September 21, 2009

Sonnenbühl, Germany: Schiller Automation and Merck Co-Operate on Innovative Edge Isolation

Schiller Automation and Merck today announced the official start of construction of an innovative line for edge isolation of crystalline silicon wafers. SolarEtch® SiD from the isishape® etching paste program developed by Merck will be used in the novel process. The concept increases overall solar cell efficiency. Laboratory tests on several thousand wafers have successfully confirmed the increase in efficiency through the use of innovative SolarEtch® materials.

The process designed by Merck and Schiller offers numerous advantages over traditional edge isolation methods, in particular comprehensive wet chemical isolation and laser isolation. With the newly developed application concept, isishape SolarEtch® SiD can be applied to the back of the wafer quickly and selectively.

"The success of environmentally friendly photovoltaics ultimately depends on solar cell production costs. The edge isolation process we have developed significantly improves the ratio of efficiency to production costs", says Dr. Ingo Köhler, Head of R&D Structuring Solutions at Merck. The new concept has been laboratory tested together with various partners from industry and academia. Due to the promising results, a prototype of the production equipment is now being constructed for a pilot line. With Schiller Automation, headquartered in Sonnenbühl-Genkingen in southern Germany, Merck has won an experienced partner in equipment automation.

Already in the pilot phase, Merck is able to produce customer-specific wafers under mass production conditions. The development of mass production equipment with a throughput of approximately 3,600 wafers per hour is planned for the next phase.

"Through the cooperation with Merck, we can offer companies in the photovoltaic industry a lower-cost, future-oriented solution," states Karl-Heinz Bahnmüller, Director of the Customer Center at Schiller Automation. "The new plant holds great potential for the entire silicon cell production process beyond edge isolation."

Further details about: Schiller Automation GmbH & Co. KG and Merck