Screen Printing to 3D Printing of Solar Cells-An Overview

摘要

The share of photovoltaics (PV) in the global energy market has been steadily increasing in the last decade. The PV industry has been innovative in the use of technology and resources in developing advanced cell designs. This work will focus on the evolution of printing techniques from contact lithography to 3D printing of solar cell components. Printing techniques face unique challenges as solar cells become thin (<90 μm), lighter, larger size, with demands on increased manufacturing throughput and lower manufacturing costs. Inefficient printing techniques can limit higher cell throughput. An overview of the range of printing techniques such as screen printing, stencil printing, light-induced plating, and ink jet printing will be presented. This study will also discuss the market share of various printing technologies. Recent advances in the use of additive manufacturing of solar cells will be discussed.