Uniform Coating Layers in Thin Film Solar Cell 

Ultrasonic spray coating technology has been successfully used for depositing thin film solar cell coatings of AR (anti-reflection) layers, TCO layers, Buffer layers, PEDOT, and active layers in manufacturing of thin film and perovskite solar cell. By using ultrasonic spray coating technology, OPV, CIGs, CdTE, CzTs, Perovskite, and DSC which are some of the solutions or suspensions can be deposited in manufacturing of thin film solar cells. Compared to CVD and sputtering equipment, ultrasonic coating systems significantly reduce cost per watt for manufacturing thin film solar cells, while still keeping the high efficiencies.

Siansonic ultrasonic coating systems which are only a part of the cost of CVD or sputtering equipment, have been used in R&D for perovskite and other thin film solar cell manufacturing applications. Ultrasonic spray technology is continually considered as a potential method for updating to larger sizes and higher volume thin film solar manufacturing. Siansonic makes many contributions to converting R&D processes into high volume productions for a variety of thin film solar cell coatings.

TCO Layers

TCO (Transparent Conductive Oxide) which contains metals dissolved in solution has high conductive and transparent properties. The fabrication process sometimes require the pyrolysis reaction at high temperatures of around 500 °C. Therefore, TCO layers are usually coated at high temperature by using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique.

Siansonic ultrasonic spray pyrolysis system is used for:

• ITO

• ZnO (Doped with Ga, Al, In)

• CdO

• SnO2

CNTs (Carbon Nano Tubes)/Geaphene/Silver Nanowires (AGNW)

CNTs are considered as a potential material to replace ITO in TCO layers due to abundant raw material, super high conductivity and excellent stiction. Siansonic ultrasonic nozzles and sonication syringe have significant advantages in dispensing these nanomaterials because of particles deagglomeration during both the liquid delivery and atomization processes. Ultra-sonication process keep particles homogeneously dispersed in suspensions.

Buffer and/or Organic Layers

• Siansonic coating system is used for the following typical materials:

• CdS: a common buffer layer used in CIGS, CDTe cells

• Organic Cell Polymers: PEDOT, PCBM, P3HT, P3HD

Quantum Dots

Quantum dots contain Zn, Pb, Cd, Se. Advantages of ultrasonic spray coating include significant reduction in initial investment on the capital equipment, dispersion of particles in suspensions during coating process, enormous reducing consumption of costly raw materials.

Anti-Reflection (AR) Coatings

AR coatings significantly improve the transparent property which results in increasing solar cell efficiencies by 3-4%. Siansonic provides ultrasonic coating systems for depositing the following AR coatings:

• SiO2

• TiO2

• Other formulations