COMMON LASER MODULE FOR A PHOTOVOLTAIC PRODUCTION LINE
First Claim
1. A laser scribe module for scribing a series of trenches in multiple material layers, including at least a front contact layer, a photovoltaic layer, and a back contact layer, deposited on a substrate, comprising:
- an automation device configured to receive and transport the substrate within the module;
one or more reading devices configured to scan a unique reference designator assigned to the substrate;
a plurality of laser scribing tools, each configured to emit radiation at substantially the same wavelength; and
a system controller configured to receive information from the one or more reading devices, identify the material layer needing to be scribed, send commands to the automation device to transport the substrate to one of the plurality of laser scribing tools, and configure parameters of the laser scribing tool for scribing the identified material layer.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to an automated production line using a common laser scribe module for providing consistent scribe lines in multiple layers during the formation of thin film photovoltaic modules. The common laser scribe module includes a plurality of identical, programmable laser tools configured to emit radiation at a common wavelength. Substrates flowing through the production line are tracked by a system controller, which identifies available laser tools within the common laser scribe module and routes substrates to available tools for scribing features in one or more layers disposed on the substrates. The system controller also sets and controls laser parameters, such as power, pulse frequency, pulse width, and laser pattern, in order to accurately and consistently produce scribed lines in the appropriate material layer of the substrate.
33 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A laser scribe module for scribing a series of trenches in multiple material layers, including at least a front contact layer, a photovoltaic layer, and a back contact layer, deposited on a substrate, comprising:
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an automation device configured to receive and transport the substrate within the module; one or more reading devices configured to scan a unique reference designator assigned to the substrate; a plurality of laser scribing tools, each configured to emit radiation at substantially the same wavelength; and a system controller configured to receive information from the one or more reading devices, identify the material layer needing to be scribed, send commands to the automation device to transport the substrate to one of the plurality of laser scribing tools, and configure parameters of the laser scribing tool for scribing the identified material layer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A process for scribing lines in multiple layers of a solar cell device, comprising:
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receiving a substrate having one or more material layers disposed thereon into a laser scribe module, wherein the laser scribe has a plurality of laser scribe tools disposed therein, each laser scribe tool configured to emit radiation at substantially the same wavelength; transferring the substrate to an available laser scribe tool via an automation device and a system controller; setting parameters of the available laser scribe tool based on a top material layer disposed on the substrate via the system controller, wherein the top material layer is selected from the list consisting of a front contact layer, a photovoltaic layer, and a back contact layer; and scribing a series of lines into the top material layer via the available laser scribe tool and the system controller. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A system for fabricating solar cell modules, comprising:
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a loading module configured to receive a substrate having a front contact layer disposed thereon; a first processing module configured to receive the substrate having the front contact layer disposed thereon with a series of trenches scribed through the front contact layer and deposit a photovoltaic layer over the scribed front contact layer; a second processing module configured to receive the substrate having the photovoltaic layer disposed thereon with a series of trenches scribed through the photovoltaic layer and deposit a back contact layer over the scribed photovoltaic layer; a common laser module having a plurality of laser tools for scribing the series of lines in each layer deposited on the substrate, wherein each laser tool is configured to emit radiation at substantially the same wavelength; and a system controller configured to set and control parameters of each of the laser tools based on the top layer deposited on the substrate needing to be scribed. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A process for fabricating solar cell modules, comprising:
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receiving a substrate having a transparent conducting oxide layer deposited thereon into a common laser module having a plurality of laser scribing tools, wherein each laser scribing tool is configured to emit radiation at substantially the same wavelength; transferring the substrate to a first available laser scribing tool via an automation device and a system controller; setting at least a laser pulse frequency of the first available laser scribing tool via the system controller; scribing a series of trenches through the transparent conducting oxide layer; transferring the substrate into a first processing module having at least one cluster tool with at least one chamber via the automation device; depositing one or more photovoltaic layers over the scribed transparent conducting oxide layer; transferring the substrate having the one or more photovoltaic layers disposed thereon to a second available laser scribing tool within the common laser module via the automation device; setting at least a laser pulse frequency of the second available laser scribing tool via the system controller; scribing a series of trenches through the one or more photovoltaic layers; transferring the substrate into a second processing module having at least one deposition chamber; depositing a back contact layer over the scribed photovoltaic layers; transferring the substrate having the back contact layer deposited thereon to a third available laser scribing tool within the common laser module via the automation device; setting at least a laser pulse frequency of the third available laser scribing tool via the system controller; and scribing a series of trenches through the back contact layer. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25)
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Specification