Research on technologies for roll-to-roll production of organic photovoltaics

• German Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology ILT in Aachen and partners are developing technologies for the roll-to-roll production of organic photovoltaics (OPV) in the »EffiLayers« project.

They are targeting to enable the machine manufacturers based in North Rhine-Westphalia to »play a pioneering role in the market for flexible thin-film solar cells and printed electronics.« By implementing the roll-to-roll process, production on an industrial scale could be realized. In comparison to the silicon based PV cells, lower manufacturing costs are also incurred because energy-intensive and costly process steps are no longer necessary.

The Fraunhofer ILT cooperates with the Chair for Laser Application Technology at the Ruhr University Bochum, with the system manufacturer Coatema Coating Machinery GmbH from Dormagen, with Ortmann Digitaltechnik GmbH from Attendorn and with LIMO GmbH from Dortmund.