METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INSPECTING SCRIBES IN SOLAR MODULES
First Claim
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1. An apparatus for inspecting scribed trenches in a partially formed solar module, comprising:
- a first illumination source positioned to illuminate a back surface of the partially formed solar module;
an inspection device positioned to capture an image of a region of the back surface of the partially formed solar module; and
a system controller in communication with the first illumination source and the inspection device, wherein the system controller is configured to receive and analyze the image received from the inspection device.
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Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to a method and apparatus for inspecting and analyzing the spacing of isolation trenches scribed in a solar module during the fabrication process. In one embodiment, images of the scribed trenches are captured and analyzed at various points in the fabrication process. The results may then be used either manually or in an automated fashion to diagnose, alter, and tune upstream processes for improved scribe spacing on subsequently processed solar modules.
29 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for inspecting scribed trenches in a partially formed solar module, comprising:
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a first illumination source positioned to illuminate a back surface of the partially formed solar module; an inspection device positioned to capture an image of a region of the back surface of the partially formed solar module; and a system controller in communication with the first illumination source and the inspection device, wherein the system controller is configured to receive and analyze the image received from the inspection device. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A method of inspecting scribed trenches in a partially formed solar module, comprising:
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receiving the partially formed solar module having at least a front contact layer disposed thereon with one or more first trenches scribed in the front contact layer and a photovoltaic layer disposed over the front contact layer having one or more second trenches scribed in the photovoltaic layer; illuminating a back surface of the partially formed solar module; and optically inspecting a region of the partially formed solar module having at least a portion of the one or more first trenches and at least a portion of the one or more second trenches disposed therein while illuminating the back surface of the partially formed solar module, wherein optically inspecting comprises capturing an image of the region and analyzing a position or orientation of the portion of the one or more first trenches relative to the portion of the one or more second trenches. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for fabricating solar modules, comprising:
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a first scribing module configured to scribe one or more first trenches in a front contact layer of a solar cell substrate; one or more cluster tools having at least one chamber configured to deposit at least one photovoltaic layer over the front contact layer; a second scribing module configured to scribe one or more second trenches in the at least one photovoltaic layer; a first optical inspection module having a first illumination source and an inspection device configured to capture an image of at least a portion of the first and second trenches; and a system controller in communication with at least the first scribing module, the second scribing module and the optical inspection module, wherein the system controller is configured to receive and analyze the image of the portion of the first and second trenches, and wherein the system controller is configured to alter parameters of at least one of the first and second scribing modules in response to the analyzed image. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A process for fabricating solar modules, comprising:
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receiving a solar cell substrate having at least a front contact layer disposed thereon; scribing one or more first trenches in the front contact layer via a first scribing module; depositing a photovoltaic layer over the front contact layer; scribing one or more second trenches in the photovoltaic layer via a second scribing module; capturing an image of at least a portion of the first and second trenches while illuminating a back surface of the solar cell substrate; analyzing the captured image of the at least a portion of the first and second trenches by analyzing a position or orientation of at least a portion of the one or more first trenches with respect to at least a portion of the one or more second trenches; and altering one or more process parameters of at least one of the first and second scribing modules based on the analyzed image of the at least a portion of the first and second trenches. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification