bodies are disposed such that the respective surfaces to be processed are opposite each other and thus form a quasi-closed processing space disposed between the surfaces, in which the processing occurs.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a layer system (1) for thin-film solar cells (100) and solar modules, comprising an absorber layer (4) that includes a chalcogenide compound semiconductor and a buffer layer (5) that is arranged on the absorber layer (4) and includes halogen-enriched InxSy with ??x/y?1, wherein the buffer layer (5) consists of a first layer region (5.1) adjoining the absorber layer (4) with a halogen mole fraction A1 and a second layer region (5.2) adjoining the first layer region (5.1) with a halogen mole fraction A2 and the ratio A1/A2 is ?2 and the layer thickness (d1) of the first layer region (5.1) is ?50% of the layer thickness (d) of the buffer layer (5).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a layer system (1) for thin-film solar cells with an absorber layer (4) that contains a chalcogenide compound semiconductor and a buffer layer (5) that is arranged on the absorber layer (4), wherein the buffer layer (5) contains NaxIn1SyClz with 0.05?x?0.2 or 0.2<x?0.5, 1?y?2, and 0.6?x/z?1.4.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device for heat treating an object, in particular a coated substrate, with an in particular gas-tightly sealable housing that encloses a hollow space, wherein the hollow space has a separating wall, by which the hollow space is divided into a process space for accommodating the object and an intermediate space, wherein the separating wall has one or a plurality of openings, which are implemented such that the separating wall acts as a barrier for the diffusion out of the process space into the intermediate space of a gaseous substance generated in the process space by the heat treatment of the object. The housing has at least one housing section coupled to a cooling device for its active cooling, wherein the separating wall is arranged between the object and the coolable housing section. The invention further relates to the use of a separating wall as a diffusion barrier in a device for heat treating an object as well as a corresponding method for heat treating an object.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for processing coated substrates, having the following features: at least one evacuable process box for accommodating at least one substrate with a gas-tightly sealable housing, which forms a hollow space, wherein the housing comprises at least one housing section, which is implemented such that the substrate is thermally treatable by incident electromagnetic thermal radiation, wherein the housing has at least one housing section coupleable to a cooling device for its cooling and at least one housing section not coupled to the cooling device, wherein the hollow space is divided by at least one separating wall into a process space for accommodating the substrate and an intermediate space, wherein the separating wall has one or a plurality of openings and is arranged between the substrate and the housing section coupled to the cooling device, and wherein the housing is provided with at least one sealable gas passage that opens into the hollow space, for evacuating and i

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process box for processing a coated substrate, with the following features: a gas-tightly sealable housing, which forms a hollow space; the housing comprises at least one housing section, which is implemented such that the substrate is heat treatable by electromagnetic thermal radiation incident on the housing section; the housing has at least one housing section coupleable to a cooling device for its cooling and at least one non-coolable housing section; the hollow space is divided by at least one separating wall into a process space for accommodating the substrate and an intermediate space, wherein the separating wall has one or a plurality of openings and is arranged between the substrate and the temperature-controlable housing section; the housing is provided with at least one sealable gas passage that opens into the hollow space, for evacuating and introducing process gas into the hollow space.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multilayer body arrangement 1 for the prevention of glass substrate deformation, comprising at least: a glass substrate 30, a functional coating 10, which is applied on one side of the glass substrate 30, an auxiliary layer 20, which is connected over its entire area to the side of the glass substrate 30 facing away from the functional coating 10, at least one emitter array 4 with a radiated power Ptot in the wavelength range from 250 nm to 4000 nm incident on the glass substrate 30 for heat-treating the functional coating 10, wherein the auxiliary layer 20 has an absorbed radiated power P20 from 10% to 60% of the incident radiated power Ptot.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for depositing a layer made of at least two components on an object, with a deposition chamber for disposing the object, at least one source with material to be deposited, as well as at least one device for controlling the deposition process, implemented such that the concentration of at least one component of the material to be deposited can be modified in its gas phase prior to deposition on the substrate by selective binding of a specified quantity of the at least one component, wherein the selectively bound quantity of the at least one component can be controlled by modifying at least one control parameter that is actively coupled to a binding rate or the component. It further relates to a device for depositing a layer made of at least two components on an object, wherein a device for controlling the deposition process has at least one gettering element made of a reactive material, wherein the reactive material includes copper and/or molybdenum.