Title:	Gripping-in-Liquid: Handling Challenges for Automated Ultra-Thin Wafer Production
Author(s):	T. Giesen, P. Mayer, D. Stiels, R. Wertz, R. Martini, M. Debucquoy, A. Verl
Keywords:	Crystalline, Manufacturing and Processing, Substrate/s
Topic:	WAFER-BASED SILICON SOLAR CELLS AND MATERIALS TECHNOLOGY
Subtopic:	Manufacturing Issues and Processing
Event:	28th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition
Session:	2CV.4.24
Pages:	1726 - 1731
ISBN:	3-936338-33-7
Paper DOI:	10.4229/28thEUPVSEC2013-2CV.4.24
Price:	0,00 EUR
Document(s):	paper

Abstract/Summary:

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New approaches for future photovoltaic cell concepts issue a challenge to crystalline wafer handling. Especially concepts based on ultra-thin silicon wafers force automation developers to look even beyond the aims of the international PV manufacturing roadmap. As widely known, crystalline photovoltaic wafers are a very sensitive object for industrial production, especially for gripper-based handling solutions. The known wafering method “SLliM-cut” requires an additional cleaning step after a single wafer was detached from the parent substrate. To clean organic residues off substrates an etching bath is applied. In general, the investigation takes a look on the potential threads for thin foils such as cleaning a particle contamination off the substrate`s surface. The paper further discusses the opportunities and limits for the automated handling of ultra-thin objects in cleaning baths and presents an approach for a high-volume process control. The tested gripping principles and processing parameters for underwater gripping of ultra-thin wafers and the opportunities for withdrawing the ultra-thin wafers out of a liquid are presented.