High throughput P2 laser scribing of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin-film solar cells

Laser scribing is an indispensable step in the industrial production of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar modules. While cell separation (P1 and P3) is usually achieved using high velocity, low overlap lift-off processes, removal of the absorber layer for generating an electrical back-to-front interconnect (P2) is typically a slow process. In the present study we present an approach for scaling the classical P2 process velocity to an industrially exploitable level. We demonstrated successful P2 scribing at up to 1.7 m/s in a single beam, single pass configuration using a linear focal spot. The presented process is robust against variations in the scribing velocity and focal position, a key point for successful machine integration.