EP2750891A1

EP2750891A1 - Method for producing a printing stencil for technical printing, and printing stencil for technical printing

Info

Publication number: EP2750891A1
Application number: EP12758819.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christian KOENEN
Original assignee: Christian Koenen GmbH
Current assignee: Christian Koenen GmbH
Priority date: 2011-08-30
Filing date: 2012-08-30
Publication date: 2014-07-09
Anticipated expiration: 2032-08-30
Also published as: WO2013030273A1; DE102011081837A1; DE102011081837B4; CN104023981B; JP6231478B2; EP2750891B1; MY185079A; US9296195B2; JP2014531338A; CN104023981A; US20140305323A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing a printing stencil for technical printing, for applying a printed pattern to a substrate, and to a printing stencil. The method comprises supplying a carrier layer (21) for the printing stencil, supplying a structure layer (22) for the printing stencil, this layer being located beneath the carrier layer (21), making an elongate printed‑image opening (22a), corresponding to at least part of the printed pattern, in the structure layer (22), and making carrier‑layer openings (21a) in the carrier layer (21) in the region of the printed‑image opening (22a). The method is characterized in that, for making the carrier‑layer openings (21a), use is made of a laser device which is designed to emit a laser beam in laser pulses, and the task of making the carrier‑layer openings (21) comprises making a row of carrier‑layer openings (21a) extending in the longitudinal direction of the printed‑image opening, wherein, for making each carrier‑layer opening (21) in the row, a focussing means of the laser device is positioned at a position of the respective carrier‑layer opening (21), and the respective carrier‑layer opening (21) is made by means of one or more laser pulses at this position (P1), and the focussing means of the laser device, once a carrier‑layer opening has been made, between two successive laser pulses, is displaced relative to the carrier layer, and in the longitudinal direction of the elongate printed‑image opening (22a), from the position (P1) of the carrier‑layer opening (21a) which has been made to the position (P2) of the carrier‑layer opening which is subsequently to be made.

Description

METHOD FOR PRODUCING A PRINTING TEMPLATE FOR TECHNICAL PRINTING AND PRINTING TEMPLATE FOR TECHNICAL PRINTING

The present invention relates to a method for producing a printing stencil for technical printing, in particular for solar cell printing, for applying a printing pattern to a substrate, in particular a substrate of a solar cell, for example for printing a front or rear side contacting of the solar cell. The manufacturing method comprises providing a carrier layer of the printing stencil,

Providing a lying under the support layer structure layer of the printing stencil, working out a longitudinally extending, at least a portion of the print pattern corresponding print image opening in the structural layer, and working out of carrier layer openings in the carrier layer in the print image opening by means of laser cutting, such that a print medium through the carrier layer openings and the print image opening can be applied to the substrate.

The present invention further relates to a printing stencil for technical printing, in particular for solar cell printing, for applying a printing pattern to a substrate, in particular a substrate of a solar cell, comprising a carrier layer of the printing stencil, a structural layer of the printing stencil lying below the carrier layer, wherein the structural layer a longitudinally extending, at least a portion of the printing pattern corresponding printed image opening in the structural layer, and wherein the carrier layer in the region of the print image opening comprises carrier layer openings.

Such printing stencils can be provided, for example, for solar cell printing, ie, for example, for applying a contacting, in particular front contacting, to a solar cell. In the case of printing stencils provided for solar cell printing, the longitudinally extending printed image openings of the structural layer can be provided, for example, for the printing of contact fingers of a front contact of the solar cell. However, the present invention is not limited to printing stencils for solar cell printing, but also, for example, also relates to special or hybrid stencils having at least one carrier layer and at least one structural layer for applying metallizations on substrate surfaces. Background of the invention

From the prior art it is conventionally known in technical solar cell printing to apply a contact to a substrate of a solar cell by means of a printing screen. In particular, it is conventionally known to print a metallization, contacting or conductor tracks of a contacting of a solar cell with printing screens by applying a mostly silver-containing printing paste by means of a doctor blade through printed image openings of a printing screen on a substrate of the solar cell, wherein the print image openings of the printing screen substantially correspond to the printed image or at least a part of the printed image of the contacting of the solar cell to be printed.

Such printing screens comprise a wire mesh fabric clamped in a frame which is provided in a structural layer, such as e.g. A thin photographic emulsion layer is embedded (see, for example, a printing screen according to DE 10 2007 052 679 A1) and which supports the structural layer or acts as a carrier layer of the structural layer. Such a photoemulsion layer has the printing image openings corresponding to the printed image of the contacting to be printed, the screen fabric stabilizing the photoemulsion layer also extending in the region of the printed image openings of the structural layer. In the manufacture of such printing screens, the wire mesh fabric is usually mounted on a frame and then coated with a photosensitive material (e.g., an emulsion layer or a film). Subsequently, the structuring of the printed image takes place e.g. by exposure of the photosensitive material.

However, the use of such printing screens results in the application of the contacting of the solar cell to the solar cell substrate with disadvantages, in particular with regard to the printing of the so-called contact fingers of a front contacting of the solar cell. The contact fingers should be printed with the smallest possible width (for example in the range of about 20μιη to ΙΟΟμιη) in a uniform height as possible on the substrate to allow a uniform as possible line cross-section (resistance) and to increase the energy efficiency of the solar cell. At the same time a power line with the lowest possible electrical resistance must be made possible with respect to the energy efficiency of the solar cell by the contact fingers, ie the contact fingers must be formed with the largest possible aspect ratio, since the electrical resistance of the contact fingers depends on the cross section of the contact fingers. Any constrictions of the contact finger reduce the conductivity of the finger and thus reduce the overall efficiency of the solar cell. The aspect ratio of the contact fingers should consequently be designed to be uniform over as much as possible over the entire length of the contact fingers. When using printing screens, in particular when applying the contacting of the solar cell to the solar cell substrate, the disadvantages described below result. The screen fabric and in particular crossing points of the screen fabric in the region of the print image openings of the photoemulsion layer impair the uniformity of the paste application to the substrate of the solar cell during printing. This results in adverse constrictions in the conductor cross-section of the contact fingers and a disadvantageous wavy edge of the printed image, especially by close to the pressure edge (edge of the print image opening) adjacent intersection points of the mesh. Furthermore, the maximum achievable paste strength, and thereby the maximum achievable height of the printed contact fingers, to which the aspect ratio is directly proportional, severely limited by the Siebgewebestruktur in the print image openings.

In addition, when printing by the pressure and the movement of the doctor blade due to the elastic properties of the mesh fabric, an elongation of the fabric, whereby a distortion of the printed image may result. In the case of multiple printing on the substrate with different printing screens, a printing process is usually carried out in several steps with different screens in order to print in each case parts of the contacting. In transition regions of the overall print image in which print images of different printing screens adjoin one another, irregularities in the overall printed image can arise with conventional printing screens due to the above-described distortion of the individual partial printed images.

In addition, with the use of printing screens by the desired large exposed surface of the printing pattern of the screens a very fine fabric for stabilizing the printing screen is needed, which is very vulnerable to damage and thus allows only low downtime.

