A method and device for making grooves on electroplating mask using laser etching process

Abstract

The present invention belongs to the technical field of photovoltaic solar cell manufacturing, and specifically discloses a method and device for making grooves on an electroplating mask using a laser etching process, comprising the following steps: S1, mask material selection, selecting a mask material for laser etching, the material should have good laser absorption and thermal stability, and be easy to adhere to the surface of a solar cell; S2, mask coating, uniformly coating a layer of the selected mask material on the surface to be electroplated of the solar cell; S3, laser etching and grooving, etching the mask layer using a high-precision laser device to form grooves in the area to be electroplated; S4, electroplating process, placing a grooved battery sample in an electroplating tank, and using an electrochemical method to deposit metals such as copper, silver or nickel in the grooved area to form electrodes or conductive grid lines; S5, mask removal, after the electroplating is completed, removing the residual mask material by a solvent or a physical method to expose the electroplated metal pattern.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of photovoltaic solar cell manufacturing, and in particular to a method and a device for making grooves on an electroplating mask by using a laser etching process. Background Art

[0002] In the process of solar cell manufacturing, electroplating technology is widely used to form metal electrodes in order to improve the efficiency of the cells and reduce production costs. However, in order to ensure that the metal is deposited only in specific areas, a mask material is usually required to cover other areas. In the prior art, mask grooving is usually done by photolithography or mechanical processing. These methods have problems such as complex process, low precision, and material waste. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a new process to simplify the mask grooving steps while improving the grooving accuracy and production efficiency. Summary of the invention

[0003] The object of the present invention is to provide a method and device for cutting grooves on a plating mask using a laser etching process, so as to solve the problems raised in the above-mentioned background technology.

[0004] To achieve the above object, the present invention provides the following technical solution: a method for cutting grooves on an electroplating mask using a laser etching process, comprising the following steps:

[0005] S1. Mask material selection: Select the mask material for laser etching. The material should have good laser absorption and thermal stability and be easy to adhere to the surface of the solar cell.

[0006] S2, mask coating, uniformly coating a layer of selected mask material on the surface to be electroplated of the solar cell.

[0007] S3, laser etching slotting, using high-precision laser equipment to etch the mask layer, form slots in the area to be plated, and remove the mask material. Parameters such as laser wavelength, power, and scanning speed are optimized according to the characteristics of the mask material to achieve precise graphic control.

[0008] S4, electroplating process, placing the slotted battery sample in an electroplating tank, and using electrochemical methods to deposit metals such as copper, silver or nickel in the slotted area to form electrodes or conductive grid lines.

[0009] During the electroplating process, the mask material in the unetched area can effectively prevent metal deposition, thereby ensuring that the metal is deposited only in the desired pattern area.

[0010] S5. Mask removal: After the electroplating is completed, the remaining mask material is removed by solvent or physical method to expose the electroplated metal pattern.

[0011] The solar cell after the mask is removed is cleaned and dried to ensure the electrical performance and surface quality of the cell.

[0012] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mask material includes epoxy resin, acrylate photosensitive resin or polyimide film.

[0013] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mask coating may be coated by spin coating, spray coating or screen printing, and the thickness of the mask layer after coating is usually controlled between 1-100 microns to ensure accurate grooving during laser etching.

[0014] During the etching process, the laser beam can quickly remove the mask material, forming clean, smooth groove edges without damaging the underlying solar cell material.

[0015] In summary, the present invention further proposes a device for making grooves on an electroplating mask using a laser etching process, including a high-precision laser device.

[0016] The high-precision laser equipment comprises a base, a workbench component, a longitudinal adjustment component and a lateral adjustment component.

[0017] The workbench assembly is arranged in the middle of the base, a support column is fixed on the back of the base, a longitudinal adjustment assembly is arranged at the top of the support column, a transverse adjustment assembly is arranged below the longitudinal adjustment assembly, an electric push rod is arranged below the transverse adjustment assembly, and a laser etching device is arranged at the output end of the electric push rod. The workbench assembly is used to place solar cell materials, the longitudinal adjustment assembly is used to adjust the longitudinal position of the laser etching device, and the transverse adjustment assembly is used to adjust the transverse position of the laser etching device.

[0018] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the workbench assembly includes a bracket, a workbench body and a connecting rod, wherein the workbench body is fixed in the middle of the bracket, a connecting rod is fixed at the corner of the bracket, and the bracket is fixed to the base through the connecting rod. The workbench body is used to place solar cell materials.

