JP2001053309A - Method for manufacturing thin-film solar cell panel and device for draining off rinsing water of thin-film solar cell panel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for satisfactorily draining off washing water while avoiding particles dispersed in the rinsing water from adhering a gain to a substrate, and manufacturing a thin film solar cell panel with an improved photoelelctric conversion characteristic. SOLUTION: A first electrode layer formed on a substrate 1 and a photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer or a second electrode layer are laser scribed and washed, and then the water is drained off. At least two air cutters, 7a, 7b, and 7c inclined in the orthogonal direction to the substrate transfer direction are arranged above and below the substrate 1 so that their most proximal ends of neighboring air cutters are apart from each other as viewed from the substrate transfer direction and overlapped as viewed from the orthogonal direction to the substrate transfer direction, and compressed air is jetted from each air cutter 7a, 7b, and 7c to the substrate 1 to drain off water.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a thin-film solar cell panel, and more particularly, to a method for performing laser scribing of a thin-film solar cell panel and draining cleaning water after cleaning, and a drainer used in this step. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As shown in FIG. 2, a thin-film type solar cell panel separates a first electrode layer (transparent electrode layer) 2 formed on a glass substrate 1 by laser scribing to form a first electrode layer. After the photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer 3 is formed on the layer 2 and separated by laser scribing, the second electrode layer (backside metal electrode layer) 4 is formed on the photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer 3 and then separated by laser scribing. It is manufactured by doing.

In the above manufacturing process, when a photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer or a back electrode layer is formed in a state where particles such as swarf generated by laser scribing adhere to a substrate, a defect is generated at a position of the particles, and the This may cause the photoelectric conversion characteristics of the battery to deteriorate. For this reason,
After each laser scribe step, a step of cleaning the substrate and removing particles from the substrate is performed. This cleaning step is performed by immersing the substrate in cleaning water in a cleaning tank to perform ultrasonic cleaning, or by spraying cleaning water onto the substrate from a shower nozzle to perform cleaning. After the cleaning step, after removing the particles remaining on the substrate together with the cleaning water, and after completely draining the substrate to prevent the particles dispersed in the cleaning water from reattaching, It is necessary to carry out the substrate.

Conventionally, in the step of draining the washing water, one air cutter is provided above and below the substrate so as to cover the entire width of the substrate so as to be orthogonal to the substrate transfer direction, and compressed air is injected from a nozzle of the air cutter. Then, the cleaning water remaining above and below the substrate is flushed backward in the substrate transport direction.

As shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the substrate 1 is transported by a transport roller 6, and the substrate 1 is moved up and down over the substrate 1 so as to be slightly inclined from a direction perpendicular to the substrate transport direction. A method of installing one air cutter 7 covering the entire width and injecting compressed air from a nozzle 8 of the air cutter 7 is also used. In this method, for example, the substrate 1 is transported while the scribe line 5 is perpendicular to the transport direction. In this method, the particles are flushed in one direction along with the remaining cleaning water along the grooves of the scribe line 5 perpendicular to the transport direction of the substrate 1.

However, in the method shown in FIG. 3, when the draining is to be completely completed in the area between the transport rollers 6 on the rear transport surface of the substrate 1, the air cutter 7 is obliquely moved to a range exceeding the interval between the transport rollers 6. Can not be placed in
For this reason, a force for flushing the cleaning water remaining on the substrate 1 in a direction orthogonal to the substrate transfer direction is not generated sufficiently, and water is likely to remain in the groove of the scribe line 5. Also, as shown in FIG. 3, when draining a large area substrate using an air cutter 7 that covers the entire width of the substrate 1 provided one above and below the substrate 1, the inside of the groove of the scribe line 5 The thickness of the layer of water pushed by the compressed air (especially at the end) is increased. When compressed air is applied in this state, the flow of the cleaning water is disturbed, and the cleaning water containing particles may adhere again to the portion where the drainage has been completed. For example, the “wave” of the cleaning water increases in the groove of the scribe line 5, and the phenomenon that the cleaning water including particles spreads to other portions due to the breakage of the “wave”. As a result, the removal of particles becomes incomplete, which causes a deterioration in the photoelectric conversion characteristics of the solar cell.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to sufficiently drain water while preventing particles dispersed in cleaning water from re-adhering to a substrate, and to improve photoelectric conversion characteristics as compared with the prior art. It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and an apparatus capable of manufacturing a thin film solar cell panel.

