JP5403402B2 - Laser processing residue removal device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention, in the patterning process such as an amorphous semiconductor film laminated on a flexible substrate of the thin-film solar cell, the Relais chromatography The processing residue to use in removing machining residues when subjected to laser processing The present invention relates to a removing device.

  The thin-film solar cell includes a photoelectric conversion unit formed by sequentially laminating a first electrode layer, a photoelectric conversion layer, and a transparent electrode layer (second electrode layer) as a lower electrode layer on a surface of a flexible substrate having electrical insulation. A third electrode layer and a fourth electrode layer as connection electrode layers formed on the back surface of the flexible substrate, and patterning the photoelectric conversion part and the connection electrode layer into unit parts while shifting their positions from each other, The unit photoelectric conversion portions (unit cells) that are patterned and adjacent to each other on the surface are electrically connected in series via a connection hole and a current collection hole formed in the photoelectric conversion layer formation region. .

  In such a method for manufacturing a thin-film solar cell, burrs of several tens to several hundreds of μm adhere to processing edges as laser processing in the patterning step.

  Conventionally, prior art (Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2) is known in which processing scraps are removed by rubbing with a roll in order to remove the processing scraps attached to the processing end by such laser processing.

  In Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2002-126659), after patterning a flexible substrate by laser processing, two urethane-made cleaning rolls that sandwich the flexible substrate between pressing rolls are flexible. The two cleaning rolls are rotated forward and backward relative to each other in the substrate transport direction and oscillated in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the flexible substrate to scrub and clean the burrs on the flexible substrate.

  In Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2006-167529), a substrate is placed under a plurality of disc brushes having a brush height adjusting mechanism, and the heights of the plurality of disc brushes are independently set. Adjust to equalize the pressure at which the disc brush contacts the flexible substrate.

  9 and 10 are enlarged cross-sectional views showing the state of occurrence of burrs 101 on the flexible substrate 100 disclosed in Patent Document 1, and FIG. 11 is a conceptual diagram of a method for removing the burrs 101 using a cleaning roll.

  In the technique disclosed in Patent Document 1, the two cleaning rolls that sandwich the flexible substrate 100 together with the pressing roll are rotated forward and backward in the conveyance direction of the flexible substrate 100, and the flexible substrate The burr 101 of the flexible substrate 100 is rubbed and cleaned by vibrating in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of 100.

JP 2002-126659 A JP 2006-167529 A

Therefore, in Patent Document 1, since the flexible substrate 100 is rubbed and cleaned by vibrating in a direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction of the flexible substrate 100, the brush tip 102 of the cleaning roll is attached to the flexible substrate. The track K tends to be parallel to the 100 conveyance direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 11, the locus K of the brush tip 102 may pass through the burr 101 of the flexible substrate 100.
Therefore, in such a conventional technique, the brush tip 102 does not reach the burr 101 of the flexible substrate 100 and cannot be removed. There is.

The present invention solves the above problems, and in the manufacture of a thin film solar cell, the burr generated by laser processing in the patterning step and the brush tip of the cleaning roll are contacted without leakage, and the burr is reliably removed. obtained, and an object thereof is to provide an apparatus for removing les chromatography the processing residue with improved burr removal rate.

The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems of the prior art, and a thin film is formed on at least the main surface of a flexible substrate that is continuously conveyed, and laser processing is performed on the thin film of the flexible substrate. And a cleaning roll using a brush disposed on the main surface side of the flexible substrate in the apparatus for removing the laser processing residue adhering to the flexible substrate during the patterning. And a pressing roll disposed on the surface opposite to the main surface of the flexible substrate so as to face the cleaning roll, and crossing the cleaning roll at a certain angle with the conveyance direction of the flexible substrate. disposed in a direction, the brush of the cleaning roll a removing device of the laser processing residue obtained by the so that by operation obliquely to the conveying direction of the flexible substrate, wherein the Allowed The folding substrate is folded back at a fixed angle at two locations in the transport direction, and each set of the cleaning roll and the pressing roll is arranged in the folded portion so that the cleaning roll comes to the laser processing residue adhesion surface side. is there.

