09/2014 MetaCom - Printed in Germany - Technical alterations reserved for Production Equipment Thin-Film Solar 02

Thin-Film Solar SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Provides Modern PV Production Solutions

Solar cells can be categorized according to the Due to a superior performance under low applied production process and used materials, intensities thin-film solar cells deliver electrical for example in crystalline and thin-film solar cells. power already in the early morning and later evening hours or at clouded sky. In addition the In thin-film solar technology a large glass panel panels are more tolerant against local shadowing. forms the base material, on which a relatively thin Also thin-film solar cells do not suffer so much in layer of 1 to 2 μm of photoactive compound is their performance at high temperatures applied. Amongst others, alloys consisting of , occurring at full sun intensities. Furthermore, thin- indium, gallium and selenium or sulfur (CIGS), film solar panels can be used as an architectural compounds of and tellurium (CdTe) or design element for the frontside or the roof of thin layers are used in this process. buildings due to their homogenous surface color and attractive visual appearance. 03

PV Technology

Crystalline Silicon Concentrator, Organic (c-Si)

Multi Mono a-Si a-Si/µ-Si CdTe CIGS crystalline crystalline Amorphous Micromorph Cadmium- Copper-Indium-Gallium- Telluride Sulfur-Selenide

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES Focus on the Market for Developer, Enabler and Supplier CIS/CIGS Solar Cells for CIS/CIGS Solar Cells

For CIGS cells the absorption layer is comprised of SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is a supplier of copper, indium, gallium as well as selenium and partly manufacturing solutions and production equipment sulfur compounds. These thin-film cells have achieved for the markets Solar, Semiconductor and Optical Disc. laboratory efficiency levels of about 20.3 %. The With new machine concepts and manufacturing efficiency of modules is in a range from 13 to 17 % processes SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES establishes depending on the module size. itself as development partner and equipment supplier for investments in new high-performance thin-film SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is increasingly consulted concepts. We have gained extensive know-how as a development partner for highly efficient solar cells in vacuum coating, wet processing, thermal processing and chosen as preferred machine supplier by leading as well as and process integration. solar cells producers for the relevant machines. With our production equipment we are one of the few companies able to equip both efficiently running factories for the manufacturing of CIS/CIGS thin-film modules as well as single machines and turn-keylines for the production of next generation solar cells. 04

SINGULUS Offers the Key Production Systems for CIS/CIGS Thin-Film Solar Cells

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES’ strategy is based on In the Solar segment SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES the expansion of the existing core competencies. is a leading supplier for new production solutions These are high levels of expertise in a combination for crystalline and thin-film solar cells, offering lower of process-technological, scientific know-how paired production costs to increase the level of efficiency with complex solutions of machines and plant or achieve a higher level of efficiency. SINGULUS engineering for Vacuum Coating, Nano Deposition, TECHNOLOGIES has established itself in this market Thermal Deposition as well as wet chemical processes. as a worldwide recognized machine supplier for Our machines are employed by globally operating technologies enabling a sustainable and chosen customers for their products in Solar, Semiconductor energy provision on the basis of renewable energies. and Optical Disc as well as new application areas. 05

In the past business year, development and pilot lines for important process steps in the CIS/CIGS manufacturing were developed and delivered. SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES continues to expand its development partnerships and provides thin-film solar cell manufacturers with sophisticated machine technology guaranteeing the cost-efficient production of such cells.

Within a couple of years we were successful in offering the relevant production equipment for the demanding CIS/CIGS technology as a one-stop provider. Accordingly, SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES’ product range today already covers all relevant production steps, which determine the efficiency of the modules. Overall, this contributes to up to 70 % of the investment volume of a thin-film factory. SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES will continue to work on this strong market position as a process-independent technological leader to maintain the leading position in this area.

Production capacities for CIS/CIGS based cells should further rise in the coming years. Based on the CIS/ CIGS processes SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES is able to provide customers qualified production lines and has gained extensive know-how to reduce the production costs together with the customers, to increase the cell performance and to enhance the cell output. For the production of CIS/CIGS solar cells SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES has introduced many new machines and will offer all relevant manufacturing steps in the future:

→→ Sputtering →→ Evaporation →→ RTP for Selenization & Sulphurisation →→ Buffer layer deposition →→ Wet-chemical cleaning 06

VITRUM II Inline Wet Process Equipment, Etching, Cleaning & Single Side Coating

As part of the product family VITRUM the new The modular design of the VITRUM II family allows the processing machine, VITRUM II Cover, is dedicated to easy integration of different process steps according clean in a single working step wrap around coatings at to the requirements of CIGS, a-Si or CdTe technology, rear sides and edges of thin-film solar panels. While such as etching, rear side and substrate edge etching, the edges and the rear side are cleaned with brushes cleaning and single side coating. and chemicals the active layer is protected by means of a process hood. Therefore, the VITRUM II Cover is best suited for cleaning after dipping processes as well as for etching of undesirable coatings at rear side and edges, for example CdTe or CdS.