With regard to the above-described disadvantages of the use of conventionally known printing screens in the printing of solar cell substrates for applying a contacting to a substrate, in particular to a substrate of a solar cell, the patent application DE 10 2011 003 287 discloses a solution for applying a contacting a substrate, in particular to a substrate of a solar cell proposed.

A printing stencil proposed according to DE 10 2011 003 287 comprises a carrier layer and a structural layer of the printing stencil lying below the carrier layer, wherein the structural layer has an elongated printing image opening in the structural layer corresponding to at least part of the printing pattern. The longitudinally extending print image opening in the structural layer in this case corresponds, for example, to the print pattern of a contact finger of a front side contacting of a solar cell. The carrier layer comprises in the region of the print image opening elongate, extending in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening, in Substantially rectangular or at the corners optionally slightly rounded support layer openings, which are separated from each other by a stabilizing web. The printing stencil is suitable for applying a printing medium, such as contacting material, to the substrate through at least one opening by overlapping the substrate layer openings with the printed image opening in a plan view of the printing stencil such that the printing stencil has an opening formed from the printed image opening and the substrate openings the pressure medium such as bonding material can be applied to the substrate. The print medium runs below the carrier layer to a uniform 3-dimensional shape.

According to a method according to the prior art, the carrier layer openings in the carrier layer can be produced by means of laser cutting. Here, it is conventionally known to position and focus a laser beam of a laser device by means of a focusing device at a position on the edge (for example, in a corner) of a support layer opening to be edited out. In this case, the laser beam is focused substantially directly on the surface of the carrier layer (i.e. essentially focused directly at a focal point on the surface of the carrier layer), possibly depending on the laser cutting method, a few μm above or below the surface of the carrier layer. After a shutter device of the laser device is opened, the focusing device is controlled such that the laser beam is guided to cut out the carrier layer opening along the edge of the carrier layer opening to be cut out to cut the carrier layer opening along the edge from the carrier layer (see, for example, Fig. 3A).

In this case, it is necessary to guide the laser beam in the machining out of the carrier layer openings with a very high accuracy and also the focused laser beam must be guided once around the entire circumference of each carrier layer opening. Thus, such a manufacturing process is very time consuming. If the print image opening of the structure layer is a print image opening for a contact finger of a front contact of a solar cell, it is necessary to cut out a multiplicity of individual carrier layer openings for each of the numerous contact fingers, so that very long times are required for working out the carrier layer openings when producing a single printing template occur, for which also still very expensive laser cutting devices must be used. Summary of the Invention In view of the above-described time and cost intensive production of

Printing stencils which have a carrier layer and a structural layer, it is an object of the invention to improve the production of a support layer and a structural layer having printing stencils, such that the production can be carried out easier, cheaper and more time efficient.

In order to achieve the above-described object of the present invention, there is proposed a method for producing a stencil sheet and a stencil sheet produced by such a method according to the independent claims. Dependent claims relate to preferred embodiments of the present invention.

The present invention is based on the idea not to excise the carrier layer openings of the carrier layer by means of a focused laser beam circumferentially along the edge of the herauszuarbeitenden carrier layer openings from the carrier layer, as is known according to conventional laser cutting method, but herauszuarbeiten by means of a defocused laser beam or "herauszuschießen", the laser beam is not (as usual) focused, but is defocused depending on the width of the carrier layer openings.

In particular, an idea of the invention can be seen in the fact that the defocused cross section of the laser beam at the level of the laser entrance side surface of the carrier layer has a selected depending on the width of the carrier layer openings width, and is not substantially bundled to a focal point, as in conventional methods of Case is.

Based on this basic idea of the present invention, it can advantageously be achieved that an opening in the carrier layer corresponding to a width of the carrier layer opening to be worked out can already be worked out or "shot out" at a position of the carrier layer by means of one or possibly more laser pulses whose cross-sectional shape substantially The production of a printing stencil can thus be carried out in a simpler, cheaper and more time-efficient manner, since the substrate openings do not have to be cut out by time-intensive method of a focused laser beam along the circumference of the carrier layer openings to be worked out, but instead already have carrier layer openings by means of one or more laser pulses Widths in the range of 20 μιτι to 100 μηι worked out or "shot out" can be. This results in a significant time advantage over the conventional method, which is not in the lower percentage range, but rather in the range may mean ten to eighty times the acceleration of the production of the printing stencils.

It is preferably expedient to dimension a width of the cross section of the defocused laser beam at the level of the laser entrance side surface of the carrier layer slightly smaller than the desired width of the carrier layer opening to be worked out (about 50% to 95%, depending on the thickness and material of the carrier layer), since the By means of the laser beam introduced heat energy can cause the carved out carrier layer opening is greater than the cross section of the defocused laser beam used. According to a first aspect of the present invention, a method for producing a printing stencil for the technical printing for applying a printing pattern to a substrate is proposed, comprising the steps of providing a carrier layer of the printing stencil, providing a structural layer of the stencil sheet lying below the carrier layer, in particular with a layer thickness greater than 5μηη, working out of a longitudinally extending or extending in a longitudinal direction, at least part of the print pattern corresponding print image opening in the structure layer, and working out of carrier layer openings in the carrier layer in the print image opening, such that a print medium through the carrier layer openings and the print image opening on the substrate can be applied. The inventive method is characterized in that when working out the carrier layer openings a defocused depending on the width of the herauszuarbeitenden carrier layer openings laser beam is used, i. in particular, a laser beam which is not concentrated in a focal point lying substantially at the level of the surface of the carrier layer or slightly above or below the surface of the carrier layer, as in conventional methods, but at the level of the surface of the carrier layer is substantially defocused, and in particular at the level of the surface of the carrier layer has a cross section with widths greater than ΙΟμηι, preferably over 20μηη. As already mentioned above, the production of a printing stencil can thus be carried out in a simpler, cheaper and more time-efficient manner, since the carrier layer openings do not have to be cut out by time-consuming operation of a focused laser beam along the circumference of the carrier layer openings to be worked out, but wider or smaller substrate openings have already been worked out by means of one or more laser pulses Can be "shot out." Preferably, in the working out of the carrier layer openings a

Laser device which comprises a focusing device and is adapted to emit the laser beam in laser pulses and adjust by means of the focusing such that the laser beam is defocused at the level of the surface of the carrier layer depending on the width of the herauszuarbeitenden carrier layer openings. In this case, both pulse laser Devices are used which emit a pulsed laser beam as well as laser devices comprising a laser source emit a continuous laser beam, which is influenced by means of a periodically opening or closing shutters, in particular by means of a high-frequency opening or closing shutters.

Preferably, the laser beam is defocused such that the width of the cross section of the laser beam at the level of the surface of the carrier layer has approximately 50% to 95% of the width of the carrier layer openings to be worked out by means of one or more laser pulses. Namely, as already mentioned, it is preferably appropriate to dimension a width of the cross section of the defocused laser beam at the level of the laser entrance side surface of the carrier layer slightly smaller than the desired width of the herauszuarbeitenden carrier layer opening (about 50% to 95%, depending on the thickness and material of Carrier layer), since the heat energy introduced by means of the laser beam can lead to the fact that the processed carrier layer opening is larger than the cross section of the defocused laser beam used.

