A tooling for fabricating silicon-based solar cells
By using racks and fixing lines to fix silicon-based solar cell precursors in a vertical coating equipment, the problem of unstable fixation of thin and brittle silicon substrates was solved, enabling the fabrication of high-efficiency silicon-based solar cells and improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency and production stability of the cells.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SHENZHEN APG MATERIAL TECH
- Filing Date
- 2025-08-01
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-31
AI Technical Summary
In the fabrication of high-efficiency silicon-based solar cells, vertical coating equipment results in unstable and easily damaged thin silicon substrates, affecting the effective area and production stability of the cells.
A rack and taut fixing wires are used to fix the silicon-based solar cell precursor in a vertical coating equipment. The fixing wires form linear grooves during the coating process, which are then used to fill the metal grid lines, enhancing adhesion and improving cell efficiency.
It achieves stable fixation of thin and brittle silicon substrates, preventing them from tipping over or breaking, increases the contact area between the metal grid lines and the conductive layer, reduces contact resistance, extends battery life and improves photoelectric conversion efficiency, simplifies the process and reduces production costs.
Smart Images
Figure CN224578345U_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This application belongs to the field of solar cell manufacturing equipment technology, and in particular relates to a tooling for the preparation of silicon-based solar cells. Background Technology
[0002] In the fabrication of solar cells, reactive plasma deposition (RPD) is an important coating technology. In traditional horizontal RPD equipment, the cell substrate is placed horizontally. During the coating process, target debris and residual powder generated are prone to falling off and accumulating in the crucible or seeping into the gaps of critical components under the influence of gravity, frequently causing target jamming problems. This seriously affects the continuity and stability of production and increases maintenance costs.
[0003] To address these issues, the industry has developed vertical RPD coating equipment. In this equipment, the battery substrate is placed vertically, and the residue generated by the target falls to a waste collection area far from the core components under gravity, significantly reducing the risk of target jamming and increasing continuous production time. However, vertical equipment faces new challenges when applied to high-efficiency silicon-based solar cells (such as HJT and BC cells). The silicon substrates used in these cells are typically very thin and fragile, making them extremely unstable when placed vertically, prone to tipping or breaking. If traditional mechanical clamps are used, the edges of the substrate will be obstructed, reducing the effective coating area and ultimately affecting the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the cell.
[0004] Therefore, how to provide a silicon-based solar cell fabrication fixture that can stably fix thin and brittle silicon substrates for vertical coating processes without sacrificing the effective area of the cells has become a technical problem that urgently needs to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this application is to provide a tooling for the fabrication of silicon-based solar cells, which aims to solve the problem of unstable fixation and easy damage of silicon substrates when using vertical coating equipment in the prior art.
[0006] To achieve the above objectives, this application adopts the following technical solution:
[0007] A silicon-based solar cell fabrication fixture for fixing a silicon-based solar cell precursor in a vertical coating equipment includes: a shelf for supporting the silicon-based solar cell precursor in a vertical position; and at least one set of fixing lines disposed on the shelf and configured to span and adhere to the surface of the silicon-based solar cell precursor to be coated when taut. The fixing lines serve to shield the deposition process when a transparent conductive layer is deposited on the surface of the silicon-based solar cell precursor, thereby forming linear grooves corresponding to the fixing lines on the transparent conductive layer.
[0008] This invention discloses a silicon-based solar cell fabrication fixture for fixing a silicon-based solar cell precursor in a vertical coating apparatus, comprising:
[0009] A shelf (1) is provided for supporting the silicon-based solar cell precursor (2) in a vertical position; and
[0010] At least one set of fixing wires (13) are provided on the shelf (1) and configured to span and adhere to the surface of the silicon-based solar cell precursor (2) to be coated in a taut state.
[0011] The fixing line (13) is used to fix and shield the transparent conductive layer (3) deposited on the surface of the silicon-based solar cell precursor (2), thereby forming a linear groove (21) corresponding to the fixing line (13) on the transparent conductive layer (3).
[0012] Preferably, the shelf (1) includes a plurality of vertically stacked shelf layers (12), and a plurality of thread holes (11) are provided on at least one side of the shelf layer (12), and the fixing line (13) passes through the thread hole (11) and is taut; the fixing line (13) is a plurality of parallel lines.
[0013] Preferably, the plurality of thread holes (11) are evenly arranged in the vertical direction, and the thread holes (11) of each storage layer (12) are aligned one by one.
[0014] Preferably, the plurality of thread holes (11) are evenly arranged in the horizontal direction, and the thread holes (11) of each storage layer (12) are aligned left and right.
[0015] Preferably, the diameter of the fixing wire is 20µm to 400µm;
[0016] And / or, the spacing between two adjacent fixed lines is 1 mm to 60 mm.