VITRUM II Clean 07

Main Features The design of the VITRUM II features the same type of piping for all liquid circuits and generously dimensioned →→ Modular design installation compartments for optimized maintenance →→ Up to 30 % cost reduction work. lt offers a high cycle rate and due to the modular →→ Better accessibility concept is easy to be integrated into existing production →→ Smaller footprint lines. With the new VITRUM II process cost can be →→ Low cost of ownership reduced substantially. →→ High throughput →→ High availability (uptime > 99 %*) VITRUM II Clean →→ Standard and customer specific →→ Inline cleaning equipment (2200/1400/600) substrate sizes up to 2,600 mm →→ Pre-rinse and single side brush off (acid/caustic) →→ Parallel carrier transport for higher →→ Inline final rinse (cascade cleaner), metal free throughput →→ Inline standard cleaning, polishing, and →→ Reproducible process results brushing machine (glass corrosion) *depends on application →→ Ultrasonic and megasonic support (particle removal) The VITRUM II provides the platform for wet-chemical inline process steps: In a CdTe manufacturing line it VITRUM II Etch performs several process steps, starting with glass →→ Inline etching equipment (2200/1400/600) washing, removal of rear side coating, CdCl2 deposition →→ Inline TCO etcher (HCl/HF) using a roller, CdCl2 salt removal as well as chemical →→ Inline KCN etcher NP etch. →→ Inline NP etcher

→→ Inline CuCl2 etcher When producing a thin-film solar cell, VITRUM is →→ Inline developer for photoresist capable of glass washing as well as TCO etching, →→ Inline CdCl2 salt removal KCN etching or NH3 treatment respectively. In addition, it also provides NP, DAE and EDTA etching VITRUM II Cover for substrate width up to 2,200 mm. With our newly →→ Inline etching equipment developed and unique soft shower process, a →→ Removal of wrap around coating at edges homogeneous, reliable, and reproducible etching and rear side became reality. Furthermore, it features several →→ Active layer protection (neither liquids nor advantages compared with inline dipping baths vapors attack the active layer) such as reduced process volume, saving energy, and chemicals as well as a higher process speed VITRUM II Coat of up to 5 m/min with minimized carryover. →→ Inline wet deposition of thin salt films by means

of a soft roller (e. g. CdCl2, CuCl2 or NaCl) →→ Automated process control →→ Single side coating →→ Very high material usage

Facility Management SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES also supplies: →→ Chemical supply and mixing systems →→ Waste water treatment →→ Exhaust scrubber →→ Water purification 08

TENUIS II Process System for the Application of Buffer Layer

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES presents a new development on the way to the efficient wet-chemical coating of thin-film solar modules made of copper- indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) on glass: the second generation of the TENUIS production line has a modular clustered basis and enables both significant savings in terms of required floor space and the simultaneous one-side coating of two substrates.

The TENUIS II also provides advantages upon commissioning and in the ramp-up stage. The new TENUIS generation offers substantial cost Because of the new cluster design, the commissioning advantages in the production of high performance can commence modularly after a short installation CIS/CIGS thin-film solar cells. Furthermore, the costs time and the first substrates can be coated. are significantly reduced by temperature profiles The following cluster can be assembled simultaneously adjusted to the process and by very efficient use of or consecutively. Correspondingly, the TENUIS II process chemicals, so that the new system consistently meets the ever increasing demands of the market with exploits the savings potential in the manufacturing of respect to the reduction of the commissioning and thin-film solar cells. ramp-up times. Compared with its predecessor, the TENUIS II version SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES offers wet processing not only reduces the production time but also the systems from R&D and pilot to a full production range required floor space by more than 30 %. Due to the of 60, 120, 180, 500 and more MW. Due to the new and space-saving design, the new system is easily integrated unique concepts in terms of dosing and temperature into existing production lines. For a higher throughput, control, the developers at SINGULUS were successful several production machines can be combined to a in reducing the process time by up to 30 %, resulting large production complex. in a considerably higher output in production. Advantages