According to claim 1, arranged in a direction intersecting the click leaning roll conveying direction a certain angle of the flexible substrate, operating diagonally brush of the cleaning roll to the conveying direction of the flexible substrate since was, since it can be removed in contact with the swarf wide by rubbing the laser processing residue obliquely Bari, efficiently, Ru can be removed with a laser processing residue. Furthermore, the folded back at an angle at two positions in the conveying direction flexible substrate, each set of cleaning roll and the press roll to the folded portion, and arranged such that the cleaning roller on the attachment surface side of the laser processing residue comes Therefore, each set of the cleaning roll and the pressing roll can be freely arranged depending on the application.

A conveying conceptual view of the flexible substrate of the thin film manufacturing apparatus to be present onset bright reference. FIG. It is a side schematic view of the cleaning unit in which the first shape state as a reference for the present invention is applied. It is a layout view of a cleaning unit according to the first form state as a reference for the present invention. It is a movement locus | trajectory figure of the brush front-end | tip part of the cleaning unit concerning the Example of this invention. It is a flat layout view seen from the lower surface of the cleaning unit near that arranged parallel to the cleaning roller according to a second form states that can be used as a guide of the present invention. It is a flat layout view of the cleaning roller as viewed from the lower surface of the cleaning unit near placed into a high shape according to the second form states that can be used as a guide of the present invention. It is a flat layout view seen from the lower surface of the cleaning unit near according to the first implementation mode of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the generation | occurrence | production state of the burr | flash of the flexible substrate in a prior art. It is sectional drawing which shows the removal condition by the cleaning roll in a prior art. It is a conceptual diagram of the removal method by the cleaning roll of a burr | flash in a prior art.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

Figure 1 is a conceptual view of the transport situation of the flexible substrate of the thin film manufacturing apparatus to be present onset bright reference, FIG. 2 is an arrow view of the Z direction in FIG. The Figure 3 is a side schematic view of the cleaning unit in which the first shape state as a reference for the present invention is applied.

The first form state as a reference for the present invention includes the configuration of FIGS. 1 through 3, the same configuration.
1 and 2 are so-called roll-to-roll type thin film manufacturing apparatuses. In the drawing, a long flexible substrate 2 wound around a feed roller 1 is supported on a transport path. It passes through the roll 2a, passes through the laser patterning unit 3 and the cleaning unit 4, and is wound on the take-up roll 5 through the support roll 5a. In the method for manufacturing a thin film solar cell, burrs of several tens to several hundreds of μm adhere to processing edges as laser processing in the patterning step.

Figure 3 is a detailed side view of a prior SL cleaning unit 4 serving as a reference for the present invention.
In FIG. 3, the cleaning unit 4 includes two sets of pressing rolls 6 that rotate while sandwiching the flexible substrate 2 and two cleaning rolls 7, and two are provided at regular intervals in the conveyance direction of the flexible substrate 2. doing.
The flexible substrate 2 laser-processed by the laser patterning unit 3 includes a cylindrical cleaning roll 7 using a brush 11 and a pressing roll 6 that rotates in cooperation with the cleaning roll 7 in the cleaning unit 4. The processing waste (burrs) called laser processing residue is removed.

The pressing roll 6 is a rotatable cylindrical roller that is disposed on the opposite surface side of the cleaning roll 7 and is formed of a material harder than the cleaning roll 7. The cleaning roll 7 is provided with a brush (not shown) in which a large number of wires are implanted on the peripheral surface, and the brush is rubbed against the laser processing residue of the flexible substrate 2 to process dust (burrs). The laser processing residue consisting of is removed.
The two cleaning rolls 7 are rotated in the opposite directions by N1 and N2 rotations as shown by arrows in FIG.

In the following, it will be described prior Symbol specific configuration of the cleaning unit 4.

