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Product Briefing Outline: Rudolph Technologies new ‘Discover Solar’ data management software tool helps photovoltaic cell manufacturers optimize tool parameters to achieve higher cell efficiency, increase process yield and reduce cost. It is designed for high volume PV cell production, while providing comprehensive analysis of process performance. Using Discover Solar, PV process engineers can monitor the health of a complete production line and quickly identify tool and sub-component problems as well as incoming material issues that could impact the line.

Problem: With increased competitiveness and demand in the solar industry, PV manufacturers are required to focus on cell efficiency to maximize margins. To maximize ROI a system must be capable of both line monitoring and process optimization. In an effort to reduce the ramp time of new cell production plants, there is a need to identify optimal recipe combinations for each process step to achieve the entitled line efficiency.

Solution: Discover Solar data management software tool helps photovoltaic (PV) cell manufacturers optimize tool parameters to achieve higher cell efficiency, increase process yield and reduce cost. It is designed for high volume PV cell production, while providing comprehensive analysis of process performance. In manufacturing ramp mode Discover Solar provides a methodology (Path Analysis) to analyze the interactions of recipes and their effects on cell test measurement. It also provides a correlation with inline measurements giving the answers needed to establish a set of baseline recipes.

Applications: PV cell manufacturing.

Platform: Discover Solar incorporates a completely re-engineered database structure and analysis engine optimized for the unique requirements of high-volume photovoltaic production. It provides comprehensive analysis of process performance information, allowing manufacturers to discover and act upon opportunities to improve the energy conversion efficiency of their products. Discover Solar accepts all available data from each step in the solar manufacturing process. Statistical process control with automated reporting gets critical information to the right people fast.

Availability: Currently available.