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Mallinckrodt Baker FinalDR 18/12/09 09:29 Page 17
COVERSTORY
Reducing environmental and energy costs independent research
Poly-silicon clean and etch, wafer surface texturing organizations
and post-emitter optimization are c-Si processes worldwide to develop
that typically utilize chemicals such as hydrofluoric custom wet chemistry
acid and nitric acid. There are significant processes that incorporate
operational and infrastructure costs associated the company’s engineered
with using these types of chemistries in large chemistries – processes that
quantities. New developments in engineered are now available for adoption
chemistries are producing effective alternatives that by the industry. Mallinckrodt
can lengthen wet clean bath life and/or reduce the Baker also works with process
amount of HF needed to accomplish various wet tool developers and turnkey
clean processes. suppliers to optimize how its
chemicals are used in various tools
These engineered chemistries are designed to be now in use across the industry. As more
much less toxic and easier to handle, and in some of the major c-Si manufacturers become
cases are biodegradable, simplifying disposal vertically integrated, they are recognizing
requirements. Reducing the volume of HF used in that wet chemistry processes can affect
c-Si processes, or even eliminating its use entirely, wafering, texturing and emitter optimization.
offers manufacturers the opportunity to reduce Therefore, chemical suppliers will have a unique
costs in multiple ways: insight to solving multiple manufacturing issues.
ring6 Plant water and atmospheric environmental As these manufacturers become larger, they seek
systems can be simplified to fine-tune proprietary solar cell production
ring6 Operational requirements (which in many processes to help differentiate their offerings and
regions can be quite strict) associated with deliver competitive cost/Wp cells to the module
worker safety training, chemical handling, builders and solar power infrastructure builders.
documentation, etc., can be reduced Mallinckrodt Baker is engaged in joint development
ring6 Waste treatment systems do not need to be projects with several Tier 1 vertically integrated
equipped to handle as much toxic materials silicon cell manufacturers, with efforts focused on
17
ring6 Liability costs, such as insurance against spills achieving these strategic goals.
or contamination, may also be reduced.
www
Control wafer surface – control cell
.solar
Another significant cost associated with certain performance
c-Si wet chemistry processes is temperature control. Multicrystalline silicon solar cells are the major, and
-pv-management.com
Some processes using bulk chemistries generate or growing, technology platform for the emerging
require significant amounts of heat (up to 80
0
C for photovoltaic industry, a proven technology that
monocrystalline texturing processes, and intense offers improving cell efficiency, and thinner, lighter,
cooling to 4°C for multicrystalline texturing more durable, module designs. In addition,
processes). These processes require significant new technologies such as amorphous silicon, III-V
investment in heating/cooling technologies, and and multi-junction cells are attracting major
may present operational concerns. research and production investments.
Issue VI 2009
Mallinckrodt Baker’s recently introduced chemicals It is clear that as these technologies evolve,
for emitter optimization operate in temperature exercising precise control over surface
ranges from room temperature to 70
0
C, enabling characteristics will be crucial to sustaining
the design of wet cleaning processes without the improvements in cell efficiency. Moreover,
additional investment of temperature controls. This this control needs to be incorporated into large-
also helps reduce energy consumption, since scale manufacturing fabs with multi-megawatt
cooling or heating systems can be eliminated. capacity.
Applications expertise aids process More sophisticated application of specialty
improvements engineered chemistries, in combination with finely-
Leading companies within the c-Si manufacturing tuned wet etch and surface modification Mallinckrodt Baker’s
industry are calling on the expertise of major tool processes, offers significant advantages for award-winning PV-160
providers and key suppliers from multiple manufacturers. If manufacturers can control solar cell surface
manufacturing disciplines. They are leveraging this surface characteristics through chemicals modifier provides an
expertise to help solve challenges such as specifically designed for c-Si manufacturing optimized phosphorus
production bottlenecks, cost concerns, and processes, it will be possible to drive down removal step and fine-
process problems associated with improving both cost/Wp, and help photovoltaic power to realize tunes the surface
cell and manufacturing efficiency. the goal of true grid parity and wide-scale properties of the solar
integration of solar power into our energy cell to contribute to
For example, Mallinckrodt Baker works with top infrastructure. cell efficiency
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