The first reference type state 4 is a layout diagram showing a cleaning roller 7 of the cleaning unit according to the first form state as a reference for the present invention. The overall configuration is arranged as shown in FIGS.
In this reference shaped state, with respect to the flexible substrate 2, the cleaning unit 4 consisting of a roll 6 pressing the cleaning roller 7 is arranged in a direction perpendicular respectively to the conveying direction. The two sets of cleaning units 4 are arranged in parallel with each other at regular intervals, and the cleaning roll 7 is rotated in the opposite direction.

Each cleaning roll 7 is swung in the axial direction with a constant amplitude 15 by a guide member 14 as shown in FIG. Thus, when the cleaning roll 7 is swung while the flexible substrate 2 is being transported, the cleaning roll 7 is swung in a direction perpendicular to the transport direction of the flexible substrate 2. At this time, the brush tip 11 of the cleaning roll 7 is operated obliquely in the direction of the arrow 13 at a constant angle with respect to the conveyance direction of the flexible substrate 2 as shown in FIG. In this way, the laser processing residue of the flexible substrate 2 adhering to the flexible substrate 2, that is, the processing waste (burr) 10 is removed by rubbing obliquely. Cleaning roll 7
The operation angle of the brush tip 11 is configured such that the inclination angle (θ) is 45 ° or the inclination angle (θ) is in the range of 30 ° to 90 °.

An example of a specific configuration of this reference type state, as the brush type cleaning roller 7, using a nylon material, Hair length is 14～20Mm, bristle diameter of the brush (phi) is 0.07 0.10 mm is used. The roll angle of the cleaning roll 7 is 0 degree.
That is, it arrange | positions so as to be orthogonal to a board | substrate conveyance direction. That is, since the laser processing line is parallel to the conveyance direction, the angle formed between the processing residue (burrs) adhering to the end of the line and the brush tip is 0 degrees when it does not swing.
The oscillation conditions are a frequency of 50 Hz and an amplitude of 50 mm.

As a result, the burr removal rate was 90% or more. The removal rate was calculated by measuring a burr area having a width of 5 mm on a laser processing line with an optical microscope and comparing the burr area before and after cleaning.
As a result of observing the surface of the flexible substrate 2 with an optical microscope, no surface damage was generated.

Second reference-type state 6 is a layout view seen from the lower surface of the cleaning unit near according to the second form states that can be used as a guide of the present invention.
In the second reference-type condition, in the cleaning unit 4, the cleaning roller 7 and the pressing roll 6, at a certain distance C in the conveying direction of the flexible substrate 2 two sets installed, the two sets of cleaning The rolls 7 and 7 are arranged in the same direction at a constant angle. The tilt angle (θ) is preferably 45 °, or tilted within the range of the tilt angle (θ) = 30 ° to 90 °.
In this case, the cleaning roll 7 is set to the inclination angle (θ) = 45 ° so as not to swing at this inclination angle. In the case of FIG. 6, the cleaning rolls 7 are driven to rotate forward and reverse.
Although in the second reference type state are effective without swung, as mentioned above in the first reference example, a motor and a cam, etc. (not shown), left and right frequency 50 Hz, the oscillating amplitude 50 mm (Fig. 4 15 can also be a swing amplitude).
Incidentally, omitted in such second reference shaped state, said the first reference type on purpose the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, and redundant description.

An example of a specific configuration of this reference type state, as the brush type cleaning roller 7, using a nylon material, Hair length is 14～20Mm, bristle diameter of the brush (phi) is 0.07 0.10 mm is used. The roll angle of the cleaning roll 7 is set to an inclination angle (θ) = 45 °. That is, it is inclined 45 degrees with respect to the substrate transport direction. The roll angle indicates an angle formed between the substrate transport direction and the roll. That is, since the laser processing line is parallel to the conveyance direction, the angle formed by the processing residue (burrs) adhering to the line end and the brush tip is 45 degrees.
The roll rotation speed was 2000 rpm, the substrate conveyance speed was 1 to 10 m / min, and the pressing amount was 1 to 3 mm. As a result, the burr removal rate was 90% or more, and there were no surface scratches.
The first reference type on purpose likewise oscillating conditions, the frequency is 50 Hz, the amplitude may be swung by 50 mm.
In the case of FIG. 7, the cleaning roll 7 is inclined and arranged in the same manner as in FIG. 6. In this case, the cleaning rolls 7 and 7 are arranged in a C shape. In this reference type state, two cleaning rolls 7, 7 is rotated forward drive in the same direction. When one of the cleaning rolls 7 is configured to be inclined in a range of an inclination angle (θ) = 30 ° to 90 °, the other of the cleaning rolls 7 has an inclination angle (θ) = − 30 ° to −90 °. Tilt in range. Other specific configurations are on purpose similar reference shape in FIG.
If this reference type state also, the brush tip portion 11 of the cleaning roller 7, as shown in FIG. 5, is operated in the diagonal in the direction of arrow 13 at an angle to the conveying direction of the flexible substrate 2 Will be. In this way, the laser processing residue of the flexible substrate 2 adhering to the flexible substrate 2, that is, the processing waste (burr) 10 is removed by rubbing obliquely.

