An all‐sputtering process and equipment for CIGS solar cells. (4th October 2013)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lindström, Sven
• Is Part Of: Vakuum in Forschung und Praxis. Volume 25:Number 5(2013)
• Page Start: 43
• Page End: 45
• Publication Date: 2013-10-04
• Subjects: Vacuum technology -- Periodicals; 621.55
• DOI: 10.1002/vipr.201300534
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0947-076X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>The Swedish company Midsummer AB has developed an all‐sputtering process and equipment for CIGS solar cells. The company was founded in 2004 by people from the optical disc and flat panel display industry. Most CIGS solar cells are made on large glass substrates, another option is to make the solar cells with a roll‐to‐roll process on a flexible stainless steel substrate. Midsummer has chosen a third approach, by adopting the founders experience from the low cost optical disc industry. Instead of increasing the productivity by increasing the substrate size, they decided to design a machine and process that produces many small substrates with fast pace. Such a machine can be very compact and the productivity is achieved by using 25 small sputter chambers. Large scale production of solar cells can them be achieved by adding many small production systems, exactly as was in the case for optical discs, that eventually lead to an annual production capacity of 35 billion CDs and DVDs.</p> </abstract>