Roth & Rau AG, a member of the Meyer Burger Technology Group (SIX Swiss Exchange: MBTN) has developed new technology for its “CAMiNI” firing furnace which sets new standards in terms of temperature stability and repeatability. The CAMiNI has also successfully qualified for use in mass production processes.
A major Taiwanese cell manufacturer deployed the CAMiNI furnace for the first time in its production lines. By the end of the qualification stage, involving a 1,000,000 wafer endurance trial, the manufacturer reported better process results than those achieved with competitor products. This success is due above all to the technologies newly developed for CAMiNI, which enable processes to be adapted flexibly to different cell types and which set new standards in terms of temperature stability and repeatability.
Alongside its maintenance-free ceramic roller transport system, the integrated drier system within CAMiNI enables users to significantly shorten the processes involved. Based on the results achieved, the conclusions drawn by the first CAMiNI customer were especially positive. On the one hand, the company achieved maximum cell efficiency rates of up to 19.14% during the qualification stage (average: 19.0%), while at the same time significantly reducing energy consumption (approx. 50%) and reporting extremely low breakage rates. On the other hand, it was possible to avoid negative effects, such as metal contamination and reverse side effects. Roth & Rau has thus proven that the new furnace can be deployed in mass production in spite of its exceptionally compact construction and that it is able to achieve better results than significantly larger furnaces. In the longer term, this furnace should enable customers not only to achieve efficiency enhancements, but above all to generate substantial operating cost savings.
During the firing process, the contact lines printed on the solar cell are burnt in and thus connected with internal emitters, enabling electricity to be conducted out of the cell.
As a product which is especially suited for implementation within existing production lines, the CAMiNI firing furnace further strengthens the Meyer Burger Group’s innovative system offering in photovoltaic technology.
