Objective Objectives and problems to be solved: With the development of high throughput photovoltaic production lines, strong efforts are currently undertaken to reach the White Paper target of 3GWp total installed PV-capacity in 2010. However, these high throughput production lines have to be controlled in an efficient way to insure high quality end products, to increase up-times and to reduce material loss due to process deviations. In this project a total quality management for the PV-industry is set up by the development of fast inline characterisation prototypes and analysis tools for quality control from the starting material up to the module, incl. all important mechanical and electrical issues. The main objectives of the project are the following's. Identification of fast characterisation techniques for Si material, cell and module quality control. Development of characterisation prototypes and analysis tools for the PV-industry. Demonstration of fast inline characterisation in PV pilot production lines. Description of the work: The proposed work comprises the following phases: In phase I experimental work on characterisation methods for each material/cell parameter of interest is carried out, followed by an evaluation phase for the selection of those characterisation methods with a potential of sac/wafer. The following parameters are under investigation: for feedstock material the lifetime and resistively, a prerequisite for ingot quality improvement; for wafers prior to cell processing the lifetime, resistively, thickness, roughness and mechanical stability; for wafers during cell processing the lifetime, organic impurities and emitter sheet resistance; for cells the IV-parameters; and finally for modules the mechanical and electrical qualities. In phase II fast industrial prototypes will be designed and constructed by equipment manufacturers. Additional experimental work focuses on those characterisation methods, which have theoretically the wafer/wafer potential but are practically not enough developed. For techniques not fulfilling the wafer/wafer target a handling interface for wafer exchange between production and characterisation prototypes is developed. In parallel to the construction of the characterisation prototypes a data collection and analysis methodology is established. In phase III the industrial characterisation prototypes and the analysis methodology is integrated in pilot production lines for throughput and quality tests. Additionally, sending samples from the manufacturers to those partners owing the experimental prototypes carries out throughput tests with the experimental prototypes. Finally, a cost evaluation for the technology integration of the characterisation methods into the pilot production lines is performed to demonstrate the economic benefit of the total quality management approach. Expected Results and Exploitation Plans: From the project the development of at least two fast inline characterisation prototypes is expected, followed by their implementation into one PV pilot production line resulting in increased output quality, reproducibility and productivity. In addition improved cell classification and string testing target a 5% relative increase in module efficiency. Furthermore also chances to exploit the obtained knowledge for other applications are given, e.g. total quality control within a future thin film cell technology, offering increased and diversified business opportunities especially for equipment manufacturers. Fields of science social scienceseconomics and businesseconomicsproduction economicsproductivityengineering and technologymaterials engineeringcoating and filmsnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistrymetalloidsmedical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologycells technologies Programme(s) FP5-EESD - Programme for research, technological development and demonstration on "Energy, environment and sustainable development, 1998-2002" Topic(s) 1.1.4.-6. - Key action Economic and Efficient Energy for a Competitive Europe Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator UNIVERSITAET KONSTANZ EU contribution No data Address 27,Jacob Buchhardtstrasse 29 78457 KONSTANZ Germany See on map Total cost No data Participants (8) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all ASSING S.P.A. Italy EU contribution No data Address Via Edoardo Amaldi, 14 00016 MONTEROTONDO See on map Total cost No data COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES Italy EU contribution No data Address Via Enrico Fermi 1, TP 460 21020 BARASSO See on map Total cost No data INTERUNIVERSITAIR MIKRO-ELEKTRONICA CENTRUM VZW Belgium EU contribution No data Address 75,Kapeldreef 75 3001 HEVERLEE See on map Total cost No data ITALIAN INSTITUTE FOR THE PHYSICS OF MATTER Italy EU contribution No data Address Viale C. Berti Pichat 6/II 40127 BOLOGNA See on map Total cost No data PHOTOWATT INTERNATIONAL SA France EU contribution No data Address 33,Rue Saint-Honoré 33 Z.A. Champfleuri 38300 BOURGOIN JALLIEU See on map Total cost No data RWE SCHOTT SOLAR GMBH Germany EU contribution No data Address Theresienstrasse 2 74072 HEILBRONN See on map Total cost No data SEMILAB LTD - SEMICONDUCTOR PHYSICS LABORATORY CO. LTD Hungary EU contribution No data Address 56,Foti ut 56 1047 BUDAPEST See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSITÀ DEGLI STUDI DI MILANO-BICOCCA Italy EU contribution No data Address Via Cozzi 53 20125 MILANO See on map Total cost No data
