SINGULAR

SINGULAR – Innovative and Modular
AR Coating Tool

Solar cell production is making the transition from the pioneering stage towards mass production. Innovative and flexible cell concepts demand a mass production solution which is equally innovative and flexible, as the leap there from the laboratory is the most expensive step in the development process.

SINGULAR is an ICP-PECVD coating tool for anti reflection coatings (ARC) for crystalline silicon solar cells. The tool offers an innovative static inline production (SIP) concept, which combines the advantages of static processing and inline substrate transport. During static processing, the substrates are not moved, facilitating layer stacks and gradient layers. The innovative ICP-PECVD process allows perfect control over film composition and film density at high deposition rates (ICP – Inductively
Coupled Plasma).

SINGULAR is a fully automated inline coating tool consisting of independent modules. The essential benefit of the static inline technology is the transport and process of small substrate production lots, which guarantees stable processes, continuous
output, flexibility and a small footprint.

The first SINGULAR was delivered at the end of 2009 with the corresponding fully-automated wafer handling and buffering systems developed by SINGULUS. Since the beginning of 2010, the SINGULAR has been used in production lines for the manufacturing of silicon solar cells, delivering excellent efficiencies.

Solar - Transition from Machine
Supplier to System Provider

SINGULUS and STANGL are cooperating with leading cell manufacturers and institutes for the development of new technologies and plant concepts for improved cell concepts with higher efficiency and production technologies with decreasing production costs.The company’s target is to position itself at the forefront for the introduction of new technologies with respect to silicon as well as thin film solar technology. In the coming years, SINGULUS will offer a broad range of new machines for the photovoltaics industry, providing manufacturers of both silicon and thin film cells new production technologies with cost advantages. This is of particular interest during periods of economic pressure in the photovoltaics market.