[0017] Preferably, the diameter of the fixing wire is 20µm to 40µm, or 250µm to 400µm;
[0018] And / or, the spacing between two adjacent fixed lines (13) is 1 mm to 2 mm, or 5 mm to 30 mm.
[0019] Preferably, the material of the fixing wire (13) includes at least one of nylon wire, copper wire, and molybdenum wire.
[0020] Preferably, the ratio of the diameter of the thread hole (11) to the diameter of the fixing wire (13) is 1.1:1 to 1.5:1.
[0021] Preferably, the shelf (1) is adapted to carry a heterojunction solar cell precursor or a back-contact solar cell precursor.
[0022] Preferably, the shelf (1) is provided with wire holes (111, 112) on both opposite sides, for fixing wire (13) to fix the front and back of the silicon-based solar cell precursor (2) at the same time.
[0023] Compared with the prior art, this application has the following beneficial effects:
[0024] The silicon-based solar cell fabrication fixture provided in this application uses taut fixing lines on a shelf to flexibly contact and secure the vertically placed silicon-based solar cell precursor. This ensures the stability of the thin and fragile substrate during the vertical deposition process, preventing it from tipping over or breaking, and avoids the obstruction of the effective area of the substrate by traditional mechanical clamps, thus guaranteeing the cell's efficiency. More ingeniously, these fixing lines naturally act as a mask during the deposition of the transparent conductive layer (such as TCO), directly forming linear grooves beneath it. During subsequent fabrication of the metal grid lines, metal paste can fill these grooves, increasing the contact area between the grid lines and the conductive layer, reducing contact resistance, and forming an anchoring structure that significantly enhances the adhesion of the grid lines, preventing them from detaching. This improves cell conversion efficiency while extending its lifespan. This fixture has a simple structure, combining substrate fixation and groove fabrication into one function, eliminating the need for complex and expensive additional processes such as laser etching, greatly simplifying the process and reducing production costs. Attached Figure Description
[0025] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0026] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a storage rack provided in one embodiment of this application;
[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a storage rack provided in another embodiment of this application;
[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the shelf provided in this application after the silicon-based solar cell precursor is mounted and fixed.
[0029] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of a shelf provided in an embodiment of this application for mounting and fixing a single silicon-based solar cell precursor;
[0030] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 A sectional view;
[0031] Figure 6 yes Figure 5 A magnified view of a portion of point B after a transparent conductive layer has been deposited.
[0032] Figure 7 yes Figure 6 A schematic diagram of a silicon-based solar cell precursor after the fixing wires have been removed;
[0033] Figure 8 This is a schematic diagram after the metal grid lines are installed;
[0034] Figure 9 This is a cross-sectional view of a silicon-based solar cell precursor (with a passivation layer) provided in an embodiment of this application;
[0035] Figure 10 This is a cross-sectional view of the silicon-based solar cell provided in the embodiments of this application.
[0036] The following are the labeling elements in the figure:
[0037] 1. Shelf; 11. Wire hole; 111. Front wire hole; 112. Rear wire hole; 12. Shelf layer; 13. Wire fixing; 2. Silicon-based solar cell precursor; 21. Linear groove; 3. Transparent conductive layer; 4. Passivation layer; 5. Metal grid wire. Detailed Implementation
[0038] To make the technical problems, technical solutions, and beneficial effects of this application clearer, the following detailed description is provided in conjunction with embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of this application.
[0039] This application provides a silicon-based solar cell fabrication fixture, which is mainly used to firmly fix a thin and brittle silicon-based solar cell precursor 2 in a vertical reactive plasma deposition (RPD) device, and to assist in the fabrication of specific functional layers.
[0040] Reference Figures 1 to 3This fixture includes a shelf 1 and multiple fixing lines 13. The shelf 1 is a box-shaped structure without a lid. It is divided into multiple small compartments by horizontal and vertical partitions for storing silicon-based solar cell precursors 2. The shelf 1 is designed to support one or more silicon-based solar cell precursors 2 and maintain their vertical orientation to accommodate the operation of vertical coating equipment. In this embodiment, the shelf 1 may contain multiple vertically stacked shelf layers 12. Each shelf layer 12 can hold one or more silicon-based solar cell precursors 2, enabling batch processing and improving production efficiency. The fixing lines are used to fix and shield the silicon-based solar cell precursors during the deposition of a transparent conductive layer on their surface. This prevents the precursors from tipping over when they are upright and also shields the deposition process, forming linear grooves corresponding to the fixing lines on the transparent conductive layer.
