Nanometrics Incorporated, a supplier of metrology systems, has announced that a major manufacturer of advanced thin-film solar PV cells successfully installed the latest generation of the Trajectory Solar Monitor (TSM) metrology system for in-line process monitoring and control of CIGS films. Exact details of the transaction are yet to be disclosed.
A tool for rapid film thickness measurement, the TSM now includes photoluminescence scanning, further expanding its applications and market opportunities. Germany-based LayTec is a direct competitor with their PearL metrology system.
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“Nanometrics’ in-line photoluminescence monitoring tools enable PV manufacturers to improve cell efficiency and production yield by closely monitoring and controlling production processes in a real-time environment,” said Nikos Jaeger, director of the materials characterization business unit at Nanometrics. “The rapid, data rich process control and feedback provided by the TSM leads to lower costs, improved performance and increased competitiveness for our customers.”
Director of engineering, Lior Levin added. “By combining the analytical capabilities of the Nanometrics’ NanoDiffract software analysis engine with the data generated by the TSM, our customers are now able to address the high roughness found in latest generation CIGS solar cells.”
The systems were installed as a complement to TSM reflectometry tools currently used for in-line buffer, TCO and CIGS thickness monitoring, providing a comprehensive, integrated process control solution for advanced PV cells.