Preferably, the working out of the carrier layer openings comprises working out a series of carrier layer openings extending in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening, wherein the position of the laser beam is moved between two successive laser pulses after working out of a carrier layer opening relative to the carrier layer and in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening to a position of the subsequently opened carrier layer opening , This makes it possible to form a stabilizing web between carrier layer openings in a time-efficient manner and in a simple manner in the carrier layer such that the position of the laser is moved between one carrier layer opening and the next carrier layer opening to be processed between two laser pulses relative to the carrier layer.

According to a particularly expedient preferred embodiment, when working out a respective carrier layer opening of the row, the position of the laser beam is positioned at a position of the respective carrier layer opening and preferably the respective carrier layer opening is worked out by means of one or more laser pulses at this position, in particular preferably one or two to ten laser pulses. Preferably, according to this particularly expedient preferred exemplary embodiment, the position of the laser beam during the working out of the respective carrier layer opening by means of one or more laser pulses is essentially not moved. The above-mentioned particularly expedient preferred embodiment is based on the idea not cut out individual carrier layer openings as in conventionally known laser cutting method each by means of a focused laser beam from the support layer by the laser beam is guided along the edge of herauszuarbeitenden carrier layer opening, but rather it is provided according to the invention , the individual carrier layer openings in each case by single positioning of the laser beam on the carrier layer in the region of the print image opening of the structure layer at the position of herauszuarbeitenden carrier layer opening by preferably one or even two to multiple laser pulses of a pulsed laser beam to work out in substantially the same position. The spacing of the carrier layer openings can here be controlled by means of the pulse frequency of the laser and / or by the feed.

After working out of the carrier layer opening, it is further provided in the particularly preferred embodiment described above to guide the position of the laser beam on the carrier layer between two laser pulses to the position of the next carrier layer opening to be worked out, there to work out the next herauszuarbeitende carrier layer opening with the subsequent one or more laser pulses , These steps are repeated until all carrier layer openings of a row of two or more carrier layer openings in the area of the print image opening have been worked out. Consequently, according to the method of this embodiment, a whole series of carrier layer openings along the longitudinal direction of the print image opening can be worked out in a very simple and advantageous manner in the shortest possible time. It is not essential for this purpose whether the structure layer is provided before or after working out the carrier layer openings, in particular whether the structure layer is applied to the carrier layer or an intermediate layer before or after the carrier layer openings have been worked out.

It is thus in a particularly advantageous manner in a particularly advantageous manner, much more time-efficient and thus more cost-effective to work out carrier layer openings in the entire region of the elongated print image opening of the structural layer. For working out of the individual carrier layer openings at frequencies of about 0.9 to 3 kHz, possibly depending on the type of laser used, only one or in rare cases with very thick carrier layers requires two to several short laser pulses, and by the method of the carrier layer relative to Laser beam position always between two laser pulses can thus be worked out in the shortest time the rows of carrier layer openings in the print image opening.

The individual carrier layer openings are given in the method according to the above-described particularly useful embodiment in shape mainly by the shape of the cross section of the laser beam at the level of the carrier layer (in particular the shape of the cross section of the laser beam at the level of the laser entrance side surface of the carrier layer), since the respective Carrier layer openings are worked out or "shot out" by individual laser pulses at a position of the carrier layer, and are not cut out by guiding a focused laser beam along the circumference of the carrier layer opening. In the case of a substantially circularly defocused laser beam, the individual carrier layer openings are thus hereby worked out, for example, substantially circularly, if the carrier layer is not moved relative to the focussing device or to the laser beam. If the carrier layer is moved during the application of the laser pulse, corresponding to the movement, elongated support layer openings rounded off at the ends with a shape corresponding to a slot are formed, ie slot-shaped carrier layer openings are formed. The width of the carrier layer openings is determined essentially by the size of the defocused cross section of the laser beam on the surface of the carrier layer, whereby a broader carrier layer opening can generally occur due to the introduced heat energy. By way of example, a 20-μm-wide laser cross-section can produce a carrier layer opening with a width of up to 25 μm by emitting the thermal energy to the sides, without changing the position of the laser beam.

Since the energy density of the laser beam decreases in absolute terms as the cross section of the laser beam defocused on the carrier layer increases, the size of the carrier layer openings achievable with one or a few laser pulses is limited, but carrier layer opening diameters of up to 300 μm can be achieved in the practical field of application it is possible at usual carrier layer thicknesses of 20pm to 800μηι to work out with already with only one laser pulse at frequencies of 0.9 to 3kHz carrier layer openings with diameters ranging from below 20μηη up to about 150μηη. This corresponds, for example, to the common widths of printed image openings for printing contact fingers of a front contact of solar cells in the range from about 20 to ΙΟΟμηη, so that it is possible for such print image openings to form a single row of carrier layer openings, each already worked out with individual laser pulses, in the area of the print image opening ,

In order to improve the stability of the template, in this case respective webs may remain in the carrier layer between two carrier layer openings. The width of the webs can be influenced as required by the time between two laser pulses (ie for example by the difference of period T and pulse duration τ at any duty cycle of the pulsed laser, or at a 50% duty cycle by half the period T or Reciprocal from twice the frequency) and by the feed rate of the carrier layer relative to the positioning of the laser beam between two laser pulses. In this case, in the method of the particularly expedient embodiment described above, more webs are created for an elongated print image opening in comparison to the conventional laser cutting method, since the length of the carrier layer openings corresponds approximately to the width of the carrier layer openings (eg with substantially circular or elliptical carrier layer openings) the laser beam during the Working out of the carrier layer openings is essentially not moved, in contrast to the highly elongated or rectangular shaped carrier layer openings in conventional laser cutting process. The same stability or even much better stability can thus be achieved even if the web widths are significantly reduced to about ΙΟμηι to 20pm. In conventional laser cutting processes web widths of at least 30μιη or higher are required for stability reasons. In general, it suffices if the web width substantially corresponds to the thickness of the carrier layer in order to ensure good stability.

In addition, due to the smaller longitudinal extension of the carrier layer openings and the higher number of webs in the area of the print image opening, a significantly improved doctoring behavior compared to printing screens and also printing stencils in which the carrier layer openings are formed by means of a conventional laser cutting method, since a doctor blade in the printing process due to the closer together webs rests uniformly and can not get caught on the edges of the carrier layer openings. Thus, the wear of the template and the blade used in multiple use can be significantly reduced.

Surprisingly, such an increase in the number of webs in the area of the print image opening also does not lead to a deterioration of the printed image, as it is known from the use of printing screens with narrow mesh size and would be expected at first glance, but it can be particularly advantageous yet excellent Print image can be achieved because the webs are melted in the carrier layer due to the process on the laser inlet side or on the side of the structural layer in particular web widths of about lOpm to 20μηη and thus reduced in the height extent. Thus, an applied printing paste can merge perfectly under the fused ridges and results in a clean printed image over the entire length of the printed image opening. In particular, surprisingly, despite a high number of webs in the entire range of print image opening, a uniform height of the print medium can be achieved. This is particularly advantageous for the pressure of contact fingers of a front contact of a solar cell, since over the entire region of the contact finger a sufficient finger height can be achieved, so that the electrical resistance of the contact finger can be kept low due to a high uniform aspect ratio. Accordingly, the printed image when printing contact fingers of a front contact of a solar cell can be significantly improved compared to the printed image of printing screens and also printing stencils in which the carrier layer openings are formed by means of a conventional laser cutting process.

