Innovative Energy Solutions

Thin-Film Photovoltaic
Manufacturing Facility

Terra Solar North America Inc.

Tel 718.422.0100
Fax 718.422.0300

November 2004
Introduction 2

Photovoltaics Overview
Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics 2
Thin-Film Photovoltaics 2
Amorphous Silicon vs Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide 4
Performance and Ratings 6
Longevity 6

The Amorphous Silicon Line

Photovoltaic Cells and Modules 8
Manufacturing Process 10
Facility and Crew Requirements 11
Manufacturing Cost Analysis 11
a-Si Product 12
5 MW Amorphous Silicon Equipment List 13

a-Si TS–40S Specification Sheet 14

The Copper Indium Diselenide Line

Photovoltaic Cells and Modules 16
Manufacturing Process 18
Facility and Crew Requirements 19
Manufacturing Cost Analysis 20
CIGS Product 20
5MW Copper Indium-Gallium Diselenide Equipment List 21

CIGS TS–60C Specification Sheet 22

Combined a-Si/CIS Manufacturing Facility 23

Specialty Equipment Using Thin-film Photovoltaics 23

The Contract 25

1
Introduction

Overview of Solar Energy

Current world events have accelerated the demand for renewable energy. The case for global warming has
grown stronger each year with new findings pointing to the danger of carbon emissions. The constant conflict
in the Middle East and the events of 9/11 have not only stressed the dangers of dependence on oil and gas
but have also called into question the safety and viability of nuclear power plants in this age of global
terrorism. Furthermore, the California energy crisis, shortages in the North Eastern United States and fears
that many utilities may fail to be able to supply peak energy use, has awakened consumer and businesses to
the need to be energy independent. In the wake of these circumstances the demand and need for
renewable energy sources is becoming more and more crucial. Solar powered products can meet these
demands and needs.

TerraSolar
TerraSolar was started in 1990 by Dr Zoltan Kiss to develop, manufacture and market solar power products
for residential, commercial and industrial markets worldwide. For the past 30 years TerraSolar’s employees
have been involved with the Photovoltaic industry on all fronts including the research and development of PV
modules, the design and construction of manufacturing equipment for PV modules, and also the operation of
these manufacturing facilities. Our PV product line includes PV lights, PV water pumps and PV power
stations. TerraSolar is therefore a vertically integrated PV company in that not only do we research and
develop PV modules but also manufacture and market PV components, products, systems and turnkey
manufacturing facilities. Only a handful of U.S companies are actively involved in the PV manufacturing
industry which has the potential to grow to a $10 billion market and create thousands of jobs. TerraSolar
provides you a host of different opportunities in which you can enter into this up and coming industry.

Photovoltaics Overview

Photovoltaic1 (PV) cells convert sunlight directly into electricity. PV cells are constructed out of
semiconducting materials so that when light shines onto the cells a certain amount of the light is absorbed by
the semiconductor. The energy of the absorbed light frees the electrons within the semiconductor so that the
electrons are allowed to flow freely. The flow of electrons produces a current that can be extracted and used
as electricity. The semiconductors of PV cells or modules2 can be made of different types of materials. The
first material used was crystalline and polycrystalline silicone but there is now a shift to using thin-film for
manufacturing PV cells.

Crystalline Silicon Photovoltaics

Crystalline silicon (c-Si) is the leading commercial material for photovoltaic cells and is used in several forms:
single-crystalline or monocrystalline silicon, multicrystalline or polycrystalline silicon, ribbon or sheet silicon
and thin-layer silicon. Polycrystalline silicon is less expensive to manufacture than single crystalline silicon
but the efficiency of polycrystalline is a couple of percent less than that of single crystalline silicon. c-Si is
well established in the commercial solar energy market as the first PV cell built was with crystalline silicon
and extensive research has been carried out to improve its efficiency and manufacturing cost. A 25%
efficiency for laboratory cells have been achieved but there still remains a large gap between laboratory and
commercial cells. The difficulty with reducing the manufacturing cost of c-Si cells is due to the properties of
c-Si. Silicon requires not only relatively thick cells of about 300 microns (µm) but also requires the greatest
thickness to absorb sunlight compared to all other viable semiconductors. Silicon is also the weakest
semiconductor material used for solar cells.

Thin-Film Photovoltaics
An alternative to c-Si photovoltaic cells is thin-film photovoltaic cells where the photovoltaic cells use layers
of semiconductor materials only a few microns (µm) thick, which means it’s 100 times thinner than Si cells.

1
Photo means light. Voltaic means electricity.
2
PV modules are a group of PV cells packaged together.
2
These thin layers can be attached to an inexpensive substrate such as glass, flexible plastic, or stainless
steel. TerraSolar’s focus is on thin-film photovoltaics.

TerraSolar has conducted research into three thin-film photovoltaic technologies – amorphous silicon (a-Si),
copper indium diselenide (CIS), and cadmium telluride (CdTe). Although TerraSolar’s manufacturing
equipment is capable of producing all three thin-film materials we have decided only to manufacture a-Si and
CIS modules because cadmium has been showed to be carcinogenic. TerraSolar has also opted, with the
CIS line, to focus on researching and using CIS with Gallium (CIGS) as the addition of Gallium makes the
semiconductor more efficient.

There are several advantages of thin-film photovoltaics over crystalline photovoltaics. The first advantage is
the reduced manufacturing cost for thin-films. For example the manufacturing cost for a-Si in a developed
country averages around $1.50/Watt while the manufacturing cost for crystalline silicon averages $3/Watt to
$4/Watt. In countries with lower labor costs the manufacturing cost for a-Si photovoltaics could range
between $0.70/Watt to $1.00/Watt. Currently the only thin-film photovoltaic that is being manufactured is with
a-Si but it is estimated that the manufacturing cost of CIS photovoltaic modules in a developed country will
be around $1/Watt.

The second advantage of thin-film photovoltaics is that thin-film modules can easily be encapsulated
between two pieces of glass which is both durable and easily accessible. On the other hand it is more
difficult to encapsulate crystalline modules due to its necessary thickness. There are 20 and 30 year product
guarantees for crystalline modules as the lifetime of these modules is expected to exceed 20 years. As for
the quality and life expectancy of thin-film photovoltaic modules, not only can they match those of the
crystalline silicon modules but it can also be argued that glass encapsulation of thin-film modules make them
even more durable and impervious to weather-induced degradation.

