Dye Cell Manufacturing Similar to Semiconductors

The basic dye cell manufacturing steps also resemble the approaches taken by the semiconductor and packaging industry. For example, a screen printer is typically used to apply titania and other layers to the Transparent Conductive Optical (TCg or TCO) glass. Nanocrystalline TiO2 pastes are screen printed onto the TCO glass, then dried and fired in a continuous belt furnace. The 

sintering process allows the titanium dioxide nanocrystals to partially “melt” together, in order to ensure electrical contact and mechanical adhesion on the glass. All these furnaces are typically modified from standard thick film furnaces. After dye staining and anode side application of proprietary current collectors, platinum catalyst is obtained by using the Pt-Catalyst T/SP product which can either be squeegee printed or screen-printed using a polyester mesh of 90. The solar cell 

needs to be dried at 100°C for 10 minutes before being fired at 400°C for 30 minutes. During the assembly, sealing and filling processes, TCO glass with the completed Titania layer is mated to the cathode current collector, protective glass plate, sealed, busbar attached to the cell and then the cell is filled with electrolyte. Custom designed, fully automated and efficient cell assembly, sealing and electrolyte filling machine sets are required for these production steps.