[0008]

According to the present invention, there is provided a method for manufacturing a thin-film solar cell panel, comprising the steps of laser scribing a first electrode layer formed on a substrate, cleaning the electrode layer, and then draining the first electrode layer. Forming a photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer on the electrode layer, laser scribing, washing, and then draining,
Forming a second electrode layer on the photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer, performing laser scribing, washing, and then draining the water. The two or more air cutters are tilted with respect to the direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction. The closest ends of the air cutters adjacent to each other are separated from each other when viewed in the substrate transport direction, and are orthogonal to the substrate transport direction. In this case, the air cutters are installed so as to overlap each other when viewed in the direction in which the air is blown, and compressed air is injected from each air cutter to the substrate.

In the method of the present invention, in each of the draining steps, the substrate is provided with a first electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer, or a second electrode layer.
It is preferable to carry out the transfer while the scribe line of the electrode layer is perpendicular to the transfer direction.

The apparatus for draining cleaning water of a thin-film solar cell panel according to the present invention is a thin-film solar cell panel substrate on which a first electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer, or a second electrode layer is formed and which has undergone laser scribing and cleaning. And a draining mechanism having two or more air cutters above and below the substrate to be transported, wherein the two or more air cutters are inclined with respect to a direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction. And a draining mechanism installed such that the nearest ends of the air cutters adjacent to each other are separated from each other when viewed in the substrate transport direction and overlap when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate transport direction. I do.

By using the method and apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to sufficiently drain the water while avoiding particles dispersed in the cleaning water from re-adhering to the substrate. A solar panel can be manufactured.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. FIGS. 1A and 1B are a plan view and a side view, respectively, showing a method of draining cleaning water for a thin-film solar cell panel according to the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the substrate 1 is cleaned after laser scribing of the first electrode layer, the photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer or the second electrode layer, and is conveyed by the conveying roller 6 of the drainer of the present invention. . In this case, the substrate 1 is transported in a state where the scribe lines 5 (only some of the scribe lines are shown in FIG. 1) are orthogonal to the transport direction of the substrate 1. In this drainer, three air cutters 7a, 7b, and 7c are provided above and below the substrate 1 so as to be inclined with respect to a direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction. 1 to cover the entire width. The length from one end of the air cutter 7a to the other end of the air cutter 7c along the substrate transfer direction exceeds the distance between the transfer rollers 6, and the inclination of each air cutter with respect to the direction orthogonal to the substrate transfer direction is larger than before. Has become. Air cutters adjacent to each other (7a and 7b or 7b and 7c in FIG. 1)
Are installed such that the closest ends are separated from each other when viewed in the substrate transport direction and overlap when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate transport direction. Specifically, the air cutter 7a in FIG.
1 and the upper end of the air cutter 7b are separated from each other by a distance indicated by S in FIG. 1 when viewed in the substrate transfer direction. In addition, the lower end of the air cutter 7a and the upper end of the air cutter 7b in FIG. 1 have an overlapping portion indicated by L in FIG. 1 when viewed in a direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction. Draining is performed by injecting compressed air from the slit-shaped nozzle 8 formed over substantially the entire length of each of the air cutters 7a, 7b, 7c to the substrate 1 in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG.

In the method of the present invention, the three air cutters 7a, 7b, 7c are arranged at a large angle with respect to the direction perpendicular to the substrate transfer direction up to a range exceeding the interval between the transfer rollers 6, Since the overlapping portion is provided in the direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction of the cutter so that the compressed air can be reliably jetted to the region having a length corresponding to the interval between the transport rollers 6, the drainage can be sufficiently performed. Since the inclination of the air cutter is large as described above, it is possible to generate a sufficient force to flush the cleaning water remaining on the substrate 1 in a direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction.

