ANTARES

Microcrack detection is an important tool for wafer, cell and module production. With the new ANTARES system, a reliable tool for automatic detection of cracks in single wafers and cells is available. A similar technology, working on stacks of wafers and cells, has been shown at the Photovoltaic Technology Show in April this year.

The quality of the crack images is no longer deteriorated by grain boundaries or other structures often seen in electroluminescence (EL) or photoluminescence (PL) images.

ANTARES works contact-free and generates images of cells which are suitable for automatic error detection (which has not been an easy task for EL and PL imaging). The concept is robust and reliable; it is not disturbed by metallization and the natural grain structure. Results can be presented on an operator monitor, where the user can change system parameters such as minimal error size, supervise inspection results, and handle external signals. The results can be communicated to the customer’s MES.

The inspection system is available as an inline tool (to be integrated above existing conveyor belts). There are also several other models available, e. g. for integration into stringers, a stand-alone system including sorting out of defect cells and a manual station for single cell inspection. For inspection of stacks of wafers and cells in one run, e.g. as incoming inspection, TAURUS is available as an alternative, which has been operative in production lines since 2009.

The ANTARES inspection system consists of a vision cabinet including the maintenance free illuminations and cameras, sensors and light barriers as well as the industrial PC with monitor, keyboard, a RAID storage system and the user software under Windows XP. The stand-alone version including the sorting module consists additionally of all automation parts.

The ANTARES inspection system can inspect mono- and polycrystalline cells of 156 × 156 mm² (thickness from 150 μm up to 300 μm) and has a cycle time of two seconds per cell, allowing the use for standard automated production lines. Microcracks down to a length of 1mm can be detected. The vision system is delivered with CE certificate. Faster cycle times, 5” and 8” cells and UL certificate are available upon request.

Data Sheet ANTARES Microcrack Inspection