3D-Micromac AG, a developer of laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser systems for the photovoltaic, medical device and electronics markets, is presenting its highly productive microCELL systems for laser processing of crystalline solar cells at the SNEC 2017 International Photovoltaic Power Generation Conference & Exhibition, to be held April 17-21 in Shanghai, China.

Second-generation microCELL OTF laser system from 3D-Micromac for laser contact opening (LCO) of high-efficiency PERC solar cells.

In addition to showcasing the microCELL TLS, a production solution for half-cell cutting with Thermal Laser Separation (TLS), 3D-Micromac will introduce its second-generation microCELL OTF system for Laser Contact Opening (LCO) of high-efficiency Passivated Emitter Rear Contact (PERC) solar cells.

The industry-proven microCELL OTF systems produce a selective opening on backside-passivated multi- and monocrystalline solar cells to allow more light to be absorbed by the solar cell. The newly introduced second-generation system provides outstanding productivity with a throughput of more than 8,000 wafers per hour–double the throughput of the previous-generation microCELL OTF system and well above that of competing solutions. This is facilitated by dual-lane wafer handling and on-the-fly laser processing.

The new tool generation meets customers’ requirements for inline integration into two- or three-line metallization machinery since the throughput of the single laser process step now matches that of the other process steps in the production line–ensuring that the laser process is not the bottleneck in material flow.

Besides PERC, the tool can also be used for laser-doped selective emitter processes.