From Table 1 one can see that the manufacturing costs of a CIS module is one-third of the polycrystalline
module with the same efficiency. Therefore there is less incentive to build further crystalline silicon modules
based on the manufacturing costs and the fact that the quality and life expectancy of thin-film photovoltaic
modules can exceed those of crystalline.

Cost Comparison for 3 Different PV Module Technologies*

($/Wpeak)
Costs 12% Poly Xtl 6% a-Si 12% CIS
Cell Material 0.40 0.15 0.20
Cell Labor 0.40 0.31 0.20
Module Material 0.25 0.16 0.12
Module Labor 0.50 0.31 0.21
Indirect Material 0.20 0.22 0.11
Energy 0.30 0.06 0.04
Manufacturing Overhead 0.10 0.10 0.10
Total Manufacturing Cost 2.55 1.31 0.98
Corporate Overhead (30%) 0.77 0.40 0.22
Total Cost 3.32 1.71 1.20
50% Profit Margin 1.66 0.86 0.60
Selling Price ** 4.98 2.57 1.80
*Calculations are based on a 10MW annual rate of production. Potential cost of debt in building the
manufacturing facility or financing the product is not taken into account.
**The actual selling price will be determined by the competitive market conditions. An initial selling
price of $2.00/W is anticipated in the 2005 time frame.

3
The disadvantage of thin-film technology is that so far they are less efficient than crystalline silicon.
Currently only a-SI photovoltaic modules are available in commercial quantities. CIGS modules are available
in small quantities with efficiencies ranging from 8%-12%. There, however, is a catch-22 within the thin-film
photovoltaics industry. The thin-film PV industry has had to develop technologies all by itself with
considerably less financial resources than the crystalline silicon PV industry. Solar energy companies have
had to struggle not only to develop thin-film materials and devices but also the equipment and processing to
manufacture them3. This struggle hinders rapid progress and widespread use of thin-film photovoltaics as
customers are reluctant to switch to thin-film due to the lack of operational experience with thin-film modules.
The 400 kW AC a-Si array at PVUSA in Davis, CA, however, is proof of the manufacturability and reliability
of a-Si photovoltaics. This array at PVUSA was installed in 1992 by TerraSolar employees and has been in
full operation since then.

Thin-film photovoltaics with improved stabilized4 efficiencies for a-Si modules and increased manufacturing
experience with CIS modules will unquestionably be a major player in the energy markets. It is difficult to
justify building further crystalline silicon module manufacturing factories where thin-film factories can be built
at substantially lower costs

Amorphous Silicon vs Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide

When a company is interested in manufacturing thin-film PV modules the first important question is which
thin-film technology to utilize. In addressing this question several key issues should be kept in mind:

Cost of the Modules

Once CIGS is being manufactured it will be the lowest cost thin-film module on the PV market but as of right
now a-Si has the lowest manufacturing cost.

Experience in Manufacturing the Modules

a-Si modules have been in production for more than a decade while CIGS is only expected to be in full
volume production in the near future.

Position for Long Term Future Competitiveness

In an effort towards producing thin-film PV modules with 20% efficiency, tandem devices that combine
different band gap materials such as a-Si and different alloys of CIGS will be possibilities.

Usage in BIPV Applications

Building Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) is where solar panels are integrated directly into the building’s
architecture to provide one source of electricity for the building. Aesthetically thin-film rather than crystalline
silicon is preferred for BIPV because thin-film PV modules can be made transparent. TerraSolar has
recently developed a specularly transparent a-Si module that can be used for photovoltaic windows. Since
a-Si material is itself transparent it is thus must suitable for transparent modules. CIGS modules can be
made transparent by taking away some of the materials but this will reduce the module’s efficiency and
create additional production cost and time.

High Temperature Performance

Amorphous silicon loses less of its efficiency as temperatures increases in comparison to other photovoltaic
materials. Since CIGS is closer in structure to crystalline silicon it does not perform as well as a-Si under
high temperature conditions.

Low Light Level Performance

a-Si continues to operate well at very low light levels whereas the effectiveness of other thin-films decrease.
CIGS is expected to work as well as a-Si under very low light levels

3
Handbook of Photovoltaic Science and Engineering p.28
4
The efficiency of a-Si is effected by light degradation which is also known as the Staebler-Wronski effect. Therefore
the a-Si efficiency referred to is the one that has leveled off.
4
 Table 2: a-Si and CIGS Facilities offered by TerraSolar

Thin-film Technology
Catgeories of Comparison
5 MW a-Si 5 MW CIGS
Annual Capacity (# of plates) 125,000 84,000
Module Output (W) 40 60
Efficiency (%) 5% 8
Facility Requirements (sq. ft) 40,000 40,000
Electrical Demand for 40,000 sq. ft. 2MW 2MW
Manpower:
Production Workers 80 50
Managers, Engineers, and Technicians 9 9
Total 89 59
Direct Cost at Rated Capacity* $1.31/W $0.98/W
* Using US Labor costs

Currently the only thin-film based photovoltaic modules being manufactured are a-Si modules. The total
cumulative world production of a-Si between 1983 – 2004 is approximately 100MW as estimated by
TerraSolar. 70MW of the total production of a-Si modules were produced by manufacturing facilities
TerraSolar helped to construct. 9 out of 11 of these facilities are still in operation (Table 3). The facility in
Lens, France has now been in operation for just over 20 years and is an example of the durability of
TerraSolar’s thin-film manufacturing equipment.

Table 3: TerraSolar Thin-Film PV Factories

Date Opened Location Cum. Output 2004 (MW) Status
1982 Port Jervis, NY USA 5.0 Closed *
1984 Lens, France 12.0 Operating
1985 Bridgend, UK 12.0 Operating
1985 Birmingham, AL USA 2.5 Closed *
1986 Split, Croatia 10.0 Operating
1987 Harbin, China 5.0 Operating
1988 Taipei, Taiwan 12.0 Operating
1991 Shenzen, China 3.0 Operating
1994 Fairfield, CA USA Operating
1997 Princeton, NJ USA 4.0 Operating
1998 DunaSolar, Hungary 15.0 Operating
*Factory was closed down because U.S. was no longer producing single junction PV module. Factory
equipment was transferred to Taiwan.

