New Product: J.A. Woollam’s AccuMap-SE provides thin film measurement of panel uniformity

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Email

Product Briefing Outline: J.A. Woollam has integrated its Flying M-2000 Spectroscopic Ellipsometer into a mapping tool for thin-film uniformity measurements over the entire PV panel.  The high accuracy and wide spectral coverage of the M-2000 ensure that every layer in a thin film stack can be measured, while new automation has been designed to ensure fast, precise measurements over the entire panel.

Problem: The performance of thin-film PV depends on the thickness and optical properties of many different layers.  Research ellipsometers are used during product development and have helped improve PV designs.  There is a need to move research-grade ellipsometry into pilot and production lines to characterize the thickness and optical constants for the various films.  In addition, fast measurement speed is necessary to determine thin-film uniformity over the entire panel.

This article requires Premium SubscriptionBasic (FREE) Subscription

Try Premium for just $1

  • Full premium access for the first month at only $1
  • Converts to an annual rate after 30 days unless cancelled
  • Cancel anytime during the trial period

Premium Benefits

  • Expert industry analysis and interviews
  • Digital access to PV Tech Power journal
  • Exclusive event discounts

Or get the full Premium subscription right away

Or continue reading this article for free

Solution: The AccuMap-SE combines the latest spectroscopic ellipsometry technology into an affordable platform for use in research, pilot, and production lines.  Measurements are performed with a Woollam's Flying M-2000 technology that provides accurate spectroscopic ellipsometry from the ultraviolet to the near infrared in a fraction of a second.  The ultraviolet spectrum is important when characterizing the crystallinity and optical properties of semiconductor layers, while the near infrared provides film thickness and conductivity measurements for transparent conductive oxide layers.  The Flying M-2000 also incorporates a proprietary head with fast, automated alignment to measure films on either front or back of the panel.

Applications: Amorphous and microcrystalline silicon or silicon-germanium films, CIGS, CdTe, CdS, any TCO material, including doped SnO2, ITO, ZnOx, etc.

Platform: For use with any panel size up to 1.1m by 1.5m.

Availability: Currently available.

Read Next

September 30, 2026
The Solar Markt Group has started commercial operations at the Hódmezővásárhely facility, the largest hybrid power plant in Hungary.
September 30, 2026
In this contributed blog for PV Tech, Dr KT Tan, CTO of Viridian Solar, argues that DC connectors, though among the cheapest components in a PV installation, sit in the same dangerous blind spot as the low-cost parts blamed for catastrophic engineering failures like the Challenger and Columbia disasters.
September 29, 2026
The German government has awarded contracts to 480MW worth of solar-plus-storage capacity in its latest public "innovation" tender.
September 29, 2026
Linton Crystal Technologies has filed a lawsuit accusing Jingsheng of infringing two of its Czochralski (Cz) crystal growth equipment patents.
September 29, 2026
French independent power producer (IPP) Neoen has started construction on a 122MW solar PV portfolio in France.
Premium
September 29, 2026
PV Tech Premium hears from the US solar industry about the new limits placed on polysilicon imports ahead of the upcoming Section 232 rules.

Upcoming Events

Solar Media Events
October 13, 2026
San Francisco Bay Area, USA
Solar Media Events
November 3, 2026
Málaga, Spain
Solar Media Events
November 24, 2026
Warsaw, Poland
Solar Media Events
February 2, 2027
London, UK