Mawuli Ametowobla

CIGS P3 scribes using ultra-short laser pulses and thermal annealing

Thin-film photovoltaic panels consist of individual solar cells which are monolithically interconnected in series. Today, these connections are commonly realized by mechanical methods. In order to increase the solar output, it is one approach to minimize the interconnection area (so called “dead area”). In this regard, recent advances in laser patterning are gaining increasing potential. However, especially high-impedance trenches realized via laser scribing generally suffer from insufficient shunt resistances. This is especially the case for the third structuring stage P3 of CIGS solar modules, which represents the isolation of nearby cells.