TerraSolar offers a line of modular factories. From TerraSolar’s experience in installing the eleven
manufacturing facilities around the world, TerraSolar is capable of delivering turnkey manufacturing
equipment on average 7 months after receipt of the down payment. The full production capacity of the
facility can then be achieved six months after installation of the equipment. TerraSolar’s designs for
manufacturing equipment are optimized to be:

1) Cost effective yet highly durable – High material utilization vacuum processing
2) User-friendly – Equipment can be effectively operated, even in extremely hot/cold environments, with
trained and unskilled labor.
3) Built-in redundancy for minimum disruption in manufacturing operations

5
Performance and Ratings
The electrical performance of PV modules has traditionally been reported under Standard Test Conditions
(STC). These conditions are full sunlight (1000 W/m2 irradiance, AM1.5 solar spectral distribution) and 25°C
cell temperature. In bright sunlight, however, the operating temperature of a free-standing module can be
28°C above ambient temperature and for a roof mounted module the operating temperature will be even
higher. Thus, an operating temperature of 55°C is not unusual for a PV module.

Therefore the issue of temperature coefficients for the various technologies is an important one. The
coefficient for power is always negative because modules lose output as their temperature is raised. The
coefficient for a-Si is -0.17%/ºC and for for c-Si is -0.5 %/ºC. This means that an amorphous module
operating at 55°C has an efficiency loss of only 5% relative to its STC rating, while a crystalline silicon
module suffers an efficiency loss of 15% relative to its STC rating. Thus, under real world conditions the
performance of the amorphous module, despite its lower STC efficiency, approaches more closely to that of
the crystalline module.

There is another effect that in practice improves the performance of a-Si relative to other thin-film PV
technologies and that is thin-film under low light performance. A deployed module spends only a small
fraction of its time receiving 1000 W/m2 because of the low angle of incidence near sunrise and sunset. For
ideal solar cells the output power should be roughly proportional to the light intensity. Amorphous silicon
obeys this rule but polycrystalline silicon does not. In fact at 200 W/m2 some polycrystalline cells only
produce about 85% of the power that you would expect from the proportionality rule. In some applications
this makes a big difference. For example for solar operated water pumps, the pumps running on
polycrystalline Silicon modules may start much later after sunrise compared to pumps running on amorphous
silicon modules because of the collapse of the poly-Si power at low irradiances.

Yet another advantage of a-Si photovoltaics over crystalline silicone photovoltaics can be seen in the less
steep I-V curve of a-Si. The rounder curve shows that it is easier to draw the maximum power from an
amorphous array, whereas for c-Si the power falls rapidly if the operating voltage is allowed to rise beyond
that of the maximum power point

One disadvantage of a-Si, however, is the Staebler-Wronski effect where the efficiency of a-Si devices
decrease as the temperature increases. Therefore if modules are being built for hot climate areas it is
important to take into consideration the Staebler-Wronski effect of the PV material.

Despite the deficiency of a-Si due to the Staebler-Wronski effect, the three advantages of a-Si, namely, its
temperature coefficient, good performance under low light conditions, and less steep I-V curve, contribute to
good overall performance and the user-friendliness of amorphous silicon arrays, which have led to many
positive reports from users.

Longevity
Solar cells are solid-state electronic devices that are not operated at extreme temperatures or current density
and that in principle are capable of indefinite operation, certainly longer than 20 years. Corrosion, however, is
a common problem that if allowed to occur can limit a module's lifetime. Corrosion can result from moisture
penetrating the packaging or result due to leakage currents from the active circuitry to the outside world.
TerraSolar’s glass-EVA-glass encapsulation does a good job of limiting moisture ingress firstly by keeping
the thin-film within the glass so that no conductors protrude to the edge and secondly by deploying frameless
modules that are mounted using rails glued to the rear glass surface. Sealing surfaces bearing thin-films with
a 1-2mm deep laser cut is a lot easier to accomplish than to uniformly surround the wafers with a thickness
of around 350 microns and its bonding ribbons with encapsulant. Hence not only is it easier to encapsulate
thin-films but its encapsulation method also adds to the module’s longevity.

Amorphous silicon modules have several other advantages as well. One is that the less steep reverse I-V
characteristics do not allow hot spots to build up if an individual cell is shaded. Thus damage due to hot
spots is almost unheard of in a-Si arrays. Another advantage is that for glass-based modules, the films are
deposited on the rear side of the front glass so that the encapsulating polymer, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)
6
lies behind the solar cells and cannot reduce the trans-mission of light to the cells. Thus the loss in output
observed in some wafer-based modules due to yellowing of the EVA simply cannot occur.

Another advantage of thin-film over wafer technologies such as c-Si has to do with inter-cell connections.
Wafers are linked together using metal ribbons attached to the cells at discrete points. Thin-film technology,
however, uses monolithic integration that results in a continuous, distributed line of contact between the front
and back thin-film conductors. While broken connections are not uncommon in wafer-based modules, it is
virtually impossible for thin-film modules to have broken connections due to inter-cell contact failure. Thin-
films have contact redundancy to prevent connections failure, which is an important factor in determining a
module’s longevity.

7
The Amorphous Silicon Line

Photovoltaic Cells
Hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) is the active material responsible for generating the voltage of the
a-Si device. It is a semiconductor, as is crystalline silicon (from which conventional solar modules and
computer chips are made) but the difference being that a-Si does not possess a regular crystal lattice. It is
prepared as a thin-film, and is a remarkable material from which a variety of optoelectronic elements and
devices can be made, including solar cells, field effect transistors, photoreceptors and image sensors.
Because a-Si:H can be coated onto large substrates it has opened the door to large area electronics and
photovoltaics.

The manufacturing steps and a complete a-Si:H cell structure is shown on the next page. The a-Si:H is
sandwiched between a transparent conductor (tin oxide) and the back metallic conductor (Aluminum), all of
these layers are deposited onto a glass substrate. The a-Si:H in turn consists of six layers – the double p, i
and n layers. Boron and phosphorous atoms are doped5 into the p and n layers; since these atoms are
normally ionized, the p-layer acquires a fixed negative charge and the n-layer a fixed positive charge. These
fixed charges establish a permanent electric field in the i-layer. The i-layer (the i stands for intrinsic) is
undoped. The overall p-i-n structure is essentially a semiconductor diode that absorbs sunlight. Each solar
photon absorbed in the i-layer excites a bound electron from one energy band to another, yielding a mobile
(and negatively-charged) electron, and a mobile (and positively-charged) hole. The internal electric field
drives the hole to the p-layer and the electron to the n-layer, thereby building up a voltage across the cell.
This is the essence of the photovoltaic effect in amorphous silicon. The polarity of the voltage is positive on
the tin-oxide side and negative on the aluminum side. The new tandem cells stack two cells, one above the
other, to form a p-i-n/p-i-n structure, which has exhibited better performances in energy efficiency. Each
tandem cell generates around 1.6 volts under open-circuit conditions, while single junction cells only
generates around 0.8 volts.

