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Synova
Laser MicroJet to be used for improving solar cell efficiency and reducing cost

LASER MICROJET TO BE USED FOR IMPROVING SOLAR CELL EFFICIENCY AND REDUCING COST


Synova, a manufacturer of water jet-guided laser technology, recently announced it has joined a research alliance led by Europe"s largest solar research organization, the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE), to explore new manufacturing methods that will both speed processing and improve the performance of solar cells.

Comprising industry leaders whose offerings span the photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing spectrum -- from raw materials to finished cells " the alliance is investigating the use of Synova"s Laser MicroJet (LMJ) technology with liquids other than pure water to prove its viability for wafering and microstructuring applications. Specifically, the alliance is exploring LMJ for laser chemical processing (LCP), an approach that extends beyond laser chemical etching to other processes, first published by ISE in 2001 at the European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference (EUPVSEC) in Munich.

Through this concerted research effort, the alliance members expect to produce a superior alternative to conventional lasers, chemical processes, diamond blade saws and multi-wire slurry saws, aimed to increase solar cell efficiency while lowering overall cell cost. While conventional lasers have yielded the most promising results for these processes to date, Synova"s LMJ -- a proven entity in the IC market due to its manufacturing and end-device performance advantages " can take these benefits even further. Its "wet" approach offers improved cell integrity by eliminating heat and silicon surface damage, as well as contamination from the process debris associated with "dry" lasers. Given LMJ"s advantages, coupled with the use of chemicals, the alliance is examining LCP"s ability to address a host of PV wafering and microstructuring techniques -- grooving, cutting, slicing, doping, etching, isolation and via drilling, to name a few.

Dr. Daniel Kray, head of group, Micro-patterning and Laser-chemical Technologies within Fraunhofer ISE"s Silicon Solar Cells Department, commented, "The solar industry is evolving rapidly, as are the manufacturing technologies that will enable its continued growth. The Institute is committed to effecting progress in this field, and is leveraging Synova"s Laser MicroJet to discover further applications that will help drive continued adoption of solar energy around the world." "Teaming with this renowned research institute and the other PV manufacturing leaders will enable Synova to join a collective brain trust that"s unmatched in the industry," noted Synova CEO Bernold Richerzhagen. "We"re excited by the prospect of exploring new opportunities to extend Laser MicroJet"s capability beyond the progress it has already brought to solar-cell production. Synova is deeply committed to pushing LMJ as far as it can go for the alternative energy space as well as other industries, and we warmly embrace strategic alliances like this to drive technology innovation and adoption." This research alliance is in part a follow-up to a preliminary study the Institute released in July 2007 on solar-cell edge isolation.

Synova
www.synova.ch
Fraunhofer ISE
www.ise.fhg.de
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