All standard fully or partially processed wafers and solar cell types of formats up to 156 x 156 millimeters can be recycled in the wet-chemical treatment process. Wafers and broken wafers (down to the fine grain size range) with soiled surfaces, solar cells with defective doping layers, anti-reflective coatings and contacts are used. The best results are achieved when the coatings are totally removed.
On special etching lines, silicon material is freed of soiling or wafers are cleaned of saw damage in a series of etching steps. Customer-specific surface treatment such as polishing by etching, isotropic etching or texture etching can be implemented using our own or customer-specific formulas.
Solar cells made by different manufacturers require a treatment that is suited to their specific coating system. Further, the surface structure of the silicon chips cannot be altered considerably. After the solar cells go through the chemical cleaning process the end result is the pure silicon wafers, which are newly supplied to the cell process. Along with our customers and research partners, these processes are constantly optimized.