Photovoltaic Modules
The width of individual a-Si solar cell is around 1.5cm. These cells are serially interconnected via a pattering
process consisting of three linear laser scribes per cell running the entire length of the module, as shown in
the cross section of the a-Si device in figure 2. This scheme is called monolithic integration and is a strong
advantage of thin-film technology because it avoids the handling and the interconnection of a large number
of wafers that is typical with crystalline silicon technology. The voltage in the a-Si device builds up across the
module and the current is extracted via two metal foils bonded to the first and last cells.

The a-Si module is encapsulated between a back cover sheet of glass that is vacuum laminated to the thin-
film-bearing front sheet of glass using ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) as an adhesive. The resulting thin-film
module is currently not only the least expensive photovoltaic technology available on the market in terms of
$/W but is also only available through TerraSolar.

5
Doping is the process of adding impurities.
8
Structure of Amorphous Silicon Device

Figure 1

Figure 2

Figure 3

9
Manufacturing Process
The manufacturing process for amorphous silicon photovoltaic modules is a third-generation technology6
based upon a highly successful and field-proven large batch approach to amorphous silicon deposition. In
this approach, a large number of tin oxide coated glass plates (typically 48 plates) are coated simultaneously
with amorphous silicon in a single vacuum chamber where the substrates are fixed. This method allows a
high plate throughput with the advantages of relatively low capital costs, straightforward maintenance, and
minimal downtime. Specific features of this design for the chambers and fixturing result in low atmospheric
and other impurities, low dopant cross-contamination, low particulates, and good gas utilization. Proprietary
designs are employed to obtain amorphous silicon deposits with unusually good thickness uniformity.

The source of the silicon and hydrogen atoms in a-Si:H is from the gas silane (SiH4). Silane is decomposed
in a vacuum chamber by electron impact in a glow discharge that is excited by applying radio-frequency (RF)
power to a set of planar electrodes. This RF-glow discharge process, which has become a manufacturing
standard, was developed by TerraSolar. The decomposited fragments are highly reactive and represent the
precursor for deposition. The precursor specified bonds to the surface of the growing film. The versatility of
a-Si:H results from the nature of the deposition process wherein the materials are laid down, from convenient
gaseous sources, layer by layer. This allows sequential deposition of any number of layers of different
materials, where each layer can have any desired compositional or dopant profile.

a-Si Manufacturing Steps

Step 1 Glass preparation
Step 2 Sputter deposition of tin
oxide
Step 3 Laser patterning of the
tin oxide conductor
Step 4 Sputter deposition of a-Si
Step 5 Laser patterning of a-Si
semiconductor
Step 6 Sputter deposition of
aluminum
Step 7 Laser patterning of
aluminum conductor
Step 8 Encapsulation
Step 9 Module testing

Figure 4: a-Si Process Flow Diagram

6
1st generation PV modules are 3’x1’ panels of single junction cells. These are no longer manufactured in the US. 2nd
generation PV modules are 2’x4’ panels of tandem cells.
10
Facility and Crew Requirements
The overall requirement for a 5 MW factory is approximately a 40,000 sq. ft. facility, with approximately
20,000 sq. ft. for the manufacturing area, 4,000 sq. ft. of office space and 16,000 sq. ft. of storage area,
preparation areas and shops. The building requires certain utilities and a specific infrastructure. The
manufacturing area should not have temperature variations exceeding the range of 75 and 80 degrees
Fahrenheit, thus, heating and air conditioning are important.

Manpower Requirements

General and Administrative: 1 General Manager

1 Secretary
1 Accountant/Bookkeeper
1 Purchasing Agent

Manufacturing Overhead: 1 Production Manager

2 Engineer

Direct Labor: 80 Production Workers

3 Process Technicians
3 Maintenance Technicians
_______________________
93 Total Employees

Manufacturing Cost Analysis

The financial forecast for a 5 MWp a-Si manufacturing line will vary depending on labor costs and the initial
capital equipment costs.

Table 4: Breakdown of Amorphous Silicon Module Costs (cents/Watt)1

Plate Costs 2 Encapsulation Costs Indirect Utilities Cost
Glass 7.00 Glass 7.00 Liquid N2 4.00
Tin chloride 2.00 Al foil 0.20 Deionized water 1.00
Silane 1.20 Mylar tape 0.10 Sandblasted metal 0.50
Diborane 3.50 EVA 3.00 Solvents/cleaners 1.00
Phospine 0.20 Sylgard 3.00 Pump oil 0.30
Hydrogen 0.10 Al bracket 0.80 Vinyl gloves 0.80
Argon 0.20 Diode 0.10 Materials misc. 2.50
Methane 0.10 Wire 0.50 Electricity 6.00
Al 0.30 Label 0.40 Yield Loss 7.00
ZnO 0.50 Shipping box 1.00 Other 5.00
Total 15.10 Total 16.10 Total: 28.10

Developing Country Labor Costs Developed Country Labor Costs

80 production worker ($7,000/year) 11.20 80 production worker ($35,000/year) 56.00
3 process tech. ($10,000/year) 0.60 3 process tech. ($50,000/year) 3.00
3 maint. Tech. ($10,000/year) 0.60 3 maint. Tech. ($50,000/year) 3.00
Total direct labor: 12.40 Total direct labor: 62.00
Manufacturing Overhead Manufacturing Overhead
1 prod. manager ($20,000/year) 0.40 1 prod. manager ($100,000/year) 2.00
2 engineers. ($15,000/year) 0.60 2 engineers. ($75,000/year) 3.00
Space 1.00 Space 5.00
Total Labor: 2.00 Total Labor: 10.00

Total Module Cost - 73.70 cents/Watt Total Module Cost - 1.31 dollars/Watt
1
Assume 100% yield and 6% efficiency.
2
Glass sheets purchased with a coating of tin oxide will cost an additional 25 cents/watt.
11
a-Si Product
The TerraSolar a-Si modules utilize a dual junction (tandem) a-Si cell structure for improved stability. Other
notable aspects of the TerraSolar process include the possibility of in-house deposition of the doped tin oxide
transparent conductor, laser scribing for all three patterning steps, and sputtering of a zinc/aluminum back
reflector. The benefits of these processes include tin oxide with properties optimized for photovoltaic
applications, minimal dead area associated with patterning, the ability to change cell widths via software
changes, the superior long term contact stability, and an enhanced red response.