If it is nevertheless desired to reduce the number of webs in the area of the print image opening of the structural layer by reducing the number of substrate apertures and at the same time increasing the longitudinal extent of the substrate apertures, the excellent time savings are still provided by means of the method according to the invention. For this purpose, an alternative but also particularly expedient embodiment will be described below. In the alternative particularly expedient embodiment, the difference to the embodiment described above is that the position of the laser beam relative to the carrier layer is also moved during the laser pulses and not only between the laser pulses of the laser beam.

In this case, the position of the laser beam is preferably positioned at a first position of the respective carrier layer opening to be worked out and the respective carrier layer opening is worked out by means of a laser pulse when the position of the laser beam is moved from the first position to a second position during the one laser pulse the respective carrier layer opening is moved. Preferably, the position of the laser beam during the one laser pulse is moved from the first position to the second position of the respective carrier layer opening in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening. Thus, a carrier layer opening having a sectional shape corresponding to the cross-sectional shape of the defocused laser beam on the surface of the carrier layer is not formed, but a slot-shaped carrier layer opening whose ends have a shape due to the cross-sectional shape of the defocused laser beam (eg, semicircular ends in a circular cross section) the defocused laser beam or semi-elliptic ends in a elliptical cross section of the defocused laser beam).

In the method of the position of the laser beam relative to the carrier layer, the feed rate is preferably selected from the first to the second position of the carrier layer opening to be worked out and / or the pulse duration of the laser pulse as a function of the length of the carrier layer opening to be worked out.

Regardless of the specific embodiment, the method according to the first aspect preferably further comprises a step of setting a shape and / or size of the cross section of the defocused laser beam at the level of the surface of the carrier layer by means of the focusing device of the laser device. Preferably, the width of the cross section of the laser beam at the level of the surface of the carrier layer is set transversely to the longitudinal direction of the print image opening as a function of the width of the print image opening. As already described above, this allows the advantage of influencing the size and / or shape of the carcass openings worked out according to the requirements.

In particular, the width of the carrier layer openings can be adapted to the width of the printed image opening of the structure layer by adjustments to the focusing device of the laser device become. Preferably, the laser beam is defocused by means of the focusing device with a substantially circular cross-section at the level of the surface of the carrier layer. According to an alternative preferred embodiment, the laser beam is defocused by means of the focusing device with a substantially elliptical cross section at the level of the surface of the carrier layer. In this case, the elliptical main axes of the carrier layer openings are preferably aligned transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the longitudinal direction of the print image opening. This advantageously makes it possible to form the resulting shape of the webs more uniformly, in particular with a uniform width, due to the elliptical shape of the carrier layer openings in the transverse direction of the print image opening.

Preferably, the method further comprises a step of setting one or more of the parameters frequency or period of the pulsed laser beam, pulse duration of the laser pulses, duty cycle of the pulsed laser beam, on-off ratio of the pulsed laser beam. This makes it possible, for example, to influence or set the web width between adjacent processed carrier layer openings as a function of the set feed rate during the movement of the carrier layer relative to the focusing device of the laser device. In this case, the parameters mentioned are interdependent and the other parameters are generally also determined by setting two of the mentioned parameters. Preferably, in the method, the position of the laser beam relative to the

Carrier layer between two successive laser pulses between two adjacent carrier layer openings of the series of carrier layer openings a web formed in the carrier layer. As already described above, an advantageously higher stability of the printing stencil can thus be achieved, in particular in the case of strongly elongated printed image openings, as required, for example, for the pressure of contact fingers of a front contacting of a solar cell.

In the method of positioning the laser beam relative to the carrier layer, the feed rate is preferably selected from a position of a processed carrier layer opening to a position of a subsequently to be processed carrier layer opening in dependence on a predetermined web width. Preferably, the feed rate in the method of position of the laser beam relative to the carrier layer from a position of a processed carrier layer opening to a position of a subsequently processed carrier layer opening further depending on the width of the carrier layer openings in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening or depending on the width of the cross section of the defocused laser beam chosen at the level of the surface of the carrier layer. Preferably, in the method of position of the laser relative to the carrier layer from the position of a processed carrier layer opening to the position of a subsequently-to-be-processed carrier layer opening, the feed rate is preferably selected to be smaller or substantially equal to (BL + SB) / (T-τ), BL being the (This applies to an embodiment in which the position of the laser beam is not moved when working out a carrier layer opening; in methods in which the position of the laser beam is also moved when working out a carrier layer opening, BL depending on the width of the cross-section of the defocused laser, where BL is to be chosen somewhat larger), SB denotes the predetermined land width, T designates the period of the pulsed laser beam and τ denotes the pulse duration of the laser pulses t. Thus, the carrier layer relative to the focusing device of the laser device in the period between two laser pulses (eg given as T - τ) advantageously at least by a distance corresponding to the sum of the width of the carrier layer openings in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening and the predetermined web width are moved to a web of the to leave predetermined width in the carrier layer.

Preferably, in the method of the position of the laser beam relative to the carrier layer, the focusing device is moved. Alternatively or additionally, in the method of the focusing device of the laser device, the carrier layer can also be moved relative to the carrier layer. In this case, the method can be carried out continuously during the working out of a series of carrier layer openings, if the carrier layer openings are each worked out or "shot out" with only one laser pulse two pulses is traversed substantially a distance corresponding to the sum of the width of the carrier layer openings in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening and the predetermined web width to be stopped at the position of the next carrier layer opening to be worked out until the carrier layer opening after a predetermined number of one or more laser pulses worked out is, in order then again between two successive pulses substantially a distance corresponding to the sum of the width of the carrier layer openings in the longitudinal direction of the Druckb ildöffnung and the predetermined web width to the position of the next herauszuarbeitenden carrier layer opening to be moved.

Preferably, the material of the carrier layer comprises metal, in particular stainless steel or nickel, and / or plastic.

Preferably, the structural layer comprises a photosensitive material, in particular a photosensitive emulsion or a film. In this case, the working out of the print image opening preferably comprises the steps of exposing the structure layer by means of electromagnetic radiation of a predetermined wavelength or a predetermined wavelength range, in particular by means of infrared, visible and / or ultraviolet light, with a printed image of the printed pattern, and developing the photosensitive material of the structural layer.

The structural layer is preferably applied directly to the carrier layer or applied to an intermediate layer applied between the carrier layer and the structural layer.

The working out of the carrier layer openings preferably further comprises working out at least one further second series of carrier layer openings extending in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening and parallel to the first series of carrier layer openings. In this case, when working out a respective carrier layer opening of the second row, a focusing device of the laser device can preferably be positioned at a position of the respective carrier layer opening, and preferably the respective carrier layer opening is worked out by means of one or more laser pulses at this position. Preferably, the focusing device of the laser device is moved after working out of a carrier layer opening between two successive laser pulses from the position of the processed carrier layer opening relative to the carrier layer and in the longitudinal direction of the elongated print image opening to the position of the subsequently to be processed carrier layer opening.

