Aerosol Jet deposition systems enable the production of higher efficiency solar cells than is possible through traditional screen-printing techniques. With Aerosol Jet technology you can print fine feature collector and bus-bar lines at ambient temperature without masks or stencils. Aerosol Jet technology is a Direct Write™, non-contact print process enabling the deposition of photovoltaic materials onto planar and non-planar substrates. Used in conjunction with a Light Induced Plating process, Aerosol Jet systems are enabling the industry's first, non-contact fine line printing solution for photovoltaic applications. Fine feature collector lines with widths between 18 um and 60 um have been produced with Aerosol Jet systems by using new and modified versions of existing screen-printing materials. The narrower, high integrity collector lines have higher conductivity and a lower shadowing effect thereby increasing photovoltaic cell efficiency. And because the process is non-contact, Aerosol Jet systems can print on thinner wafers and with less breakage than screen printing techniques.

The advantages of Aerosol Jet technology for photovoltaic applications include:

• Conformal Direct Write, non contact printing
• Fine feature deposition (< 20 um)
• Produces high integrity circuitry (no conductor breaks)
• Controlled deposition thickness
• Supports non-planar and planar substrates
• Process thinner wafers
• Less breakage/higher yields

Ideal Platform for Photovoltaic Research & Development Leading Research Institutions and Universities are currently using Aerosol Jet systems to develop new materials and processes for higher efficiency photovoltaic wafers. The Aerosol Jet Solar Lab system is ideally configured with both multi-nozzle and single nozzle heads to enable rapid prototyping of photovoltaic wafers. The combination of fine line printing and wide material support makes Aerosol Jet systems the best choice for photovoltaic research applications.

Using Aerosol Jet technology in conjunction with Light Induced Plating, cell efficiency as high as 18.3% and fill factors of 81% were achieved... Source: Fraunhofer ISE

40 nozzle Aerosol Jet head for volume production

Scalable for High Volume Production Aerosol Jet technology is currently in preproduction trials for high volume solar cell manufacturing. Equipped with an integrated 40 nozzle material deposition head, the Aerosol Jet system is printing at the rate of one 156mm PV wafer every ~ 3 seconds. The modular design enables the addition of parallel print stations for higher throughput. A tandem Aerosol Jet print station for bus bars can also be added.