PV Standards Update – May 2012

By Kevin Nguyen, SEMI

SEMI PV standards efforts continue to expand globally. Here is a snapshot of SEMI PV manufacturing standards development efforts in China, Europe, Taiwan, Japan and North America.

China

The SEMI PV Standards technical committee held its second meeting May 11, 2012, and was hosted at the GCL facility in Jiangsu, China. Three new task forces and four standards activities were authorized. Detailed information on these activities can be found at TFOF and SNARFs:

Metal Paste for Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells Task Force

New Standard: Specification for Aluminum Paste, Used in Back Surface Field of Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells
New Standard: Specification for front surface silver paste, used in P-Type crystalline silicon solar cells

Polysilicon Packaging Materials Task Force

New Standard: Specification for Impurities in Polyethylene Packaging Materials for Polysilicon Feedstock

Diffusion Furnace Test Methods Task Force

New standard: Test Method for In-line Monitoring of Flat Temperature Zone in Horizontal Diffusion Furnaces

Europe

SEMI PV Standards meetings will be held in conjunction with the annual Intersolar Europe exhibition in Munich, Germany on June 13-14, 2012. The SEMI PV Materials committee will review new inline test method ballots (see below). In addition, a free full day workshop on PV Test Methods for Feedstock Materials, Bricks, and Wafers Workshop (Agenda) is planned for June 14 from 10:00 AM- 4:00 PM.

Document 5330 - New Standard: Test Method for In-Line Measurement of Cracks in PV Silicon Wafers by Dark Field Infrared Imaging
Document 5331A - New Standard: Test Method for In-Line Measurement of Saw Marks on PV Silicon Wafers by a Light Sectioning Technique Using Multiple Line Segments
Document 5332A - New Standard: Test Method for In-Line, Non-Contact Measurement of Thickness and Thickness Variation of Silicon Wafers for PV Applications Using Capacitive Probes

Taiwan

The PV industry embraced SEMI PV23-1011 Test Method for Mechanical Vibration of Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic (PV) Modules in Shipping Environment. An article on this standard was recently written by the PV Magazine. The SEMI Taiwan PV Committee is working on another vibration test method, but this time PV cell is addressed. The committee will review document 5204 - New Standard: Test Method for Mechanical Vibration of c-Si PV cells in Shipping Environment in June 2012 meeting.

Japan

SEMI Japan PV Automation committee has been working closely with Europe. The International PV Equipment Interface Specification (EIS) Task Force has balloted its highly anticipated document 4804A - New Standard: Specification for Horizontal Communication between Equipment for Photovoltaic Fabrication System. Document 4804A will be discussed at the next meeting in Tokyo in July 19, 2012.

North America

The SEMI North America PV Materials Committee will hold its next meeting in conjunction with SEMICON West/Intersolar North America on July 10-11 in San Francisco, California. Historically, the SEMI PV standards meetings are held at the SF Marriott Marquis, but this year, the meeting will take place at the Moscone Center to allow all PV interested individuals to participate. The committee will review a list of ballots (see below). In addition, a SEMI Standards Technical Education Program (STEP) on PV2 - Guide for PV Equipment Communication Interfaces (PVECI) is proposed for Tuesday, July 10 at 1:00-5:00 PM. Participants will learn the technical aspects of equipment communication for PV. For details or to register, please visit the web page.

Document 5156A - New Standard: Specifications for Hydrogen Peroxide, Used In Photovoltaic Applications
Document 5242A - New Standard: Guide for Fluorine (F2), Used In Photovoltaic Applications
Document 4675B - New Standard: Test Method for the Measurement of Elemental Impurity Concentrations in Silicon Feedstock for Silicon Solar Cells By Bulk Digestion, Inductively Coupled-Plasma Mass Spectrometry
Document 5158A - New Standard: Specification for Anti-Reflective-Coated Glass, Used In Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaic Modules

If you have any questions or would like to join our one of our regional task forces please contact Kevin Nguyen at knguyen@semi.org. For more information on SEMI Standards activities or upcoming meetings, please visit: www.semi.org/standards or www.pvgroup.org/standards

SEMI PV Group, The Grid - May 2012