Preferably, in each case one carrier layer opening of the first row overlaps with a carrier layer opening of the at least one further second row in such a way that each carrier layer opening in the produced printing template is formed from two or more carrier layer openings of the at least two rows, wherein a web preferably exists between carrier layer openings adjacent in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening is trained. This has the advantage that even wider backing layer openings having widths greater than the effective cross section of the laser on the backing layer, i. the cross-section with a sufficient energy density, are easily and time-efficiently worked out by the method according to the invention by two or more substantially parallel rows of carrier layer openings are worked out, wherein in the transverse direction to the print image opening adjacent carrier layer openings of the different parallel rows overlap and thus in the finished printing template in each case form a wider carrier layer opening, wherein further between webs carrier layer openings which are adjacent in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening, again respective webs may be formed.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a technical printing stencil for applying a printing pattern to a substrate produced by a method according to the above-mentioned first aspect, wherein the Printing template comprises a carrier layer of the printing stencil, and a lying under the carrier layer structure layer of the printing stencil. In this case, reference should be made to the advantages of the printing stencil on advantages that have already been described above in connection with the method according to the invention and its preferred embodiments.

According to the invention, the structure layer has a longitudinally extending print image opening in the structure layer corresponding to at least one part of the print pattern, and the carrier layer comprises one or more rows of carrier layer openings extending in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening in contrast to conventional laser cutting methods worked out carrier layer openings are not formed substantially rectangular, but either according to an effective cross-section of the laser have a round edge course. Optionally, they have a width transversely to the longitudinal direction of the printed image opening, which corresponds approximately to the length in the longitudinal direction of the printed image opening, or they are formed from two or more carrier layer openings overlapping in the transverse direction to the longitudinal direction of the printed image opening, which each have a round edge profile corresponding to an effective cross section of the laser and optionally have a width transverse to the longitudinal direction of the printed image opening, which corresponds approximately to the length in the longitudinal direction of the printed image opening. Preferably, the carrier layer openings of a row are formed substantially circular. Alternatively, the carrier layer openings of a row are preferably formed substantially elliptical. In this case, the elliptical main axes of the carrier layer openings of a row are aligned transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the longitudinal direction of the printed image opening. Alternatively, the carrier layer openings of a row are formed substantially oblong-shaped, i. oblong but with rounded ends, which are either substantially semi-circular or semi-elliptical.

The material of the carrier layer preferably comprises metal, in particular stainless steel or nickel, and / or plastic. Preferably, the structural layer comprises a photosensitive material, in particular a photosensitive emulsion or a film.

The structural layer is preferably applied directly to the carrier layer or applied to an intermediate layer applied between the carrier layer and the structural layer. The carrier layer preferably has exactly one in the area of the printed image opening

Lengthwise of the Druckbildoffnung extending row of carrier layer openings, wherein between adjacent carrier layer openings preferably a respective web is formed. Preferably, the respective web is melted on the side facing the structure layer and thus reduced in height compared to the height of the carrier layer. As above This can be achieved according to the invention in that the side of the carrier layer facing the structure layer is the laser entrance side, ie when the laser beam impinges on the side of the carrier layer facing the structure layer and continues rapidly, these desired height differences arise as a result of thermal effects.

According to a further expedient embodiment, in each case one carrier layer opening of a first row overlaps with a carrier layer opening of at least one further second row such that each carrier layer opening in the printing template is formed from two or more carrier layer openings of the at least two rows, preferably between carrier layer openings adjacent in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening a respective web is formed.

In summary, according to the invention, a production method for a printing stencil can be provided, in which respective carrier layer openings in the carrier layer of the printing stencil in the region of the printing image opening are respectively worked out or "shot out" by applying one or more laser pulses at a position which, in comparison with production methods, is at which carrier layer openings are conventionally cut out by means of a highly focused laser beam circumferentially from the carrier layer, can be executed in a simpler and more efficient manner and with a considerable gain of time.

In particular, since the working out of the carrier layer opening on a cost-intensive laser cutting device can be significantly shortened, this improved time efficiency also means a significantly improved cost efficiency in the production of the printing stencil. Furthermore, a printing stencil produced according to the invention has procedural structural improvements over printing screens and printing stencils in which carrier layer openings are cut out from the carrier layer conventionally by means of a strongly focused laser beam, since a significantly improved stability of the carrier layer and an improved doctor blade behavior is achieved and yet excellent print image can be achieved, especially in the pressure of contact fingers of a front contacting a solar cell.

Preferred areas of application for printing stencils according to the invention may be in particular the following: thick film applications, printing of conductive pastes, printing of resistor pastes, printing of thermal pastes, adhesives, silicones, acrylics, higher viscosity (according to the wet film thickness) pastes and emulsions, non-conductive pastes and emulsions. Brief description of the figures

Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a known from the prior art solar cell. Fig. 2A is a plan view of a portion of a prior art screen and Fig. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the prior art screen of Fig. 2B.

FIG. 3A shows a schematic, structural layer-side plan view of a detail of a printing template, in which the carrier layer openings are cut out of the carrier layer in a conventional manner by means of a strongly focused laser beam. 3B shows a schematic sectional view along the section line A - A from FIG. 3A.

4A shows a schematic, structurally layer-side plan view of a detail of a printing template, in which the carrier layer openings are produced according to a method according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. 4B shows a schematic sectional view along the section line A - A from FIG. 4A.

Figs. 5A to 5D illustrate steps of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention.

6 shows a schematic, structural layer-side plan view of a detail of a printing template, in which the carrier layer openings are worked out according to a method according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

7 shows a schematic, structurally layer-side plan view of a section of a printing template, in which the carrier layer openings are produced according to a method in accordance with a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 shows a schematic, structural layer-side plan view of a section of a

Printing stencil, in which the carrier layer openings are worked out according to a method according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

9 shows a schematic, structurally layer-side plan view of a section of a printing template, in which the carrier layer openings are worked out according to a method according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 shows by way of example a temporal pulse profile of a pulsed laser for the

Use in a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed description of the figures and

Preferred embodiments of the invention

Hereinafter, various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. Identical or similar elements in the figures are denoted by the same reference numerals. However, the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments, but further includes modifications of features of the described embodiments and combination of features of various embodiments within the scope of the independent claims.

1 shows, by way of example, a plan view of a solar cell 100 known from the prior art. The solar cell 100 comprises a substantially rectangular photovoltaic semiconductor photovoltaic substrate layer, hereinafter referred to as substrate 1, on the front side a front contact with two (optionally also a plurality of) electrically conductive mutually parallel busbars 102 for dissipating the electrical energy and for connecting the solar cell 100 with other solar cells to a solar cell module. Perpendicular to the busbars 102 a plurality of also parallel to each other, but extending transversely to the busbars 102 contact fingers 101 are provided as part of the front contacting. These conduct the electrical energy generated by the incidence of light in the substrate 1 to the busbars 102. In order to enable a high energy efficiency of the solar cell by low electrical resistances of the conductor tracks and at the same time the lowest possible shading, the contact fingers 101 with a maximum and over the entire length the contact finger 101 uniform aspect ratio, ie high altitude and minimum width.

