Applied Materials will use its Baccini Esatto technology for back-end processing systems

Applied Materials' Baccini Esatto technology will be used for the company's Baccini back-end solar cell processing systems. The Esatto technology, featuring proprietary hardware and software innovations, is designed to increase the efficiency of c-Si solar cells by enabling the fabrication of advanced contact structures.

Applied's Baccini Esatto technology, a high precision, multi-step screen printing capability will be used initially for double-printed metal line deposition where it has apparently raised absolute cell efficiency by as much as 0.5%. This will allow manufacturers to print taller, narrower grid lines, reducing the shadowing effect caused by wider grid lines. This will also improve electrical conductivity. Results from the production environment show that Esatto technology allowed the replacement of single 120μm wide lines with two-layer, double-height lines less than 80μm wide on the finished cell. This will be the first of many applications for the technology.

"Currently being used in customer production, Esatto Technology demonstrates our commitment to rapidly advance crystalline silicon technology by providing comprehensive solutions that enable higher efficiency," said Davide Spotti, vice president and general manager of Applied's Baccini Cell Systems division. "Working with leading suppliers to optimize consumable materials and printing techniques, we've created a unique capability to help customers quickly deploy advanced cell patterns in production environments and bring their higher value products to market."

The Esatto technology allows multiple layers of different materials to be overlaid with better than ±15μm repeatability. It was designed to enable advanced contact formation techniques such as double-printed front side metal lines and the multiple process flows required to create selective emitter structures.