First implementation embodiment 8 are plan layout view as viewed from the lower surface of the cleaning unit near according to the first implementation mode of the present invention.
In this first implementation mode, the cleaning unit 4a, the 4b, in the conveyance direction S of the flexible substrate 2, folded back two positions, the two positions of the folded portion 2a, 2b the flexible The cleaning roll 7 and the pressing roll 6 are disposed in parallel portions 2c and 2d in the transport direction S of the substrate 2, respectively.
Then, two cleaning rolls 7 and 7 are arranged on the folded portions 2a and 2b so as to be inclined at predetermined angles θ1 and θ2.

In this case, the cleaning roll 7 is set at 45 degrees or in the range of the tilt angle θ1 = θ2 = 30 ° to 90 ° so as not to swing at this tilt angle.
Note that in such a first implementation form, said the first reference type on purpose the same members are denoted by the same reference numerals, you omit redundant description. According to this first embodiment, the brush tip portion 11 of the click leaning roll 7, as shown in FIG. 5, the operation obliquely in the direction of arrow 13 at an angle to the conveying direction of the flexible substrate 2 Will be. In this way, the laser processing residue of the flexible substrate 2 adhering to the flexible substrate 2, that is, the processing waste (burr) 10 is removed by rubbing obliquely.

  The predetermined angle, that is, the inclination angle θ (θ1 = θ2) = 30 ° to 90 ° is limited when θ (θ1 = θ2) = less than 30 °, and the operation of the cleaning roll 7 is insufficient. , Θ (θ1 = θ2) = 90 ° is a limit value when orthogonal.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various changes and modifications can be made based on the technical idea of the present invention.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a laser processing cleaner device capable of performing a contact between a burr generated by laser processing in a patterning step and a brush tip of a cleaning roll without omission and removing a burr reliably and improving a burr removal rate. It can be provided and is suitable for manufacturing a thin film solar cell.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Feed roller 2 Flexible substrate 3 Laser patterning unit 4 Cleaning unit 5 Winding roll 6 Pressing roll
7 Cleaning roll 10 Processing waste (burr)
11 Brush tip 13 Trajectory of brush tip S Transfer direction θ Inclination angle

Claims (1)

  A thin film is formed on at least the main surface of the flexible substrate that is continuously conveyed, and the thin film of the flexible substrate is patterned by laser processing, and the laser adhered to the flexible substrate during the patterning. In an apparatus for removing processing residues, a cleaning roll using a brush disposed on the main surface side of the flexible substrate, and a side opposite to the main surface side of the flexible substrate facing the cleaning roll A pressing roll disposed on the surface of the flexible substrate, wherein the cleaning roll is disposed in a direction intersecting with the conveyance direction of the flexible substrate at a constant angle, and the brush of the cleaning roll is disposed in the conveyance direction of the flexible substrate. A laser processing residue removal device configured to be operated obliquely with respect to
The flexible substrate is folded back at a fixed angle at two locations in the transport direction, and each set of the cleaning roll and the pressing roll is arranged at the folded portion so that the cleaning roll comes to the laser processing residue attachment surface side. An apparatus for removing a laser processing residue.

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