Figure 5 is the current-voltage curve of the standard TS-40S (40 watt) module.

Typical IV Characteristic at 1000W/m2 Irradiation for TS-40S

FF=59.3%

Figure 5

The TS-40S has passed safety tests conducted by Underwriters Laboratories Inc. The listing mark is printed
on the module label.

12
5 MW Amorphous Silicon Equipment List

Station 1 Glass Preparation

1.1 Glass driller
1.2 Edge seamer
1.3 Glass washer
1.4 (4) Holding carts

Station 2 Tin Oxide Deposition

2.1 (2) Roller tables
2.2 (1) Tin oxide deposition system
2.3 (4) Holding carts

Station 3 Tin Oxide Patterning

3.1 I.R. laser patterning system (4 beams)
3.2 (2) Holding carts

Station 4 Amorphous Silicon Deposition

System
4.1 (2) Preheat ovens
4.2 (2) Amorphous silicon deposition systems
4.3 (2) Cool down ovens
4.4 (2) Holding carts
4.5 (6) Box carriers
4.6 (2) Box carrier carts

Station 5 Amorphous Silicon Patterning

5.1 (1) Green laser (4 beams)
5.2 (2) holding carts

Station 6 Aluminum Sputtering

6.1 Sputtering station
(2-5 minute throughput) for Al and ZnO
6.2 (4) Holding carts

Station 7 Aluminum Patterning

7.1 Green laser station (4 beams)
7.2 (2) Holding carts

Station 8 Electrical Testing

9.1 I-V Tester (1 minute throughput)
9.1 (2) Holding carts

Station 9 Anneal Station

9.1 (2) Anneal ovens
9.1 (2) Anneal carts

Station 10 Encapsulation
10.1 (1) Edge Isolation
10.2 (1) Foil bonder
10.3 (2) EVA applications
10.4 (2) Preheat stations
10.5 (2) Laminators
10.6 (10) Roller tables
10.7 (1) Adhesive applicator
10.8 (5) Electrical applicators
10.9 (5) Mechanical applicators
10.10 (5) Sorters

13
TS–40S Module Specifications Sheet

TS–40S Module
Specification Sheet

The TS-40S is a thin-film photovoltaic (PV) module with tandem junction amorphous silicon (p-i-n/p-i-n)
monolithically-integrated devices, and a stabilized power rating of 40 watts at maximum power point under
standard test conditions (STC). This module is rated for use in applications with a maximum system voltage
of 600 VDC.

Physical Characteristics

The module is a frameless glass laminate consisting of two 0.125 in. (.3 cm) annealed float glass lites
laminated with EVA. The glass dimensions are 25 in. x 49 in. (63.5 cm x 124.5 cm), and the weight is 29 lbs.
(13.2kg). Four 6 in. (15 cm) long aluminum channel mounting rails bonded to the rear glass surface may be
used for mounting the module. These rails are designed to hold a ¼ in. or 6mm hex head bolt (head
diameter 7/16 in. or 11 mm respectively). Electrical connections are made via one red and one black, stress
relieved, 14-gauge, XLP 600 V leads (RHW-2) rated per the U.S. National Electrical Code article 690)
emanating from a sealed boot. The location of the mounting rails and boot are shown on the attached
drawing.

Care must be taken when handling and installing the module to avoid edge damage to the glass or undue
glass stress. Modules are normally shipped with a slip on plastic edge protector that must be removed after
the module is installed. Please refer to the TS-40S Module Installation Guide for additional details.

Electrical Characteristics

The rated electrical parameters at STC and PVUSA Test Conditions (PTC) are:

STC(1) PTC(2)
Open-Circuit Voltage (Voc) 60.2 V 56.5 V
Short-Circuit Voltage (Isc) 1.14 A 1.16 A
Operating Voltage (Vmp) 44.6 V 41.8 V
Operating Current (Imp) 0.90 A 0.92 A
Maximum Power (Pmp) 40 W 38.5 W
Fill Factor (%) 58.2% 58.7%

Temperature coefficients: Voc, Vmp -0.28%/0C

Isc, Imp +0.09%/0C
Pmp -0.19%/oC

1
STC is defined as 1000 W/m2 irradiance, AM1.5 solar spectral distribution, 250C cell
temperature.
2
PTC is defined as 800 W/m2, AM1.5, 200C ambient temperature, 1m/s wind speed.
3
Individual modules may exhibit a Pmp of 40 W ± 10%.

14
A label on the rear of the module provides the rated and measured electrical parameters, and other
information.

Initial Performance

When a TS-40S module is first deployed, its output characteristics at STC is higher than the rated values
at STC. Power may be 20% higher than the rated value, operating voltage may be 8% higher, operating
current may be 12% higher, open-circuit voltage may be 4% higher, and short-circuit current may be 5%
higher. These higher values should be considered when designing the PV system.

Certifications

The TS-40S, TS-30 (a 30 watt module of similar construction to the TS-40S) and TS-40LV (a low voltage
module of similar construction to the TS-40S) are Underwriters Laboratories (UL) listed under Category
Control Number QIGU, “Photovoltaic Modules and Panels”. The Listing Mark is printed on the module
label. The TS-30 has also passed all Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)1262, and
International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 1646 tests as certified by the Photovoltaic Testing
Laboratory of Arizona State University (ASU PTL).

Options and Specialty Modules

Options, such as longer or shorter lead lengths, deletion of mounting brackets, an added junction box,
bypass diode or fuse, or different module voltage ratings, are available to meet specific customer
requirements. Specialty modules, including semi-transparent (with custom logos or artwork, if desired) or
triple-laminate building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) modules, are also available.