2A shows by way of example a plan view of a section of a printing screen 200 known from the prior art, and FIG. 2B shows by way of example a cross-section of the section of the printing screen 200 of FIG. 2B known from the prior art. The printing screen 200 comprises a photoemulsion layer 201 having a print image opening 203 for printing the front side contacting. The photoemulsion layer is stabilized by a screen mesh 202, which is incorporated in the photoemulsion layer 201. This results in particular the disadvantage that the screen fabric 202 also fills the free print area of the print image opening and thus can lead to an uneven paste imprint when printing the front side contacting, especially in the area of the mesh nodes of the mesh 202, especially if the mesh nodes of the mesh 202 in the edge region the printing line (print image opening 203) are arranged. 3A shows a schematic, structural layer-side plan view of a section of a printing template, in which the carrier layer openings are cut out of the carrier layer in a conventional manner by means of a focused laser beam. 3B shows a schematic sectional view along the section line A - A from FIG. 3A.

3A shows, in particular by way of example, a plan view of a printing stencil from the side of the structural layer 22, the printing stencil being produced by means of a conventionally known laser cutting method. The carrier layer openings 21a are formed from the carrier layer 21 by means of the focused laser along the edge of the carrier layer openings 21a to be worked out In the region of the longitudinally extending print image opening 22a in the structure layer 22, three substantially rectangular shaped carrier layer openings 21a are formed in the carrier layer 21, which are separated from one another by a web 21b Positioned at the position PI in Fig. 3A, and then, after opening the shutter means of the laser device along the edge of the substrate opening 21a to the positions P2, P3 and P4 in the respective white led corners and then back to the position PI until the carrier layer opening 21 a is completely cut out of the carrier layer 21. After the shutter device of the laser device has been closed, the focused laser beam can be guided into the area of the next carrier layer opening 21a to be cut out in order to cut out this next carrier layer opening 21a to be worked out of the carrier layer 21. FIG. 4A shows a schematic, structurally layer-side plan view of a section of a

Printing stencil, in which the carrier layer openings 21a are worked out according to a method according to a first embodiment of the present invention. 4B shows a schematic sectional view along the section line A - A from FIG. 4A. In the structural layer 22 is a continuous elongated rectangular print image opening 22a

(For example, for the pressure of a contact finger of a front contact of a solar cell) formed. In the carrier layer 21 lying above the structural layer 22, a row of circular carrier layer openings 21a is worked out in the area of the print image opening 22a, between which a web 21b is formed in the carrier layer 21. The diameter of the carrier layer openings 21a is adapted to the width of the print image opening 22a in the transverse direction of the print image opening 22a, or in FIG. 4A corresponds substantially to the width of the print image opening 22a.

For the pressure of a contact finger of a front contact of a solar cell could For example, dimensions in practice may be such that the width of the print image opening 22a or the diameter of the carrier layer openings 21a is in the range of approximately 20 to 100 .mu.m, and the web width of the webs 21b (measured approximately in the thin middle region of the web) in the region 10 μηη to 50 μιτι or preferably about 15pm to 30μιη lies.

From ridge widths below about 30μηη, in particular from about 20μιη, a surprising effect of a reduction in height by melting on the laser inlet side is observable, as illustrated in Fig. 4B at the webs 21b. Such narrow web widths can be achieved by conventional laser cutting techniques such as e.g. The height reduction of the webs 21b by melting on the laser entrance side leads to the advantageous effect that a printing paste under the webs 21b on the side of the substrate to be printed 1 can converge better and over the entire length the print image opening allows an improved uniform print image. The carrier layer openings are worked out according to the invention at positions PI, P2,... To PN according to the invention by means of one or more laser pulses of a defocused laser beam. For this purpose, the carrier layer 21 and the laser device are moved from the position PI to the position PN relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the area of the print image opening 22a (see arrow in Fig. 4A). In this case, the method can be carried out continuously (in particular for very short laser pulses) if the carrier layer openings 21a are worked out by means of one laser pulse in each case, or preferably also stepwise, as described below with reference to FIGS. 5a to 5D illustrates when the carrier layer openings 21a are worked out by means of one or more laser pulses. In both cases, the movement is made from one position (e.g., PI) to the next position (e.g., P2), particularly between two laser pulses.

Figs. 5A to 5D illustrate steps of a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. According to FIG. 5A, the laser device 10 comprising a laser source 11 and a focusing device 12, which comprises focusing optics, is positioned at a position PI of a first carrier layer opening 21a to be worked out in the carrier layer 21. The laser beam is aligned on the carrier layer 21 and defocused by means of the focusing optics of the focusing device 12 at the level of the surface or in the carrier layer 21 so that it has a laser cross section QL with a size dependent on the predetermined size QT of the carrier layer opening 21a to be worked out (FIG. about 50% to 90% of the specified size QT). In the region of the laser cross section QL, the laser beam has an energy density which is sufficient to work out a carrier layer opening as a function of the carrier layer thickness by means of one or more laser pulses of a predetermined number n. In this case, the laser cross section QL is generally to be selected somewhat smaller than the predetermined size QT, since the heat energy radiates laterally in the carrier layer and works out a carrier layer opening, whose cross section is larger than the cross section QL of the defocused laser beam.

After positioning the laser device 10 at the position PI, the laser device 10 remains at the position PI for a predetermined period of time until the predetermined number n of laser pulses have been delivered, i. for a predetermined period of time equal to n times the period T or n times the cross value of the frequency of the pulsed laser of the laser device 10 (preferably exactly for the duration of a laser pulse, i.e., preferably n = 1). Thereafter, the carrier layer opening 21a is machined out at the position PI as schematically shown in Fig. 5B After the nth laser pulse, the laser device 10 is moved relative to the carrier layer 21 to the position P2 of the next carrier layer opening 21a to be processed 5C, as shown schematically in Fig. 5C, the movement of movement is performed between the nth and subsequent (n + l) -th laser pulses, but it is not essential to the invention whether the laser device 10 actually does as a whole, the focusing device 12 and / or the carrier layer 21 is moved.

After positioning the laser device 10 at the position P2, the laser device 10 remains at the position P2 for a predetermined period of time until a predetermined number m of laser pulses has been emitted (preferably with m = n, more preferably m = l), i. for a predetermined period of time corresponding to m times the period T or m times the cross value of the frequency of the pulsed laser of the laser device 10. Thereafter, the substrate opening 21a at the position P2 has been machined out as shown in Fig. 5D In the case of web widths below about 30 μm, in particular at about 20 μm and less, as described above, the surprising and advantageous effect of reducing the height of the web 21b is achieved by melting on the laser entrance side of the carrier layer 21. After the mth laser pulse, the Laser device 10 are moved relative to the carrier layer 21 to the position of the next processed carrier layer opening 21a and the steps can be repeated until the last position PN in the series of carrier layer openings 21a is reached and the last carrier layer opening of the series is worked out.

