Herein, an inline IR thermography system as an innovative application for real‐time contactless temperature measurement of wafers—both metallized and nonmetallized—during the firing process is successfully realized in an industrial firing furnace as proof of concept and example for a thermography system in a conveyor furnace. As observed by the new system, thermocouples (TCs) seem to measure lower temperature on wafers—especially in combination with TC frames—than wafers exhibit at standard firing conditions (here up to ΔT ≈ 40 K). Furthermore, highly resolved spatial temperature distribution can be successfully measured on the wafer.
Being a key technology in silicon solar cell production, the firing process conducted in infrared (IR) lamp powered conveyor belt furnaces is well established in the market. The purpose of the project FEUERDRACHE is to advance the classic firing process by raising throughput, energy efficiency and process control via increasing the process variability. To achieve the latter, an industry-oriented furnace is expanded by innovative features, which are thoroughly investigated: 1) faster belt velocity; 2) novel IR lamps; 3) thermography as an inline-capable alternative to thermocouple measurements 4) high-power laser as an alternative to a heated chamber.
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