→→ Standard reference process: highest efficiencies and low risk →→ More than 150 process modules in production (world leader) →→ Minimized chemical consumption →→ Fully automated inline system →→ Single side deposition incl. protection against backside contamination →→ Modular system (easy upgrade for higher throughput) →→ Reproducible process results →→ Automatic dosage and mixing system Fully-automated Experimental Setup for a Semi Commercial Line

→→ Substrate size for foil and glass: 600 x 900 mm² up to 1400 x 1100 mm² →→ Automatic loading →→ Automatic heating Manual Experimental Setup →→ Automatic 3D-axis wobbling (movement) for Process Evaluation and R&D →→ Automatic dosage →→ Chemical supply and mixing systems →→ Substrate size for foil and glass: 300 x 300 mm² up to 500 x 600 mm² Modular Production System →→ Manual loading for Capacities up to 1 GW →→ High performance heating by fluid technology →→ Automatic 3D-axis wobbling (movement) →→ Modular system →→ Manual dosing →→ Minimized footprint →→ Process transfer to production line 1:1 possible →→ Reduced maintenance costs →→ Accessories like fume hood and automatic dosing →→ New processes of alternative buffer (ZnS) modus available →→ Aggressive uniform temperature ramps (even shorter process time) Semi-automated Experimental Setup →→ Customer-oriented highly flexible user interface for Process Evaluation

→→ Substrate size for foil and glass: 600 x 900 mm² up to 1400 x 1100 mm² →→ Manual loading →→ Automatic heating →→ Automatic 3D-axis wobbling (movement) →→ Automatic dosage 10

CISARIS Selenisation Furnace for an Optimized CIGS Absorber Formation

The CISARIS oven is an inline rapid thermal processing Main Features equipment designed for the CIGSSe absorber formation on large area glass substrates. CISARIS consists of a →→ Second generation inline selenisation furnace handling station, a vacuum tight process section, and with optimized cycle time a return conveyor and is optimized for the mass →→ Rapid heating (up to ~ 4 °C/s) of large glass production of CIGS solar modules. substrates with metal precursor coating (CIGSe) →→ Homogeneous gas distribution and low gas The main features of the CISARIS include a high uptime consumption through optimized inlet system and mechanical yield, as well as a fast cycle time which, →→ Introduction of H2S and H2Se gas at various in combination with the robust selenisation process, stages of the process possible to a production capacity of over 25 MWp per year →→ Uniform heating of large substrates up to 550 °C (depending on configuration). and beyond by using optimized IR radiators for achieving the required crystal structure →→ Uniform cooling of substrates to avoid glass warpage →→ Excellent temperature control (mean variation < 5 °C) at all process stages →→ Process under vacuum or at atmospheric pressure possible →→ Oxygen and water vapor free process atmosphere guaranteed through pump/purge cycles →→ Excellent maintenance concept with maximum accessibility of all machine components →→ Proven safety system based on a solid risk management and safety engineering 11

CISARIS is a proven innovative and reliable production up to 550 °C and beyond under a toxic and corrosive tool, which has been newly developed at SINGULUS gas atmosphere. High heating and cooling rates, based on the previous generation of selenisation ovens. combined with an excellent temperature homogeneity during all process stages are the key factors, which CISARIS can safely handle the thermal processing of allow the formation of an optimal CIGSSe absorber, large glass substrates of over 1 sqm at temperatures required for the production of high efficiency thin-film solar modules.

CISARIS

Selenisation Furnace for an Optimized CIGS Absorber Formation 12

VISTARIS PVD Sputtering Machines for Thin-Film Solar

PVD Sputtering Machines for Thin-Film Solar

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES offers processing systems For photovoltaic technology, SINGULUS develops for vacuum-coating CIS/CIGS thin-film solar modules. and manufactures coating systems, which apply The new inline sputter systems respond to demands special layers and layer systems on different in the photovoltaic industry for development and substrate materials. production tools to enhance the efficiency of thin-film solar modules and reduce production costs by using cutting edge technologies.