6 shows a schematic, structurally layer-side plan view of a detail of a printing stencil, in which the carrier layer openings 21a have been produced according to a method according to a second exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Here, the difference with the embodiment of FIGS. 4A and 4B that the carrier layer openings 21a are not circular but elliptical pronounced. This can be achieved by the cross section QT of the laser is defocused by means of the focusing device 12 is not circular but elliptical on the carrier layer or automatically arises especially in the feed direction by the speed when cutting (shoot through). In the structure layer 22, a continuous elongated rectangular print image opening 22a (for example, for the pressure of a contact finger of a front contact of a solar cell) is formed. In the carrier layer 21 lying above the structural layer 22, a row of elliptical carrier layer openings 21a is worked out in the region of the print image opening 22a, between which a web 21b is formed in the carrier layer 21. The main axis of the elliptical carrier layer openings 21a is aligned transversely to the longitudinal direction of the print image opening 22a and adapted to the width of the print image opening 22a in the transverse direction of the print image opening 22a, or corresponds in Fig. 6 is substantially the width of the print image opening 22a.

For the printing of a contact finger of a front contacting of a solar cell, the dimensions in practice could be such that the width of the printed image opening 22a or the length of the main axes of the elliptical carrier layer openings 21a is in the range of about 25 to 80 μm and the web width of the Webs 21b (measured approximately in the thin central region of the web) in the range 5 μηη to 20 μιτι or preferably about ΙΟμιη to 15μιη. Also occurs the above-described advantageous effect of reducing the height of the webs 21b by melting at the laser entrance side web widths of about 30μιτι, in particular at about 20μιη. According to this embodiment, on the one hand wider carrier layer openings 21a can be worked out by aligning the wider main axes of the ellipse shape transversely to the longitudinal direction of the print image opening 22a. In addition, and in particular advantageously, the webs 21b can be formed on the basis of the elliptical shape with respect to the main axis aligned transversely to the longitudinal direction of the print image opening 22a with a transverse width extending more uniformly.

7 shows a schematic top view of a section of a printing stencil on which the support layer openings 21a have been produced according to a method according to a third exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Here, the difference with the embodiment of FIGS. 4A and 4B that the carrier layer openings 21a are not circular, but are each formed from circular carrier layer openings, which are arranged in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction of the print image opening row and thereby overlap such that a single carrier layer opening 21a is formed. This can be achieved by analogous to FIGS. 4A and 4B first according to the procedure of Figs. 5A to 5D, a series of circular (or in another embodiment also elliptical) carrier layer openings extending in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening 22a are produced according to the shape and size of the laser cross section QT of the defocused laser, the focusing device being movable relative to the carrier layer from the position Move Pll to the PIN position and thereafter analogously further rows of carrier layer openings running parallel in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening 22a, ie a second row from the position P21 to the position P2N, a third row from the position P31 to the position P3N and a fourth row from the position, for example P41 to position P4N.

According to this embodiment, even wider substrate openings 21a can be machined, which have a width that is significantly greater than the width of the cross section QT of the laser, as illustrated in Fig. 7. Again, the above-described advantageous effect of reducing the height of the webs 21b by melting on the laser entrance side from land widths of about 30μηη, especially at about 20μηη, observable. If the opening is very large, for reasons of strength between P21 and P31, a parallel web can be provided to P2N or P3N.

8 shows a schematic, structurally layer-side plan view of a detail of a printing template, in which the carrier layer openings 21a have been produced according to a method in accordance with a fourth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Here, the carrier layer openings 21a are each worked out by means of a laser pulse, wherein the laser cross-section of the defocused laser beam is chosen as an example circular. In contrast to the method according to the first embodiment of the present invention according to FIGS. 4A to 5D, the position of the defocused laser beam but also during the laser pulse, i. during the working out of the carrier layer openings 21a relative to the carrier layer 21 in the longitudinal direction of the printed image opening 22a of the structure layer 22, so that instead of circular carrier layer openings 21a slot-shaped carrier layer openings are worked out. An elongated hole is an elongate hole whose cross-section is composed of an oblong rectangular shape at the longitudinal ends of each of which joins a semicircular shape (e.g., semicircles as in Fig. 8 or semi-ellipses if an elliptical cross-section of the defocused laser is selected).

Specifically, the laser device 10 is first moved to a position PI of the first carrier layer opening. During a laser pulse of the pulsed laser, the position of the defocused laser beam, whose defocused cross section has been selected to be circular in this exemplary embodiment, is moved from the first position PI to the second position P2 of the carrier layer opening, wherein the feed rate is substantially chosen such that it the quotient of the pulse duration of the pulsed laser and the distance of the positions PI and P2 corresponds. However, the length of the then-processed carrier layer opening 21a is larger than the distance of the positions PI and P2 due to the cross section of the defocused laser beam (see FIG. 8). Analogously to the above embodiments, the position of the laser beam between two laser pulses from the second position P2 of the carrier layer opening to a position P3 of the subsequently worked out Carrier layer opening 21a process. The steps are repeated until the position PN at the end of the print image opening is reached. In this exemplary embodiment too, it is possible to set elliptical laser cross sections instead of circular laser cross sections or to work out further rows of carrier layer openings which overlap with the carrier layer openings of the first row in order to be able to provide even wider carrier layer openings.

9 shows a schematic, structurally layer-side plan view of a section of a printing template, in which the carrier layer openings are worked out according to a method according to a fifth exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Here, the carrier layer openings 21a are formed oval or elliptical, wherein the longitudinal direction of the carrier layer openings 21a extends in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening 22. This can e.g. be achieved by the template is already moved when the laser pulse is not turned off, i. by "blurring" when working out the carrier layer openings 21a.

FIG. 10 shows, by way of example, a pulse time waveform of a pulsed laser suitable for use in a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is not essential to the invention whether a pulsed laser beam is used or whether a continuous laser beam is used which is "pulsed" by periodically opening or closing a shutter by means of a mechanical shuttering device 10 illustrates periodically after a period T and each has a pulse duration τ, resulting in the following relationships: the period corresponds to the reciprocal of the frequency, the duty cycle is given by τ / Τ and the on-off ratio results from x / (T - x). In summary, according to the invention, a production method for a

Printing stencil can be provided, in which the respective carrier layer openings in the carrier layer of the printing stencil in the region of the print image opening are respectively worked out or "shot out" by applying one or more laser pulses, which in comparison to manufacturing processes in which carrier layer openings conventionally by means of a strongly focused In addition, since the working out of the carrier layer opening on a cost-intensive laser cutting device can be shortened significantly, this improved time efficiency also means a significantly improved cost efficiency in the production of the printing stencil. Furthermore, a printing stencil produced according to the invention has procedural structural improvements over printing screens and Dru In the case of which carrier layer apertures are cut out of the carrier layer conventionally by means of a strongly focused laser beam, since a significantly improved stability of the carrier layer and an improved doctoring behavior are achieved, and nevertheless an excellent Print image can be achieved, especially in the printing of contact fingers front contacting a solar cell.

