Manz Automation AG, based in Reutlingen, Germany, is one of the world's leading suppliers of automation, quality inspection, chemical wet processes and laser process technology for the photovoltaic and LCD industry.

As part of the agreement, Manz will integrate Optomec's patented M3D Aerosol Jet deposition system into their back-end solar cell manufacturing lines to allow contact free deposition of metal collector lines. Optomec's M3D printing solution is able to print much finer lines than is currently possible with traditional screen-printing.

These narrower, high integrity collector lines have higher conductivity and a lower shadowing effect, thereby increasing photovoltaic cell efficiency. In addition, because the process is non-contact, Optomec's M3D process can print on thinner wafers and with less breakage than screen printing techniques.

The Optomec print solution, together with an additional electroplating process, has shown efficiency improvements of 0.5 -1% and greater in absolute figures.

Dr. Stefan Glunz, Head of the Department of Silicon Solar Cells-Development and Characterization at Fraunhofer ISE states that "The M3D Aerosol Jet technology has the potential to increase the efficiency of solar cells significantly due to the reduced shadowing losses of the contact fingers.

At the same time, it greatly reduces the mechanical stress on the wafer, which is essential for the effective production of solar cells on thin wafers".

Dr. Glunz (whose team did the first investigations of M3D for solar applications) further states "Our department at ISE has been working closely with Optomec for the past 24 months as Optomec evolved its printing solution from lab to production ready".

Manz CEO, Dieter Manz is very enthusiastic about the cooperation: "The Optomec technology integrated into the Manz back end line will allow the solar cell manufacturers to make a big step in the improvement of cell efficiency, to further reduce the breakage and to ultimately use thinner wafers. This will help our customer to drive down the overall cost of PV rapidly. "

David Ramahi, President and CEO of Optomec, stated "We are extremely pleased to have Manz as our strategic partner for the photovoltaics market.

Manz is an established leader that is uniquely qualified to deliver high-throughput, high-yield solar cell production solutions, and we are confident that working together we will successfully introduce this new metallization technology and the higher cell efficiencies it enables."

Both companies have begun the integration work of the Optomec M3D Aerosol Jet system into the Manz metallization system. The first system will be presented at the PVSEC show in Valencia in September this year. It is the intention to ship the first customer systems before the end of 2008.

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