German laser micromachining and roll-to-roll laser systems supplier for various industries including photovoltaics, 3D-Micromac has completed the development of a new high-throughput system or cutting solar cells, microCELL MCS as part of the European Union’s (EU) funded project HighLite.

Launched in 2020, the HighLite project was aimed at developing knowledge based production solutions for solar modules with high performance, low cost and excellent environmental characteristics. It required solutions for cutting and assembling 100 µm to 160 µm thin silicon heterojunction (HJT) solar cells into modules in a shingle design with high efficiencies. The HighLite project ended in May 2023.

As part of HighLite, 3D was working on a novel high throughout slicing tool of up to 6,400wph using a non-destructive cutting technology called thermal laser cutting (TLC), as it shared during the TaiyangNews What’s Hot In European Solar R&D Virtual Conference (see Day 2: TaiyangNews What’s Hot in European Solar R&D).

Three years down the line, 3D has now shared its project results with the representatives of the European Commission (EC) at the Interuniversity Microelectronics Centre (imec) in Belgium.

Its newly developed slicing tool can cut half cells, 1/3 cells up to 1/6 cell strips for wafer sizes up to M12+ (G12+) using its patented TLS-Dicing technology. The high-precision laser system separates solar cells with clean and microcrack-free edges, it explained, while significantly increasing module output with a throughput of more than 6,000 wafers/hour.

According to 3D, its microCELL MCS laser system has been successfully applied by various industry players in Europe as Germany’s Heckert Solar GmbH and Italy’s Enel (see German Laser Cutting Solution For Italy’s EGP).