Ultrafast lasers for the solar industry

1. ULTRAFAST LASERS IN THE SOLAR INDUSTRY
Project: APPOLO
23rd and 24th of June – Amsterdam

2. INDEX
1. PROBLEM AND SOLUTION
2. HOW I4MS HELPED
3. IMPACT

3. Hub of Application Laboratories for Equipment Assessment in Laser Based Manufacturing
onefive
Ultrafast Industrial Lasers
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June – Amsterdam
 2005 - Founded
 2007 - First product released
 2008 - Acquisition of A.L.S GmbH, Berlin
 2013 - Shipped 1000th laser modules
 2015 - 2000+ ultrafast lasers in 24/7 operation
 2015 - ISO 9001 + ISO 13485
 2016 - Moved to new facility covering > 2500 m2
 Based in Zürich, Switzerland & Berlin, Germany
 Class 10‘000 and class 1’000 clean rooms
 Class 100 assembly stations
 Operating a worldwide distribution and sales network
 Completely independent – no VCs, investors or Business Angels

4. PROBLEM AND SOLUTION
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June – Amsterdam
Laser Based Manufacturing – MAIN ISSUES AND CHALLENGES
 Increasing power level of pulsed lasers
 Laser beam delivery
 Laser-Machine integration/ Automation
 Laser robustness and reliability (24/7 operation in harsh environments)
 Built-In safety control features
 Low cost of ownership
 Analysis/testing/characterization of processed materials
Laser Based Manufacturing – MAIN TARGETS
 Reduce manufacturing costs
 Increase production speed
 Increase manufacturing efficiency Manufacturing Line
Mondragon GmbH
20 MW PV Panel Manufacturing Line
Hub of Application Laboratories for Equipment Assessment in Laser Based Manufacturing

5. CIGS thin-film structuring for solar cells - NEED
 High-efficiency solar modules based on Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film technology
 Thin-film patterning allows monolithic integration of cell-cell interconnects
 Replacement of needle-scribing with laser scribing
CIGS thin-film structuring for solar cells - BENEFITS
 Reduced width of interconnections
 Increased scribe quality
 Increased production speed
 Reduced manufacturing costs
PROBLEM AND SOLUTION
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June – Amsterdam
Hub of Application Laboratories for Equipment Assessment in Laser Based Manufacturing

6. PROBLEM AND SOLUTION
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June – Amsterdam
Customized picosecond fiber laser for scribing processes in thin film CIGS solar cells
CIGS thin-film structure
TCO: Transparent Conductive Oxide layer (front contact)
CIGS: Cu(InGa)Se2 (absorber layer)
Moly: Molybdenum (back contact)
LASER-BASED CIGS thin-film structuring for LARGE SOLAR CELL MODULES
 Large solar modules: high Ohmic losses due to high current densities in TCO
 Cell must be divided into strips connected in series to reduce losses
 Requires electrical interconnection between cells
 Interconnects can be realized by scribing on individual layers
 Laser scribing allows selective material removal to produce the connections
 P1 and P3 based on fast laser processes
 P2 remains slow and often based on mechanical needle scribes
P1 – P2 – P3 scribing
P1: creates cell separation in the Moly substrate
P2: removes the CIGS and exposes the Moly back contact
P3: creates cell separation in the TCO front contact
: electrical back-to-front contact (Moly to TCO)
A. Burn et al. Physics Procedia 41 (2013) 713-722
8-cell thin film mini module
EMPA, Switzerland
Mo/CIGS/TCO grown on glass substrate

7. PROBLEM AND SOLUTION
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June – Amsterdam
P2 scribe on Mo/CIGS/TCO on glass substrate
 Clear exposure of the Moby layer
 No micro-cracks
 No melting
 Further increase of scribe velocity possible
A. Burn et al., Pro. SPIE 9735 (2016) 973504-1:13
Microscope image of P2 scribe
Bern University of Applied Science
P2 scribe on Mo/CIGS/IZO on glass
Realized with the Genki XP laser
Customized picosecond fiber laser for scribing processes in thin film CIGS solar cells
Genki – 10 XP
Onefive GmbH, Switzerland
High-energy picosecond fiber laser
Genki XP picosecond laser for P2 scribing achieving 390 mm/s scribing velocity
 Pulse energy increased from 100 mJ to 400 mJ
 Pulse duration 10 ps
 Operate at <50 kHz REPETITION RATE
 Provide high AMPLITUDE STABILITY
 SYNCHRONIZED with the system
 Provide full CONTROLLABILITY, RELIABILITY and optimal performance
 Provide Built-In SAFETY CONTROL features
 OPERATE 24/7 in harsh environments

8. HOW I4MS HELPED
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June – Amsterdam
Lab scribing machine based on x-y linear motion system
Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, Switzerland
ALPS – Applied Laser, Photonics and Surface technologies group
SMEs have limited resources for development and market penetration of new solutions
Global approach to complexity through the hub of application laboratories
 Fiber lasers represent a cost-competitive solution (Laser manufacturing)
 Lasers must be tested in a close-to-industry scribing machine (System integrators)
 High quality, commercial samples are required (Component providers)
 Industrial integration and automation are required (Large integrators)
 Scribe procedure must be evaluated, defined, tested and standardized (App. Labs)

9. EMPA, Switzerland
Thin Film Solar Cells on flexible and rigid substrates
Flisom AG, Switzerland
Thin Films on flexible polyimide substrate
HOW I4MS HELPED
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June – Amsterdam
Onefive GmbH, Switzerland
High energy picosecond laser system
Bern University of Applied Sciences BFH, Switzerland
Equipment assembly, system evaluation, process implementation,
process analysis and testing, process validation
Cluster allows fast validation of process feasibility and equipment integration
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10. IMPACT
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June – Amsterdam
Target large penetration in the solar market
 Standardization of laser-based solar cell scribing
 Bring a cost-effective solution into the market
 Bring higher efficiency in solar cell production
 Increase the volume capability solar cell production
 Induce higher solar installation capability
 Increase Onefive market share in the solar industry
Exploitation plan
Expected evolution of global solar PV cumulative installed capacity 2000-2019
 40 GW of PV systems globally installed in 2014
 178 GW global cumulative capacity reached in 2014
 540 GW expected globally by 2019
 Solar Power could grow 80% in Europe by 2019
©SolarPowerEurope2015/GLOBALPOWEROUTLOOKFORSOLARPOWER2015-2019

11. IMPACT
I4MS 2016: FOSTERING DIGITAL INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION IN EUROPE · 23rd and 24th of June – Amsterdam
Expected significant revenue increase 2016-2019
 Shortened development time by 30%
 Reduced system implementation, test and analysis costs by 70%
 Shortened time to process validation by 50%
 Fastened solar market access
 Created already 2 new technical jobs in the company
 Expected sales increase to 20 units/year in the next 3 years
 Expected 2-4 new technical jobs in the next 5 years
 Expected revenue increase by 3M€ in the next 3 years
Business impact and market access for Onefive

12. THANK YOU
FOR YOUR ATTENTION