[0019] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of suction holes are provided on the workbench body, and an exhaust fan is provided under each suction hole. After the solar cell material is placed, the exhaust fan is used to suck the solar cell material through the suction hole, thereby achieving the effect of limiting the solar cell material.

[0020] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the longitudinal adjustment assembly includes a first slide rail, a first screw rod, a first slider and a first drive motor, the first slide rail is fixed to the support column, the first screw rod and the first slider are arranged on the inner side of the first slide rail, the first screw rod passes through the first slider and is threadedly connected, the end of the first screw rod is rotatably connected to the first slide rail, the first drive motor is located at the end of the first slide rail, and the drive shaft of the first drive motor is connected to the first screw rod. The first drive motor drives the first screw rod to rotate, the first screw rod drives the first slider to move, and the first slider drives the lateral adjustment assembly to move.

[0021] As a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lateral adjustment assembly includes a second slide rail, a second screw rod, a second slider and a second drive motor. The second slide rail is fixed to the first slider. The second screw rod and the second slider are arranged on the inner side of the second slide rail. The second screw rod passes through the second slider and is threadedly connected. The end of the second screw rod is rotatably connected to the second slide rail. The second drive motor is located at the end of the second slide rail, and the drive shaft of the second drive motor is connected to the second screw rod. The electric push rod is fixed under the second slider. The second drive motor drives the second screw rod to rotate, and the second screw rod drives the second slider to move, so that the second slider drives the laser etching device to move.

[0022] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0023] 1. High precision: Laser etching can achieve sub-micron graphic accuracy, ensuring precise control of the electroplating area, thereby improving the conductivity and efficiency of solar cells.

[0024] 2. Process simplification: Compared with traditional photolithography or mechanical processing methods, the laser etching process has simple steps and does not require complicated photolithography mask production process, reducing process time and cost.

[0025] 3. High material utilization rate: Laser etching is a non-contact process, which will not cause mechanical damage, silicon wafer breakage and material waste, thus improving the material utilization rate.

[0026] 4. Strong adaptability: The laser etching process is suitable for a variety of mask materials, and can adapt to different battery designs and requirements by adjusting laser parameters, with good process adaptability and flexibility. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the process of the present invention;

[0028] Figure 2 It is a schematic diagram of the three-dimensional structure of the present invention;

[0029] Figure 3 The structure of the workbench assembly of the present invention is schematically shown. Figure 1 ;

[0030] Figure 4 The structure of the workbench assembly of the present invention is schematically shown. Figure 2 ;

[0031] Figure 5 It is a schematic diagram of the structure of the longitudinal adjustment component and the transverse adjustment component of the present invention.

[0032] In the figure: 1. base; 2. workbench assembly; 201. bracket; 202. workbench body; 2021. suction hole; 2022. exhaust fan; 203. connecting rod; 3. support column; 4. longitudinal adjustment assembly; 401. first slide rail; 402. first screw rod; 403. first slider; 404. first drive motor; 5. transverse adjustment assembly; 501. second slide rail; 502. second screw rod; 503. second slider; 504. second drive motor; 6. electric push rod; 7. laser etching device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present invention to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present invention, not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by ordinary technicians in this field without creative work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0034] In the description of the present invention, it should be noted that the terms "vertical", "up", "down", "horizontal", etc. indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present invention.

[0035] In the description of the present invention, it is also necessary to explain that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "set", "install", "connect", and "connect" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two elements. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0036] See also Figure 1 The present invention provides a technical solution, a method for making grooves on an electroplating mask using a laser etching process, comprising the following steps:

[0037] S1. Mask material selection: Select the mask material for laser etching. The material should have good laser absorption and thermal stability and be easy to adhere to the surface of the solar cell.

[0038] S2, mask coating, uniformly coating a layer of selected mask material on the surface to be electroplated of the solar cell.

[0039] S3, laser etching slotting, using high-precision laser equipment to etch the mask layer, form slots in the area to be plated, and remove the mask material. Parameters such as laser wavelength, power, and scanning speed are optimized according to the characteristics of the mask material to achieve precise graphic control.

[0040] S4, electroplating process, placing the slotted battery sample in an electroplating tank, and using electrochemical methods to deposit metals such as copper, silver or nickel in the slotted area to form electrodes or conductive grid lines.

