# US 2020/0403113 A1 · Multi-operation tool for photovoltaic cell processing > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0403113 A1 - Document ID: US20200403113A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/011,707 - Filed: 2020-09-03 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2015-12-01 - Assignees: SunPower Corporation - Applicants: SunPower Corporation - Inventors: Nathan Phillips Beckett; Gilad Almogy - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200403113A1 ## CPC - H10F 71/137: {Batch treatment of the devices} - B41F 15/0881: {for printing on polyhedral articles} - H10F 19/00: Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one photovoltaic cell covered by group H10F10/00, e.g. photovoltaic modules - H10F 19/902: {for series or parallel connection of photovoltaic cells} - H10F 71/00: Manufacture or treatment of devices covered by this subclass (patterning processes to connect thin photovoltaic cells in integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/33; manufacture or treatment of encapsulations or containers for integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, having photovoltaic cells H10F19/80; manufacture or treatment of integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one element in which radiation controls the flow of current H10F39/00) - H10F 71/134: {Irradiation with electromagnetic or particle radiation} - H10F 71/1375: {Apparatus for automatic interconnection of photovoltaic cells in a module} - H10P 72/0428: {Apparatus for mechanical treatment or grinding or cutting} - H10P 72/0434: {mainly by convection} - H10P 72/0468: {comprising a chamber adapted to a particular process} - H10P 72/0614: {Marking devices} - H10P 72/3314: {Continuous loading and unloading into and out of a processing chamber, e.g. transporting belts within processing chambers} - Y02E 10/50: Photovoltaic [PV] energy - Y02P 70/50: Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product - H10F: INORGANIC SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES SENSITIVE TO INFRARED RADIATION, LIGHT, ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION OF SHORTER WAVELENGTH OR CORPUSCULAR RADIATION - B41F: PRINTING MACHINES OR PRESSES (manifolding devices or office printing machines B41L) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Multi-operation tools for photovoltaic cell processing are described. In an example, a multi-operation tool includes a conveyor system to move a photovoltaic (PV) cell continuously along a conveyor path through a laser scribing station and an adhesive printing station. Furthermore, the PV cell may be aligned to a laser head of the laser scribing station and a printer head of the adhesive printing station in a single alignment operation prior to being laser scribed and printed with an adhesive in a continuous process. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method, comprising: loading a photovoltaic (PV) cell on a cell platform of a conveyor system of a multi-operation tool, wherein the conveyor system includes an actuator operably coupled to the cell platform to move the cell platform along a conveyor path from a loading location to an unloading location; moving the cell platform along the conveyor path from the loading location to a lasing location, wherein the lasing location is under a laser head of a laser scribing station of the multi-operation tool; laser scribing, by the laser head, a scribe line on a first surface of the PV cell; moving the cell platform along the conveyor path from the lasing location to a printing location, wherein the printing location is under a printer head of an adhesive printing station of the multi-operation tool; and printing, by the printer head, an adhesive on the first surface of the PV cell. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising: determining a position of a reference point on the PV cell; and moving one or more of the laser head, the printer head, or the cell platform based on the determined position. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the one or more of the laser head, the printer head, or the cell platform are moved to maintain the reference point at a predetermined radial distance from one or more of the lasing location or the printing location. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a rotary actuator operably coupled to the cell platform to rotate the cell platform about an axis, and wherein the loading location, the lasing location, and the printing location are circumferentially aligned on the conveyor path at a same radius from the axis. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising laser scribing a second scribe line on the surface of the PV cell, wherein the scribe lines are scribed across the surface parallel to each other. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5, wherein the scribe lines are scribed across the surface tangential to the conveyor path. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6 further comprising cleaving the PV cell along the scribe lines to form PV subcells. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 further comprising bonding, by the adhesive, the cleaved PV subcells to form a super cell. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the adhesive is an electrically conductive adhesive. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the cell platform is configured to support a second surface of the PV cell along the conveyor path such that the first surface of the PV cell is moved through the lasing location and the printing location, the second surface being opposite from the first surface of the PV cell. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: moving the scribed PV cell with a printed adhesive on the first surface of the PV cell from the unloading location to a cleaving system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a rotary actuator operably coupled to the cell platform to rotate the cell platform about an axis, and wherein the loading location, the lasing location, and the printing location are circumferentially aligned on the conveyor path at a same radius from the axis. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the conveyor path is a linear path extending from the loading location to the unloading location. ### Claim 14 A method, comprising: supporting a bottom surface of a photovoltaic (PV) cell on a cell platform of a conveyor system, wherein the conveyor system includes an actuator operably coupled to the cell platform to move the cell platform along a conveyor path from a loading location to an unloading location; moving the cell platform along the conveyor path from the loading location to a lasing location of a laser scribing station; laser scribing, at the lasing location, a scribe line on a top surface of the PV cell; moving the cell platform along the conveyor path from the lasing location to a printing location of an adhesive printing station; and printing, at the printing location, an adhesive on the top surface of the PV cell; moving the cell platform along the conveyor path from the printing location to the unloading location. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising determining a position of a reference point on the PV cell mounted on the cell platform. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein determining the position of the reference point on the PV cell is performed by a vision system positioned along the conveyor path between the loading location and the lasing location. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the PV cell comprises a metallization pattern. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further comprising moving the scribed PV cell with a printed adhesive on a top surface of the PV cell from the unloading location to a cleaving system. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising cleaving the PV cell along the scribe lines to form PV subcells. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method of claim 19 further comprising bonding, by the adhesive, the cleaved PV subcells to form a super cell.