High-tech equipment manufacturer for the growth markets of the future: electronic components, electronic devices, solar and energy storage are Manz AG's stock in trade. Our expertise is based on seven core technologies: automation, roll-to-roll, measurement technology, printing and coating, laser process technology, wet chemical processes and vacuum coatings. Today, our competence extends to vacuum coatings, such as PECVD coating systems developed by Manz.
Vacuum technology is used in many high-tech markets. It is the key to trailblazing innovation in manufacturing solar cells and modules, displays and touch panels, lithium-ion batteries, or OLEDs. Manz's product portfolio includes newly developed vertical and horizontal inline and batch systems for three deposition processes: PECVD, sputtering and vaporization.
PECVD stands for plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition, a technology used for front and rear side passivation of crystalline solar cells, for example. Manz's VCS1200 vertical coating system and the PECVD technology allow cell efficiency above 20 percent, cost-effectively in mass-production. The patented vertical process increases the coating's quality and consistency, because it creates no shading, such as pin marks from mechanical attachment of the wafer. This leads to a clear increase in efficiency.
A silicon nitride layer on the front of the solar cells functions as an anti-reflex layer and ensures better absorption of sunlight. The back of the cell is covered with a further silicon nitride and aluminum oxide coating. This causes the sunlight to be reflected back into the cell, and prevents recombination of the charge carriers. It increases energy yield, and with it the cell's efficiency.
During development of the PECVD systems, the focus was on high quality for the isolated layers and on the greatest possible productivity. The VCS 1200 can put out 1200 silicon wafers an hour. An electrostatic transport system also newly developed ensures low mechanical load on the wafer with simultaneous full-surface coating.
The VCS 1200 is the result of a collaboration between Manz AG and the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) with a German cell manufacturer. It was part of a project called "FeinPass", supported by Germany's Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF), which dealt with passivation of crystalline silicon solar cells. However, the composition and properties of the coating can vary greatly. Because of their modular structure, Manz's PECVD coating systems are suitable for still other applications. These include coating cover glass for smartphones and tablet computers to increase e.g. their scratch resistance.
A video on the technology can be found here.