[0041] During the electroplating process, the mask material in the unetched area can effectively prevent metal deposition, thereby ensuring that the metal is deposited only in the desired pattern area.

[0042] S5. Mask removal: After the electroplating is completed, the remaining mask material is removed by solvent or physical method to expose the electroplated metal pattern.

[0043] The solar cell after the mask is removed is cleaned and dried to ensure the electrical performance and surface quality of the cell.

[0044] Furthermore, the mask material includes epoxy resin, acrylate photoresist or polyimide film.

[0045] Furthermore, the mask coating may be applied by spin coating, spray coating or screen printing, and the thickness of the mask layer after coating is usually controlled between 1-100 microns to ensure accurate grooving during laser etching.

[0046] During the etching process, the laser beam can quickly remove the mask material, forming clean, smooth groove edges without damaging the underlying solar cell material.

[0047] See also Figure 2-5 The present invention also proposes a device for making grooves on an electroplating mask using a laser etching process, including a high-precision laser device.

[0048] The high-precision laser equipment comprises a base 1 , a workbench assembly 2 , a longitudinal adjustment assembly 4 and a lateral adjustment assembly 5 .

[0049] The workbench assembly 2 is arranged in the middle of the base 1, a support column 3 is fixed on the back of the base 1, a longitudinal adjustment assembly 4 is arranged at the top of the support column 3, a transverse adjustment assembly 5 is arranged below the longitudinal adjustment assembly 4, an electric push rod 6 is arranged below the transverse adjustment assembly 5, and a laser etching device 7 is arranged at the output end of the electric push rod 6. The workbench assembly 2 is used to place solar cell materials, the longitudinal adjustment assembly 4 is used to adjust the longitudinal position of the laser etching device 7, and the transverse adjustment assembly 5 is used to adjust the transverse position of the laser etching device 7.

[0050] Furthermore, the workbench assembly 2 includes a bracket 201, a workbench body 202 and a connecting rod 203. The workbench body 202 is fixed at the middle position of the bracket 201. The connecting rod 203 is fixed at the corner of the bracket 201. The bracket 201 is fixed to the base 1 through the connecting rod 203. The workbench body 202 is used to place solar cell materials.

[0051] Furthermore, a plurality of suction holes 2021 are provided on the workbench body 202, and an exhaust fan 2022 is provided under each suction hole 2021. After placing the solar cell material, the exhaust fan 2022 is used to suck the solar cell material through the suction hole 2021, thereby achieving the effect of limiting the solar cell material.

[0052] Furthermore, the longitudinal adjustment assembly 4 includes a first slide rail 401, a first screw rod 402, a first slider 403 and a first drive motor 404. The first slide rail 401 is fixed to the support column 3. The first screw rod 402 and the first slider 403 are arranged inside the first slide rail 401. The first screw rod 402 passes through the first slider 403 and is threadedly connected. The end of the first screw rod 402 is rotatably connected to the first slide rail 401. The first drive motor 404 is located at the end of the first slide rail 401, and the drive shaft of the first drive motor 404 is connected to the first screw rod 402. The first drive motor 404 drives the first screw rod 402 to rotate, the first screw rod 402 drives the first slider 403 to move, and the first slider 403 drives the lateral adjustment assembly 5 to move.

[0053] Further, the lateral adjustment assembly 5 includes a second slide rail 501, a second screw rod 502, a second slider 503 and a second drive motor 504. The second slide rail 501 is fixed to the first slider 403. The second screw rod 502 and the second slider 503 are arranged inside the second slide rail 501. The second screw rod 502 passes through the second slider 503 and is threadedly connected. The end of the second screw rod 502 is rotatably connected to the second slide rail 501. The second drive motor 504 is located at the end of the second slide rail 501, and the drive shaft of the second drive motor 504 is connected to the second screw rod 502. The electric push rod 6 is fixed below the second slider 503. The second drive motor 504 drives the second screw rod 502 to rotate, and the second screw rod 502 drives the second slider 503 to move, so that the second slider 503 drives the laser etching device 7 to move.

[0054] To sum up, when the device is in use, it is only necessary to place the solar cell coated with a layer of mask material on the workbench body 202, and then start the exhaust fan 2022 so that the exhaust fan 2022 generates suction, and sucks the solar cell through the suction hole 2021, thereby restricting it, and then start the electric push rod 6 so that the electric push rod 6 pushes the laser etching device 7 to move downward, and adjust the height of the laser etching device 7. After adjustment, the laser etching device 7 can be used to perform laser etching. During the etching process, the longitudinal position of the laser etching device can be changed by using the longitudinal adjustment component 4, and its transverse position can be adjusted by using the transverse adjustment component 5, thereby changing the shape of the laser etching.