15
The Copper Indium Diselenide Line

Photovoltaic Cells
Thin-film copper indium diselenide (CIS), unlike the non-crystalline a-Si, is a polycrystalline material
consisting of small crystallites approximately 0.5 - 1.0 microns (µm) in size (1 µm = 1/10,000 cm). A strong
advantage of CIS over conventional crystalline silicon is the high optical absorption of CIS, which allows its
active layer to be 2 µm in thickness rather than the 200 - 350 µm for the typical silicon wafers.

In the Copper Indium Diselenide (CIS) device the CIS material is deposited onto a layer of molybdenum
(Mo), the base electrode. Molybdenum has been chosen to be the base electrode because of its refractory
nature and good electrical conductivity. CIS is a p-type semiconductor and a junction is formed at the
surface by deposition of a very thin layer of cadmium sulfide. We believe that this creates a n-p homojunction
just inside the CIS, rather than a simple heterojunction. TerraSolar has also demonstrated effective junction
formation without the use of CdS and anticipates being able to manufacture the device either with or without
the use of CdS. The device is completed by deposition of a transparent conductor such as zinc oxide on top
of the junction to help collect the light-generated current.

The principle of operation of the CIS device is similar to that of conventional crystalline silicon solar cells.
Light absorbed by the CIS creates free electrons and empty holes in the material. The electrons flow through
the CIS grains until they reach the electric field within the junction region at which point they are driven into
the CdS/ZnO, thereby building up a voltage between the ZnO electrode and the Mo base electrode. The loss
of the electrons and holes due to recombination on the surfaces of the crystallites does not occur in CIS
nearly as readily as it does in silicon. Thus, CIS solar cells work perfectly well at this crystallite size whereas
use of such tiny crystallites is usually a disaster for silicon. To create a more efficient device, gallium (Ga)
atoms are substituted for some of the indium (In) atoms to form copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS).
Devices made from CIGS generate a higher open-circuit voltage.

To create a more efficient device, gallium (Ga) atoms are substituted for some of the indium (In) atoms to
form copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS). Devices made from CIGS generate a higher open-circuit
voltage.

Photovoltaic Modules
In a manner similar to the definition and monolithic integration of thin-film a-Si cells, individual CIS cells are
defined and serially interconnected via three patterning steps. The first patterning step is to scribe the Mo
layer using a laser beam. The second and third patterning steps scribes the CIS and separates the ZnO
layer either mechanically or with a laser. The resulting structure is shown in Figure 7. Metal foils are bonded
to the first and last cells, and the module is encapsulated using a top cover glass laminated with ethylene
vinyl acetate (EVA). The laminate is depicted in figure 8.

16
Structure of CIGS Device

Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 8

17
Manufacturing Process
The following principles have been observed by TerraSolar in its development of CIS and CIGS
technology. Firstly, for safety reasons, solid elemental selenium is used, rather than hydrogen selenide.
Secondly, an all-vacuum process is used to ensure an even defect-free coating while also providing
impurity control. Thirdly, scalable deposition methods are used and developed when needed. Lastly, the
substrate used is glass because it is the flattest smoothest and lowest cost substrate available that offers
both structural support and high temperature capability. A 5MW module manufacturing facility rated at 60
Watts and with dimensions of 25 inches by 49 inches could produce 84,000 CIS modules annually.

The molybdenum layer is deposited on the glass by DC magnetron sputtering. This process is carried out
in a multi-chamber, in-line sputtering system, and the properties of the Mo are sensitive to the sputtering
conditions. After laser patterning of the Mo, the glass substrate is transferred to another in-line vacuum
system where extensive use is made of sources capable of downward evaporation. Three custom
designed sources are employed to supply the Cu, In, Ga and Se needed to form the Cu(In,Ga)Se2
compound. During this process the glass is heated to 550°C. After deposition of the CdS (or other
junction-forming material) and the scribing of the CIGS, a second in-line sputtering system is used to
deposit highly conductive zinc oxide as the top transparent electrode. This electrode is then patterned by
scribing. The plate is now ready for testing.

CIGS Manufacturing Steps

Step 1 Glass preparation
Step 2 Sputter deposition of
molybdenum (Mo)
Step 3 Laser patterning of the
molybdenum conductor
Step 4 Compound formation to
create CIGS
Step 5 Patterning to open up the
CIGS material
Step 6 Sputter deposition of zinc
oxide conductor
Step 7 Laser patterning of the
zinc oxide
Step 8 Encapsulation
Step 9 Module testing

Figure 9: CIGS Process Flow Diagram

18
The heart of the CIGS technology is Step 4 where the CIGS compound is formed. TerraSolar has
designed this key piece of equipment so that different compound formations can be accomplished with
this one piece of equipment. The following compounds were successfully produced:

1) Compound precursors
CuSe, InSe2, GaSe2, InGaSe2
2) Metallic precursors
Cu, In, Ga
3) Coevaporation
Cu, In, Ga, Se
4) Combination compound and metallic precursors

All of the CIGS compound formation techniques require a selenization and annealization step. TerraSolar
has demonstrated device efficiencies of greater than 13% for all four methods of CIGS formation.

TerraSolar recommends using the metallic and compound precursors for forming the CIGS compounds.
This technique utilizes both thermal evaporation and sputter deposition.

TerraSolar’s process for the formation of polycrystalline thin-films of CIS for photovoltaic applications that
is inherently compatible with large-scale manufacturing. This all-vacuum process has several advantages:

1. Adaptability to high throughput

2. Absence of major manufacturing hazards
3. Efficient use of materials
4. Increased reliability and ease of maintenance
5. Excellent control over process parameters

PV device efficiencies in excess of 12% were achieved using this process.

Facility and Crew Requirements

The overall requirement for a 5 MW factory is approximately a 40,000 sq. ft. facility, with approximately
20,000 sq. ft. for the manufacturing area, 4,000 sq. ft. of office space and 16,000 sq. ft. of storage area,
preparation areas and shops. The building requires certain utilities and a specific infrastructure. The
manufacturing area should not temperature variations exceeding the range of 75 and 80 degrees
Fahrenheit, thus, heating and air conditioning are important.