[0041] To secure the vertically placed silicon-based solar cell precursor 2, the shelf 1 is equipped with a structure for mounting and fixing wires 13. Specifically, as shown... Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, multiple wire holes 11 are evenly distributed on the frame of the shelf 1, for example, on both sides of the shelf layer 12. The multiple wire holes (11) are evenly distributed in the horizontal direction, and the wire holes 11 of each shelf layer 12 are aligned left and right. The fixing wires 13 pass through these wire holes 11 in sequence, and after being taut, they cross the surface of the silicon-based solar cell precursor 2 supported by the shelf layer 12. These taut fixing wires 13 are flexibly and tightly attached to the surface of the battery precursor 2, applying uniform pressure, thereby effectively preventing the precursor 2 from tilting, sliding, or even breaking due to vibration or its own weight during the coating process.
[0042] The width of the groove is 20-40 μm or 250-400 μm;
[0043] And / or,
[0044] The distance between two adjacent grooves is 1-2 mm or 5-30 mm.
[0045] Specifically, the arrangement and dimensional parameters of the fixed lines 13 are key to achieving the technical effects of this application. Multiple fixed lines 13 are arranged in parallel, and their spacing can be set according to the design of the subsequent metal grid lines (especially the main grid lines). For example, the spacing between two adjacent fixed lines 13 can be from 1 mm to 60 mm, preferably from 5 mm to 30 mm, to match the common spacing of the main grid lines. The diameter of the fixed lines 13 themselves is also directly related to the size of the grooves formed subsequently. In one embodiment, to form grooves corresponding to the fine grid lines, the diameter of the fixed lines 13 can be selected as 20 μm to 40 μm, in which case the adjacent spacing can be from 1 mm to 2 mm. In another embodiment, to form grooves corresponding to the main grid lines, the diameter of the fixed lines 13 can be selected as 250 μm to 400 μm, in which case the adjacent spacing can be from 5 mm to 30 mm. The material of the fixed lines 13 needs to have certain strength and flexibility, and be stable in the coating environment; for example, nylon wire, copper wire, or molybdenum wire can be used.
[0046] To facilitate the installation and tensioning of the fixing wire 13, there should be a suitable matching relationship between the diameter of the wire hole 11 and the diameter of the fixing wire 13. For example, the ratio of the diameter of the wire hole 11 to the diameter of the fixing wire 13 can be 1.1:1 to 1.5:1. This ensures that the fixing wire 13 can pass through smoothly without causing the fixing to be unstable due to the hole being too large.
[0047] The ingenious aspect of this fixture lies in the fact that the fixing line 13 not only serves a fixing function but also acts as a mask during the deposition of the transparent conductive layer 3. For example... Figures 4 to 6 As shown, when the fixture carrying the silicon-based solar cell precursor 2 enters the vertical RPD equipment for coating, such as depositing a transparent conductive layer (TCO) 3, the fixing line 13, being in close contact with the surface of the cell precursor 2, will block the area directly below it. Therefore, after the coating is completed, a series of linear grooves 21 will naturally form on the transparent conductive layer 3, which perfectly correspond to the position, shape, and size of the fixing line 13.
[0048] After the transparent conductive layer 3 is prepared, the tooling is removed and the fixing line 13 is taken off. At this time, the surface of the battery precursor 2 is as shown. Figure 7 As shown, it has a series of parallel linear grooves 21. A metallization step is then performed, as follows: Figure 8As shown, a metal paste (such as silver paste) is applied to the surface of the transparent conductive layer 3 using processes such as screen printing. Due to the presence of the linear grooves 21, the paste preferentially fills the interior of the grooves before drying and sintering, ultimately forming the metal grid lines 5. The metal grid lines 5 filled in the grooves form a strong anchoring structure with the sidewalls of the grooves, greatly enhancing the adhesion of the grid lines and effectively suppressing the problem of grid line detachment caused by environmental factors such as humidity and heat, thus extending the battery's lifespan. At the same time, this structure increases the contact area between the metal grid lines 5 and the transparent conductive layer 3, effectively reducing the contact resistance and facilitating carrier collection, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the battery; wherein, the diameter of the metal grid lines 5 is greater than or equal to the diameter of the linear grooves 21.
[0049] This tooling can be adapted to different battery structures. For example... Figure 1 As shown, when double-sided coating is required for double-sided HJT batteries, the shelf 1 can be provided with wire holes on both opposite sides, i.e., the front and rear sides (front wire hole 111, rear wire hole 112). In this way, the fixing wire 13 can simultaneously fix the battery front body 2 from both the front and rear directions, and can simultaneously form linear grooves on both the front and rear surfaces. Figure 2 As shown, when preparing batteries such as back contact (BC) batteries that only require electrodes to be formed on one side, the back of the shelf 1 can be designed as a solid fixing plate. The non-coated side of the battery precursor 2 is attached to the fixing plate, while the front side to be coated is fixed by the fixing line 13, thereby forming the required linear groove on one side.
