SYSTEM FOR IMPROVING SOLAR CELL MANUFACTURING YIELD

摘要

A method is described for protecting photovoltaic cells. During the fabrication process, a photovoltaic cell can be received from a first processing station. The photovoltaic cell can have at least one exposed surface, which may include crystalline silicon or oxidized crystalline silicon. The photovoltaic cell can then be placed in a controlled microenvironment with controlled chemical content, which can protect the exposed surface of the photovoltaic cell from contamination. Subsequently, the photovoltaic cell can be moved toward and delivered to a second processing station in the controlled microenvironment.

主权项

1. A system for protecting photovoltaic structures between fabrication processes, the system comprising:
a microenvironment communicatively couples a wet processing station and a dry processing station such that a substrate remains within the controlled microenvironment while being transferred from the wet processing station to the dry processing station, wherein the microenvironment is separate from a fabrication environment housing the wet processing station and the dry processing station, wherein the microenvironment is filled with a gas that does not react with an exposed surface of the substrate, and wherein the exposed surface of the substrate comprises crystalline silicon or oxidized crystalline silicon; and a microenvironment controller for controlling the microenvironment.