VISTARIS

PVD Sputtering Machines for Thin-Film Solar 13

13

Machine Type Orientation Target Length Cathode in Process Chamber Transport Mode

VISTARIS V 600 Fully Vertical 600 mm Single Sided Batch Oscillation

VISTARIS V 900 Fully Vertical 900 mm Single Sided Batch Oscillation and Inline VISTARIS V 1600 Fully Vertical 1600 mm Double Sided Inline

Examples are transparent front or metallic back Main Features contact layers as well as multilayered precursor stacks with a broad range of diverse materials. This gives →→ Pre-heating of substrates in dry air/nitrogen SINGULUS access to operations in the high-growth →→ Fully vertical transport orientation market for thin-film photovoltaic and adds another →→ Rotatable cathodes for all typical target materials production stage to its range of processing systems →→ Magnetron sputtering in diverse modes like DC, for the manufacture of CIGS/CIS modules. Pulsed DC, Bipolar, and RF available →→ Dry primary vacuum pumps and full magnetic 5-axis turbo pumps →→ Meissner trap and polycold →→ Heating option for all process and buffer chambers →→ External drive system →→ Modular process chamber configuration 14

CIGS R&D Platform The CIGS R&D Platform is a Development Tool for the Production and Thermal Treatment for Photovoltaic Applications

R&D Tool for CIGS Development

The new CIGS R&D Platform is a development →→ Central handling platform →→ Thermal treatment & tool for the production and thermal treatment →→ Loading/unloading station selenization, of semiconductor layers based on e. g. copper, →→ Sputtering unit Mo (Step 1) – sulphurization (Step 5) indium, and gallium for photovoltaic applications. Cu, In, Ga (Step 3) – →→ Laser scribing (Step 2, 7 and 9) With the CIGS R&D Platform, economic research iZnO, AZO (Step 8) →→ Buffer layer module (Step 6) of new manufacturing processes for CIS/CIGS →→ Selenium deposition (Step 4) semiconductor films can be realized. In this way, the highest level of efficiency of thin-film solar modules compared to existing concepts can be achieved. With the process results on the basis of the findings from the demonstration plant, industrial manufacturing processes can be developed and optimized, enabling higher cell performances as well as a significant reduction of manufacturing costs for thin- film photovoltaic modules per peak.

The CIGS R&D Platform contains a central handling unit and several process stations. In the process stations the thermal treatment as well as deposition of the complete layer stack can be conducted. The system is designed for glass substrates up to 300 mm x 300 mm and can be set up in the following configuration: 15

Evaporation System Processing Systems for Evaporation of CIS/CIGS Thin-Film Solar Cells

Evaporation System for Thin-Film Solar Main Features

The inline co-evaporation tool is based on the thermal →→ Inline evaporation tool with high throughput evaporation of CIS/CIGS-related precursor materials. capability It is dedicated to the deposition of copper-indium- →→ Modular chamber design for a flexible layout gallium-selenium layers for the purpose to form conception to meet the production requests of optimum precursor layers in the application of CIS/ the customer CIGS thin-film solar modules.The evaporation system →→ Optimized utilization of evaporation material consists of a handling station, multiple substrate through unique chamber design heating/cooling stations and deposition chambers. →→ High deposition rate and repeatability →→ Excellent flux uniformity The inline evaporation system is offering proven →→ Easy and fast source refilling/replacement due to thermal deposition technology, that delivers a high user friendly source positioning material utilization and excellent layer uniformities. →→ Optimized maintenance concept for maximum In combination with a high uptime and yield, the machine availability/uptime system leads to a highly optimized and flexible →→ Excellent temperature uniformity during production platform. process sequence →→ Substrate Pre-Heating →→ In-situ monitoring of flux and temperature →→ Proven safety concept based on solid risk management and safety engineering

Headquarters

← Subsidiaries

Offices ←

SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES AG China Latin America Hanauer Landstrasse 103 SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES D - 63796 Kahl, Germany SHANGHAI LATIN AMERICA LTDA. Tel. +49 6188 440-0 Tel. +86 13918298537 Tel. +55 1121 6524-10 Fax +49 6188 440-110 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.singulus.de France Singapore SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES FRANCE S.A.R.L. ASIA PACIFIC PTE LTD. Tel. +33 3 893111-29 Tel. +65 674 119-12 [email protected] [email protected]

Germany Spain SINGULUS STANGL SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES SOLAR GMBH IBERICA S.L. Tel. +49 8141 3600-0 Tel. +34 936 7500-25 [email protected] [email protected]

Great Britain Taiwan SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES UK LTD. TAIWAN LTD. Tel. +44 1793 7842-00 Tel. +886 2 2748-3366 [email protected] [email protected]

United States and Canada SINGULUS TECHNOLOGIES INC. Tel. +1 860 68380-00 [email protected] 09/2014 MetaCom - Printed in Germany - Technical alterations reserved alterations in Germany - Technical - Printed 09/2014 MetaCom