[0055] It is worth noting that the entire device is controlled by a main control button. Since the device matched with the control button is a common device and belongs to the existing mature technology, its electrical connection relationship and specific circuit structure will not be described in detail here.

[0056] Although embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations may be made to the embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the present invention, and that the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A method for cutting grooves on an electroplating mask using a laser etching process, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1. Mask material selection: select the mask material for laser etching. The material should have good laser absorption and thermal stability and be easy to adhere to the surface of the solar cell. S2, mask coating, uniformly coating a layer of selected mask material on the surface to be electroplated of the solar cell; S3, laser etching and grooving, using high-precision laser equipment to etch the mask layer, forming grooves in the area to be electroplated, and removing the mask material; S4, electroplating process, placing the slotted battery sample in an electroplating tank, and using electrochemical methods to deposit metals such as copper, silver or nickel in the slotted area to form electrodes or conductive grid lines; S5, removing the mask. After the electroplating is completed, the remaining mask material is removed by a solvent or a physical method to expose the electroplated metal pattern. The solar cell after the mask is removed is cleaned and dried.

2. The method for cutting grooves on a plating mask using a laser etching process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mask material includes epoxy resin, acrylate photosensitive resin or polyimide film.

3. The method for cutting grooves on a plating mask using a laser etching process according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mask coating may be applied by spin coating, spray coating or screen printing, and the thickness of the mask layer after coating is usually controlled between 1 and 100 microns.

4. The device used in the method for cutting grooves on an electroplating mask using a laser etching process according to claims 1-3, characterized in that: Includes high-precision laser equipment; The high-precision laser equipment comprises a base (1), a workbench assembly (2), a longitudinal adjustment assembly (4) and a lateral adjustment assembly (5); The workbench assembly (2) is arranged in the middle of the base (1); a support column (3) is fixed on the back of the base (1); a longitudinal adjustment assembly (4) is arranged at the top of the support column (3); a transverse adjustment assembly (5) is arranged below the longitudinal adjustment assembly (4); an electric push rod (6) is arranged below the transverse adjustment assembly (5); and a laser etching device (7) is arranged at the output end of the electric push rod (6).

5. The method for cutting grooves on a plating mask using a laser etching process according to claim 4, characterized in that: The workbench assembly (2) comprises a bracket (201), a workbench body (202) and a connecting rod (203); the workbench body (202) is fixed at the middle position of the bracket (201); the connecting rod (203) is fixed at the corner of the bracket (201); and the bracket (201) is fixed to the base (1) via the connecting rod (203).

6. The method for cutting grooves on a plating mask using a laser etching process according to claim 5, characterized in that: A plurality of suction holes (2021) are provided on the workbench body (202), and an exhaust fan (2022) is provided below each suction hole (2021).

7. The method for cutting grooves on an electroplating mask using a laser etching process according to claim 4, characterized in that: The longitudinal adjustment component (4) comprises a first slide rail (401), a first screw rod (402), a first slider (403) and a first drive motor (404); the first slide rail (401) is fixed to the support column (3); the first screw rod (402) and the first slider (403) are arranged on the inner side of the first slide rail (401); the first screw rod (402) passes through the first slider (403) and is threadedly connected; the end of the first screw rod (402) is rotatably connected to the first slide rail (401); the first drive motor (404) is located at the end of the first slide rail (401); and the drive shaft of the first drive motor (404) is connected to the first screw rod (402).

8. The method for cutting grooves on an electroplating mask using a laser etching process according to claim 4, characterized in that: The lateral adjustment component (5) comprises a second slide rail (501), a second screw rod (502), a second slider (503) and a second drive motor (504); the second slide rail (501) is fixed to the first slider (403); the second screw rod (502) and the second slider (503) are arranged on the inner side of the second slide rail (501); the second screw rod (502) passes through the second slider (503) and is threadedly connected; the end of the second screw rod (502) is rotatably connected to the second slide rail (501); the second drive motor (504) is located at the end of the second slide rail (501); the drive shaft of the second drive motor (504) is connected to the second screw rod (502); and the electric push rod (6) is fixed below the second slider (503).

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