Combined thermal and optical analysis of laser back-scribing for amorphous-silicon photovoltaic cells processing

The numerical and experimental analysis of laser back-scribing fabrication of a-Si photovoltaic cells, made out of a multilayer thin film on a glass s ubstrate, is carried out. The numerical study is performed by means of a ra ther simple combined optical and thermal model. Experiments are carried out throughout the three phases of the manufacturing process. The successive t argets of the selective cut are a transparent conductive oxide thin him (TC O), a TCO/a-Si double layer and a TCO/a-Si/Al multilayer. Experimental resu lts and predictions from the numerical model are compared in terms of the c ut energy flux values. In the numerical study the cut energy flux is assume d to be the one which determines the melting of the material. The predicted cut energy fluxes are in good agreement with experimental results. (C) 199 8 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.