Ars
Technica: The silicon wafers used in the fabrication of
photovoltaic cells are fragile. The National Renewable Energy
Laboratory (NREL) has
determined
that 5â10% of wafers break during the
fabrication process. To reduce this loss rate, and the
associated cost, NREL has developed a wafer-testing furnace to
fit into most photovoltaic manufacturing lines. The Silicon
Photovoltaic Wafer Screening System heats the wafers to
temperatures of approximately 500 °C. If there are any
flaws in the wafers, the heating will cause them to break, and
the wafer material can be reused. NREL claims the system has a
nearly 100% detection rate. The combination of early failure
detection and the relatively low cost of the machine could save
solar cell companies billions of dollars.