The cleaning water on the substrate 1 is first flushed through the groove of the scribe line 5 by compressed air injected from the nozzle 8 of the air cutter 7a. When the air moves to the intermediate area (area of the interval S) between the air and the air cutter 7b, the compressed air does not hit and no force is applied to flush the cleaning water for a short time. However, immediately after that (before the cleaning water completely flows back), the cleaning water is again flushed in the groove of the scribe line 5 by the compressed air injected from the nozzle 8 of the air cutter 7b. Such an operation also occurs between the air cutter 7b and the air cutter 7c. For example, by blowing compressed air, the “waves” of the washing water in the grooves of the scribe line 5
Is generated, but the "wave" is not so high only by the force of the compressed air from one air cutter,
Attempt to return to the flat area in the middle area between the air cutters before the "wave" breaks, and immediately after that, flush the cleaning water again with compressed air from the subsequent air cutter and discharge the cleaning water out of the substrate 1 successfully. Can be. For this reason, the phenomenon in which the cleaning water containing particles does not spread to the portion where draining has been completed unlike the related art does not occur, which is advantageous for improving the photoelectric conversion characteristics of the solar cell.

The current-voltage characteristics of the solar cell panel manufactured by the method of the present invention were measured using an AM1.5 solar simulator of 100 mW / cm ² .
As a result, the fill factor FF was 67%. On the other hand, FIG.
The fill factor FF of the solar cell panel manufactured by the conventional method shown in FIG. Thus, the method of the present invention is effective in improving the photoelectric conversion characteristics of a solar cell.

[0017]

As described above in detail, by using the method and the apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to sufficiently drain the water while avoiding the particles dispersed in the cleaning water from re-adhering to the substrate. A thin-film solar cell panel with improved photoelectric conversion characteristics can be manufactured.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a plan view and a side view showing a method for draining cleaning water of a thin-film solar cell panel according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a thin-film solar cell panel.

FIG. 3 is a plan view and a side view showing a conventional method for draining cleaning water for a thin-film solar cell panel.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Substrate 2 ... 1st electrode layer (transparent electrode layer) 3 ... Photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer 4 ... 2nd electrode layer (backside metal electrode layer) 5 ... Scribe line 6 ... Transport roller 7, 7a, 7b, 7c ... Air cutter 8 ... Nozzle

Claims (3)

[Claims] A step of laser scribing and cleaning a first electrode layer formed on a substrate and then draining the first electrode layer;
Forming a photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer on the first electrode layer, performing laser scribing, washing, and draining; forming a second electrode layer on the photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer, performing laser scribing; A method of manufacturing a thin-film solar cell panel, comprising a step of draining after cleaning, wherein each of the draining steps is performed so that two or more of the draining steps are tilted above and below the substrate with respect to a direction orthogonal to the substrate transport direction. Install the air cutters so that the closest ends of the adjacent air cutters are separated from each other when viewed in the board transfer direction and overlap when viewed in the direction perpendicular to the board transfer direction. A method for producing a thin-film solar cell panel, which is performed by injecting air. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein each of the draining steps is performed while the substrate is transported in a state where scribe lines of the first electrode layer, the photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer, or the second electrode layer are orthogonal to the transport direction. A method for manufacturing a thin-film solar cell panel according to claim 1. 3. A transport mechanism for transporting a thin-film solar cell panel substrate on which a first electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion semiconductor layer, or a second electrode layer has been formed and which has undergone laser scribing and cleaning; A water draining mechanism provided with two or more air cutters, wherein the two or more air cutters are inclined with respect to a direction perpendicular to the substrate transfer direction, and are closest end portions of adjacent air cutters. A flushing mechanism for flushing water from a thin-film solar cell panel, wherein the flushing mechanism is provided so as to be separated from each other when viewed in the substrate transport direction and overlap each other when viewed in a direction perpendicular to the substrate transport direction.