Manpower Requirements

General and Administrative: 1 General Manager

1 Secretary
1 Accountant/Bookkeeper
1 Purchasing Agent

Manufacturing Overhead: 1 Production Manager

2 Engineer

Direct Labor: 50 Production Workers

3 Process Technicians
3 Maintenance Technicians
_______________________
63 Total Employees

19
Manufacturing Cost Analysis

Table 5: Breakdown of Copper Indium Gallium Diselenide Module Costs (cents/Watt)

Plate Costs Encapsulation Costs Utilities Cost
Glass 4.00 Glass 4.00 Power 4.00
Indium/Gallium 10.00 EVA 1.50 Liquid N2 2.00
Zinc Oxide 0.50 Aluminum Brackets 0.40 Deionized Water 1.00
Molybdenum 1.00 Connectors 3.00 Yield Loss 7.00
Selenium 2.00 Aluminum Foil 0.10 Other 1.00
Copper 0.50 Other 3.00
Other 2.00
Total: 20.00 cents/Watt Total: 12.00 cents/Watt Total: 15.00 cents/Watt

Developing Country Labor Costs Developed Country Labor Costs

50 Production Worker ($7,000/year) 7.00
3 Process Tech. ($10,000/year) 0.60
3 Maint. Tech. ($10,000/year) 0.60
Total direct labor: 8.20 cents/Watt
Manufacturing Overhead
1 Prod. Manager ($20,000/year) 0.40
2 Engineers. ($15,000/year) 0.60
Space 1.00
Total Labor 2.00 cents/Watt:
50 Production Worker ($35,000/year) 35.00
3 Process Tech. ($50,000/year) 3.00
3 Maint. Tech. ($50,000/year) 3.00
Total direct labor: 41.00 cents/Watt
Manufacturing Overhead
1 Prod. Manager ($100,000/year) 2.00
2 Engineers. ($75,000/year) 3.00
Space 5.00
Total Labor 10.00 cents/Watt:

Total Module Cost - 57.20cents/Watt Total Module Cost - 98.00cents/Watt

10% CIGS Module I-V Curve

Figure 6

CIGS Product
CIGS photovoltaic modules have been shown to possess attributes that should enable them not only to
compete head-on with silicon-based modules but also allow the realization of a lower $/Wpeak cost through
its stability, high efficiency, and low materials cost.

20
5MW Copper Indium-Gallium Diselenide (CIGS) Equipment List

Station 1 Glass Preparation

1.1 Glass driller
1.2 Edge seamer
1.3 Glass washer
1.4 (4) holding carts

Station 2 Molybdenum Deposition

2.1 2) Roller tables
2.2 (1) Sputtering system
2.3 (4) Holding carts

Station 3 Mollybdenum Patterning

3.1 I.R. laser patterning system (4 beams)
3.2 (2) Holding carts

Station 4 CIGS Compound Formation

4.1 (4) Roller tables
4.2 CIGS compound formation deposition system with (2) sputtering targets and (9) thermal
evaporation sources
4.3 (2) Cool down ovens
4.4 (2) Holding carts
4.5 Junction formation
4.6 Insulating ZnO2 deposition

Station 5 CIGS Patterning

5.1 (1) Green laser (4 beams)
5.2 (2) Holding carts

Station 6 ZnO2 Sputtering

6.1 Sputtering Station
6.2 (4) Holding carts

Station 7 ZnO2 Patterning

7.1 Green laser station (4 beams)
7.2 (2) Holding carts

Station 8 Electrical Testing

8.1 I-V tester (1 minute throughput)
8.2 (2) Holding carts

Station 9 Encapsulation
9.1 (1) Edge isolation
9.2 (1) Foil bonder
9.3 (2) EVA applications
9.4 (2) Preheat stations
9.5 (2) Laminators
9.6 (1) Roller tables
9.7 (1) Adhesive applicator
9.8 (5) Electrical applicators
9.9 (5) Mechanical applicators
9.10 (5) Sorters

21
TS–60C Specifications Sheet

TS–60C Module
Specifications Sheet

The TS–60C is a thin-film photovoltaic (PV) module composed of small crystallites approximately 0.5 - 1.0
µm in size (1 µm = 1/10,000 cm) and has a stabilized power rating of 60 watts at maximum power point
under standard test conditions (STC). This module is rated for use in applications with a maximum
system voltage of 600 VDC.

Physical Characteristics

The module is a frameless glass laminate consisting of two 0.125 in. (.3 cm) annealed float glass lites
laminated with EVA. The glass dimensions are 25 in. x 49 in. (63.5 cm x 124.5 cm), and the weight is 29
lbs. (13.2kg). Four 6 in. (15 cm) long aluminum channel mounting rails bonded to the rear glass surface
may be used for mounting the module. These rails are designed to hold a ¼ in. or 6mm hex head bolt
(head diameter 7/16 in. or 11 mm respectively). Electrical connections are made via one red and one
black, stress relieved, 14-gauge, XLP 600 V leads (RHW-2) rated per the U.S. National Electrical Code
article 690) emanating from a sealed boot. The location of the mounting rails and boot are shown on the
attached drawing.

Care must be taken when handling and installing the module to avoid edge damage to the glass or undue
glass stress. Modules are normally shipped with a slip on plastic edge protector that must be removed
after the module is installed. Please refer to the TS-60C Module Installation Guide for additional details.

Electrical Characteristics

The rated electrical parameters at STC and PVUSA Test Conditions (PTC) are:

STC(1)
Open-Circuit Voltage (Voc) 65.5 V
Short-Circuit Voltage (Isc) 1.70 A
Operating Voltage (Vmp) 47.6 V
Operating Current (Imp) 1.53 A
Maximum Power (Pmp) 60 W +/- 10%
Fill Factor 53.9%

1
STC is defined as 1000 W/m2 irradiance, AM1.5 solar spectral distribution, 250C cell
temperature.

22
Combined a-Si/CIS Facility

Inspection of the process flow diagrams for a-Si and CIS facilities reveal that seven of the nine
major steps are the same for both thin-film technologies (Figure 10). Therefore to switch from an
a-Si line to CIS line requires only a relatively straightforward addition of CIS capabilities to an
existing a-Si line. One could also pursue the establishment of a combined a-Si/CIS
manufacturing facility at the outset. An equipment layout for such a combined facility is shown on
the following layout drawing.

Mo CIGS
Glass Prep Patterning Patterning ZnO(AI) Patterning Encapsulation Testing
SnO2 a-Si:H

Manufacturing Process

Figure 10

Specialty Equipment Using Thin-film Photovoltaics

BIPV Equipment
The integration of photovoltaics in buildings, building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV), is one of
the best niche markets for the PV industry. In the most favorable cases, a PV module can replace
a standard building material such as glass with little or no extra installation cost. Furthermore, the
cost of the standard building material is saved, while the thin-film PV itself might not be more
expensive than high-end standard materials.