Claims

claims

A method of making a technical printing stencil for applying a printing pattern to a substrate, comprising:

Providing a carrier layer (21) of the printing stencil,

Providing a structural layer (22) underlying the carrier layer (21)

Stencil,

- Working out in a longitudinal direction, at least a portion of the print pattern (101, 102) corresponding print image opening (22a) in the structural layer (22), and

- Working out of carrier layer openings (21a) in the carrier layer (21) in the region of the print image opening (22a) by means of a depending on the width of herauszuarbeitenden

Carrier layer openings (21a) defocused laser beam, such that a print medium through the carrier layer openings (21a) and the print image opening (22a) on the substrate (1) can be applied.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that

when working out of the carrier layer openings (21a) a laser device (10) is used, which comprises a focusing device (12) and is adapted to the

Discharge laser beam in laser pulses and adjust by means of the focusing device (12) such that the laser beam at the level of the surface of the carrier layer (21) is defocused depending on the width of herauszuarbeitenden carrier layer openings (21a).

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the laser beam is defocused such that the width of the cross section of the laser beam at the level of the surface of the carrier layer (21) about 50% to 95% of the width herauszuarbeitenden by means of one or more laser pulses Carrier layer openings (21a).

4. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the working out of the carrier layer openings to work out a in

The longitudinal direction of the print image opening (22a) extending series of carrier layer openings (21a), wherein

the position of the laser beam after working out of a carrier layer opening (21a) between two successive laser pulses relative to the carrier layer (21) and in

Longitudinal direction of the print image opening (22a) is moved to a position (P2; ...; PN) of the subsequently to be worked out carrier layer opening (21a).

5. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that

in working out a respective carrier layer opening (21a) of the row, the position of the laser beam at a position (PI; P2; ... PN) of the respective carrier layer opening (21a) is positioned and the respective carrier layer opening (21a) is worked out by means of one or more laser pulses at this position.

6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that

the position of the laser beam while working out the respective

Carrier layer opening (21a) is essentially not moved by means of one or more laser pulses.

7. The method according to claim 4, characterized in that

in the machining out of a respective carrier layer opening (21a) of the row, the position of the laser beam is positioned at a first position (PI; P2; ... PN) of the respective carrier layer opening (21a) and the respective carrier layer opening (21a) by means of a laser pulse

is worked out by the position of the laser beam during the one laser pulse from the first position to a second position of the respective carrier layer opening (21 a) is moved.

8. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that

the position of the laser beam during the one laser pulse is moved from the first position to the second position of the respective carrier layer opening (21a) in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening (22a).

9. The method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that

the feed rate in the method of the position of the laser beam relative to the carrier layer (21) from the first to the second position of the processed out

Carrier layer opening (21a) and / or the pulse duration of the laser pulse of the laser beam in

Depending on the length of the herauszubearbeitenden carrier layer opening (21 a) can be selected.

10. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by

Adjusting a shape and / or size of the cross section of the defocused laser beam

Height of the surface of the carrier layer by means of a focusing device (12) of the laser device (10).

11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that

the width of the cross section of the defocused laser beam at the level of the surface of the carrier layer (21) is adjusted transversely to the longitudinal orientation of the print image opening (22a) as a function of the width of the print image opening (22a).

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that

the laser beam is so defocused that it has a substantially circular cross-section at the level of the surface of the carrier layer (21).

13. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the laser beam is defocused such that it has at the level of the surface of the carrier layer (21) has a substantially elliptical cross-section.

14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that

the elliptical main axis of the laser cross section is aligned transversely, in particular perpendicular, to the longitudinal direction of the print image opening (22a).

15. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by adjusting one or more of the parameters frequency or period of the pulsed

Laser beam, pulse duration of the laser pulses, duty cycle of the pulsed laser beam, on-off ratio of the pulsed laser beam.

16. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

in the method of positioning the laser beam relative to the carrier layer (21) between two successive laser pulses between two adjacent carrier layer openings (21a) of the series of carrier layer openings, a web (21b) is formed in the carrier layer (21).

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that

the feed rate in the method of position of the laser beam relative to the carrier layer (21) is selected from a position of a processed carrier layer opening (21a) to a position of a subsequently to be processed carrier layer opening (21a) in response to a predetermined ridge width.

18. The method according to claim 17, characterized in that

the feed rate in the method of position of the laser beam relative to the support layer (21) from a position of a processed carrier layer opening (21a) to a position of a subsequently processed carrier layer opening (21a) further depending on the width of the carrier layer openings (21a) in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening (22a) is selected.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that

the feed rate in the method of the focusing of the

Laser device relative to the carrier layer (21) from the position of a processed carrier layer opening (21 a) to the position of a subsequent herauszuarbeitenden

Carrier layer opening (21a) is selected to be smaller or substantially equal to (BL + SB) / (T-τ), BL being the width of the carrier layer openings (21a) in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening (22a) denotes SB, the predetermined land width, T is the period of the pulsed

Laser beam designated and τ denotes the pulse duration of the laser pulses.

20. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

in the method of the position of the laser beam relative to the carrier layer (21), a focusing device (12) of the laser device (10) and / or the carrier layer (21) are moved.

21. The method according to any one of claims 4 to 20, characterized in that the working out of the carrier layer openings (21a) working out at least one further in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening and parallel to the first row of

Carrier layer openings (21a) extending second row of carrier layer openings (21a).

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that

in each case one carrier layer opening of the first row overlaps a carrier layer opening of the at least one further second row such that each carrier layer opening (21a) in the produced printing template is formed from two or more carrier layer openings of the at least two rows, wherein between in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening (22a) adjacent carrier layer openings (21 a) a web (21 b) is formed.

23. A technical printing stencil for applying a printing pattern to a substrate prepared according to a method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising:

a carrier layer (21) of the printing stencil,

a structural layer (22) of the printing stencil lying under the carrier layer (21), wherein the structural layer (22) has a longitudinally extending, at least part of the

Printing pattern (101, 102) corresponding print image opening (22a) in the structural layer (22), and

wherein the carrier layer (21) in the region of the print image opening (22a) comprises one or more rows of carrier layer openings (21a) extending in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening (22a).

24. Printing template according to claim 23, characterized in that

the carrier layer openings (21a) of a row are substantially circular.

25. Printing template according to claim 23, characterized in that

the carrier layer openings (21a) of a row are formed substantially elliptical.

26. Printing template according to claim 25, characterized in that

the elliptical main axis of the carrier layer openings (21a) of a row are aligned transversely, in particular perpendicularly, to the longitudinal direction of the print image opening (22a).

27. Printing template according to claim 23, characterized in that

the carrier layer openings (21a) of a row are formed substantially oblong-shaped.

28. Printing stencil according to one of claims 23 to 27, characterized in that the carrier layer (21) in the region of the print image opening (22a) exactly one in

A series of carrier layer openings (21a) extending in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening (22a), wherein a respective web (21b) is formed between adjacent carrier layer openings (21a), which is melted on the structural layer side and thereby in its height compared to the thickness of the carrier layer (21) is reduced.

29. Printing stencil according to one of claims 23 to 28, characterized in that in each case a carrier layer opening (21 a) of a first row with a

Carrier layer opening (21a) cover at least one further second row in such a way that each carrier layer opening (21a) in the printing template is formed from two or more carrier layer openings (21a) of the at least two rows, whereby carrier layer openings (21a) adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction of the print image opening (22a) a respective web (21b) is formed.