Newport Corporation has released the SolaryX Edge laser system for thin film solar cell manufacturing.
Designed to offer a lower cost of ownership than alternative techniques such as sandblasting, the SolaryX system is ideal for edge deletion, which is a critical step in the manufacturing of the thin-film solar panels being installed around the world today. It is the latest addition to Newport's broad portfolio of photovoltaic manufacturing and test solutions that includes the SolaryX family of laser scribe tools, lasers, light sources, motion systems, optics, test and measurement technologies and integrated solutions.
The SolaryX Edge laser edge deletion system features a rugged industrial design for maximum reliability in 24/7 manufacturing environments. It uses a high power, pulsed laser to remove the active thin-film coatings around the perimeter of thin-film solar panels. In addition, it eliminates the need to purchase consumables, which are required for methods such as sand blasting. The combination of these two factors helps significantly lower the cost of ownership for the system compared to sandblasting systems.