[0050] In some specific embodiments, such as Figure 9 and Figure 10 As shown, after the transparent conductive layer 3 is prepared, the tooling is removed and the fixing wire 13 is taken off. At this time, the surface of the silicon-based solar cell precursor 2 is as shown. Figure 7 As shown, it has a series of parallel linear grooves 21. A passivation layer is then prepared at the bottom of the grooves 21, forming a layer as shown... Figure 9 The passivation layer 4 is shown. Finally, a metallization step is performed, where a metal paste (such as silver paste) is applied to the surface of the transparent conductive layer 3 using processes such as screen printing, ensuring that at least a portion of the paste fills the passivation layer 4 within the groove 21. This is followed by drying and sintering to ultimately form the passivation layer 4 shown. Figure 10The metal grid line 5 shown is embedded in the groove 21, forming a strong anchoring structure with the sidewall of the groove 21. This greatly enhances the adhesion of the grid line, effectively suppressing grid line detachment caused by environmental factors such as humidity and heat, and extending the battery life. Simultaneously, this structure increases the contact area between the metal grid line 5 and the transparent conductive layer 3, effectively reducing contact resistance and facilitating carrier collection, thereby improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency of the battery. Furthermore, the passivation layer can passivate dangling bonds on the silicon surface, reducing the interface defect state density, while isolating the metal grid line from the silicon, preventing the formation of metal-induced recombination centers. Therefore, it significantly reduces carrier recombination losses at the silicon substrate-transparent conductive layer interface, further improving the battery conversion efficiency. The width of the metal grid line 5 is greater than or equal to the width of the linear groove 21.
[0051] In summary, the silicon-based solar cell fabrication fixture provided in this application, through its integrated design, perfectly solves the problem of fixing thin and brittle substrates in vertical coating. It also achieves the fabrication of grooves required for high-performance metal grid structures at zero cost in a seemingly accidental way, demonstrating a high degree of process integration and economy. It has important practical value for promoting the low-cost, large-scale production of high-efficiency solar cells.
[0052] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of this application and is not intended to limit this application. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of this application should be included within the protection scope of this application.
Claims
1. A silicon-based solar cell manufacturing tool for fixing a silicon-based solar cell precursor (2) in a vertical coating device, characterized in that, include: A shelf (1) is used to support the silicon-based solar cell precursor (2) in a vertical position; as well as At least one set of fixing wires (13) are provided on the shelf (1) and configured to span and adhere to the surface of the silicon-based solar cell precursor (2) to be coated in a taut state. The fixing line (13) is used to fix and shield the transparent conductive layer (3) deposited on the surface of the silicon-based solar cell precursor (2), thereby forming a linear groove (21) corresponding to the fixing line (13) on the transparent conductive layer (3).
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein The shelf (1) includes multiple vertically stacked shelf layers (12), and multiple thread holes (11) are provided on at least one side of the shelf layer (12). The fixing line (13) passes through the thread hole (11) and is taut. The fixing line (13) consists of multiple parallel lines.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured to perform the steps of: The plurality of thread holes (11) are evenly arranged in the vertical direction, and the thread holes (11) of each shelf layer (12) are aligned one by one. 4. The apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is configured to perform the steps of: The multiple thread holes (11) are evenly arranged in the horizontal direction, and the thread holes (11) of each shelf layer (12) are aligned left and right. 5. The silicon-based solar cell fabrication fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that, The diameter of the fixing wire is 20µm to 400µm; And / or, the spacing between two adjacent fixed lines is 1 mm to 60 mm.
6. The silicon-based solar cell fabrication fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that, The diameter of the fixing wire is 20µm to 40µm, or 250µm to 400µm; And / or, the spacing between two adjacent fixed lines (13) is 1 mm to 2 mm, or 5 mm to 30 mm.
7. The silicon-based solar cell fabrication fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material of the fixing wire (13) includes at least one of nylon wire, copper wire, and molybdenum wire.
8. The silicon-based solar cell fabrication fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that, The ratio of the diameter of the threading hole (11) to the diameter of the fixing wire (13) is 1.1:1 to 1.5:
1.
9. The silicon-based solar cell fabrication fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The shelf (1) is suitable for carrying heterojunction solar cell precursors or back-contact solar cell precursors.
10. The silicon-based solar cell fabrication fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that, The shelf (1) has wire holes on both sides to allow the fixing wire (13) to fix the front and back of the silicon-based solar cell precursor (2) at the same time.