Oerlikon Advanced Technologies Ag

Oc Oerlikon Balzers Ag

Gerhard Dovids

Stephan Voser

Martin Dubs

Oliver Rattunde

Gerald Feistritzer

Volker Wuestenhagen

Throughput of manufacturing thin-film solar panels by inline technique is made substantially independent from the time extent of different surface treatment steps by accordingly subdividing treatment steps in sub-steps performed in inline subsequent treatment stations. Treatment duration in each of the subsequent treatment stations is equal(&#x3c4;).

Method of inline manufacturing a solar cell panel

A transport arrangement () for bi-directionally transporting substrates towards and from a load lock () comprises a first substrate handler () swivelable about a first axis (A) and with at least two first substrate carriers (). A second substrate handler () swivelable about a second axis (A) comprises at least four second substrate carriers (to). First and second substrate carriers are mutually aligned respectively in one position of their respective swiveling trajectory paths as one of the first substrate carriers is aligned with one of the second substrate carriers and the other of the first substrate carriers is aligned with the load lock (). The first substrate carriers () are movable towards and from the load lock () once aligned there with and thereby form respectively external valves of the load lock ().

Vacuum treatment apparatus

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Maienfeld, Switzerland

Gerhard Dovids