Solar Cell Manufacturing Process

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses the process of solar cell manufacturing and looks at each step of the process in detail. The paper describes the processing stages of chlorine-free polysilicon production and describes the purity requirements for the silicon used in solar cells. The paper also briefly looks at the changes in the solar cell manufacturing industry over the past few years.

From the Paper:

"The very last step of manufacturing a solar cell is adding the electrodes (electrical contacts) and interconnection strips. Electrical contacts connect each solar cell to another, creating a solar panel, and then to the receiver of the produced current. The contacts must be very thin (at least in the front) so as not to block sunlight to the cell. Metals such as silver, nickel, or copper are vacuum-evaporated through either a photo-resister, silkscreen, or they can be deposited on the exposed portion of cells that have been partially covered with wax. All three methods involve a system where the part of the cell on which a contact is not desired is protected, while the rest of the cell is exposed to the metal. And finally, the interconnection strips are soldered into place. Flux is applied to cell interconnection strips before soldering to act as a deoxidizer. It ensures better adhesion between the solder and solar cells. This provides positive contact for an electrical current and greatly lowers the probability of the current shorting out. After applying the solder and flux, the cell surfaces need to be cleaned with a chlorofluorocarbon compound."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Crowell, Amanda. "Researchers Cut Solar Cell Production Time In Half". July 24, 1997. Georgia Tech Research News. November 29, 2007
• <http://gtresearchnews.gatech.edu/ newsrelease/SOLAR.html>.
• "Equipment for Solar Cell Production". November 29, 2007 <http://crystec.com/crysolae.htm>.
• "How Products Are Made". November 28, 2007 <http://www.madehow.com/Volume-1/Solar-Cell.html>.
• "New Manufacturing Process Captures More Light". October 12, 2007. November 28, 2007 <http://www.gizmag.com/go/8161/>.

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