Solar cell processing of recrystallized wafer equivalents on low-cost ceramics

As the material cost make around one third of the cell costs a crystalline silicon thin-film technology like ours is very attractive. It combines the advantages of crystalline Si (processing experiences, no degradation, high acceptance in public), a thin-film technology (lower material and energy costs) and attractive cell process and module alternatives (e.g. integrated back surface field and optical confinement, interconnected grid, shingle technology). In this publication we will discuss principle challenges in wafer equivalent processing. Latest progresses concerning breakage rate, throughput and optimized processing will be presented. Furthermore solar cell processing and occurring problems will be discussed. Solar cell results on 21 cm2 with efficiencies of 5.9% before anti-reflection coating will be presented.