Since building products are normally several times larger than the dimensions of current thin-film
modules, which are usually about 2' x 4', a large area laminator is required to produce special
BIPV modules containing several individual PV glass sheets. Terra Solar has built and operates
such vacuum laminators for manufacturing a-Si BIPV modules of up to 49” x 100” in size.

These large format BIPV modules consist of multiple pieces of thin-film photovoltaic plates
sandwiched between larger single sheets of glass on the front and back, thus forming a triple
laminate. The front sheet of glass is thicker and is tempered to meet building codes. The active
material can be either a-Si or CIS. In the case of CIS (substrate-type device), the back glass may
not be required.

Thin-film modules produced on Terra Solar's equipment are uniquely suited for BIPV applications:
large area, uniform in appearance, low cost per unit area, and semi-transparent if desired. Our
thin-film modules offer substantial advantages over integration of single crystal or polycrystalline
silicon wafers. TerraSolar’s modules can replace conventional building cladding materials and
generate electricity without maintenance or pollution.

Partially Transparent PV Modules

Semitransparent thin-film modules can be produced for skylights, atrium glazing, or vision
glazing. For a-Si, the basic method for manufacturing transparent modules is to increase light
transmission by widening the series of scribe lines produced in the third laser patterning process

23
and optionally add another series of lines perpendicular to the first. Another possibility for
manufacturing semitransparent thin-film modules is to produce an array of tiny holes in the thin-
film structure. Custom hardware consisting of a high power laser station with appropriate optics
are available to generate a variety of patterns to provide transparency. Insulation is also important
in transparent glazing applications. This can be achieved either by the use of doubleglazing units,
or integration of the PV module into a translucent insulating unit.

Colored PV Modules
Integration of photovoltaics into buildings for direct electricity generation and usage started
around 1991. Interest in BIPV is now booming. However, having to accept the natural color of the
particular PV technology employed is seen as a significant limitation in terms of architectural
design. Since a facade must be attractive and blend well with other construction materials, the
ability to offer a PV product in a range of colors is considered by architects and designers to be a
strong asset.

TerraSolar is currently engaged in a project to impart a controlled tint or coloration to glass-glass

laminated thin-film PV modules to enable architectural integration of modules in visually unique
and striking designs. It is anticipated that more than one method will be developed for
accomplishing this goal and that equipment will be built to enable colored BIPV modules to be
manufactured.

24
The Contract

TerraSolar offers a number of benefits and services to companies who have bought from us
turnkey manufacturing facilities for thin-film based PV modules.

Construction of the Equipment

TerraSolar requires a down payment of 30% of the turnkey manufacturing facility selling price to
be made when a purchase contact has been signed. Once the down payment has been received
it will take on average 7 months for TerraSolar to complete the construction and the delivery of
the manufacturing equipment to the manufacturing site. Depending on the type of equipment,
however, it can take up to 12 months for construction of the equipment to be completed. Partial
deliveries of the equipment and workstations as they are completed will be made to the
manufacturing site once the site is ready to receive them.

The documentation provided for the turnkey set of equipment specifies what kind of electrical
requirements, gas and water facilities, exhaust and other facilities have to be provided at the
manufacturing site. While TerraSolar provides the specification and design for the facilities and
infrastructure hookup, it is the buyer’s responsibility to complete this necessary infrastructure by
the time the equipment has been constructed and is ready to be installed. As soon as the
manufacturing site is ready to receive the equipment, the setup of the equipment, training of the
personnel, and the manufacturing startup can commence.

Based on past experiences with building turnkey manufacturing equipment, the initial yields of
modules produced may be low but within 6 months the facility is expected to operate with better
than 80% yields. Therefore on average it will be 12 months after TerraSolar has received the
down payment that full-scale manufacturing can be expected to start. However, depending on
the special circumstances and equipment required, the time elapsed between the down payment
and full-scale manufacturing capacity could be up to 18 months.

Training, Installation and Start-up Costs

The three key technical personnel who will oversee the manufacturing facility will be trained in the
operation of the equipment at TerraSolar. This training is three months long and takes place
during the construction of the manufacturing site and equipment. TerraSolar will cover the
training expenses.

Equipment Setup
Once the equipment has been delivered to the manufacturing site, TerraSolar and the technical
personnel, as part of their training, will install the equipment. TerraSolar will be responsible for
the overall operation of the manufacturing facility until performance guarantees have been
demonstrated. During this period TerraSolar will cover the cost of their own employees while the
manufacturing venture will cover the cost of their own employees and also the material costs
associated with the startup of the manufacturing operations.

Figure 11: Average Timeline for Setup of a TerraSolar Manufacturing Facility

25
Performance Guarantees
Factory performance will be demonstrated after the manufacturing startup is complete. The
performance factors include:

a. Efficiency. The average module efficiency is to meet the criteria for the specific
factory. For example, for an 8% efficient 5.0 MW CIS facility, more than 85% of the
modules produced will be within ±10% of the guaranteed 60 W module output expected.
The average module efficiency produced will be 60 W.

b. Throughput. One 8-hour shift production rate shall be demonstrated over a one-week
period. By maintaining a rate over a one-year period of 250 working days with a total of 3
shifts (each 8 hours long) per day (hence a total of 24 hours of operating time per day),
the useful output of the factory will be the specified capacity for that particular
manufacturing facility.

c. Manufacturing costs. Taking into account the manufacturing location and

manufacturing conditions, the direct manufacturing costs of the modules would be
consistent with the manufacturing costs given in the present documentation.

The performance guarantee is to be demonstrated while TerraSolar employees are on location

and will be carried out over a one-week period with one 8-hour shift a day.

Technology Update
TerraSolar offers a 5-year technology update agreement along with the purchase of a
manufacturing facility in order to ensure that the manufacturing facility will fully benefit from the
continuing R&D efforts at TerraSolar. This agreement states that every 6 months after the facility
is in full operation TerraSolar will inform the technical crew of the manufacturing venture of the
latest developments and improvements relevant to the turnkey manufacturing equipment. Any
technological improvements related to the production yield or the efficiency of the modules will be
transferred to the manufacturing venture.

26