TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING - Preferred Method: In removing at least the portion of the interaction layer on the electrode region of the solar substrate, step (b) includes brushing the electrode region with a rotary brush; or brushing selected portions of the electrode region corresponding to bonding locations of the electrode region, the bonding locations being configured to receive bonded portions of a conductive ribbon. The method further comprises: (c) monitoring a characteristic of a brushing operation during the brushing in step (b), and (d) stopping the brushing upon the characteristic reaching at least one of: (i) a predetermined value, (ii) a predetermined amount of change, and (iii) a predetermined rate of change, during step (c), where step (c) includes monitoring at least one of: (i) a speed of a brushing motor used to provide the brushing motion in step (b); (ii) a force applied between a brush used in the brushing of step (b) and a surface of the electrode region; (iii) a brushing time elapsed during step (b); (iv) a brushing sound during step (b); (v) a current of a brushing motor used to provide the brushing motion in step (b); (vi) a torque of a brushing motor used to provide the brushing in step (b); (vii) a color change of the portion of the electrode region being brushed in step (b); (viii) a temperature of the portion of the electrode region being brushed in step (b); and (ix) a temperature of a portion of the brush during step (b). Also, (c) includes monitoring at least one of: (i) a force applied between a brush used in the brushing of step (b) and a surface of the electrode region; and (ii) a current of a brushing motor used to provide the brushing in step (b). Moreover, a time delay is provided before the brushing is stopped but after the characteristic reaches the of the predetermined value, the predetermined amount of change, and the predetermined rate of change. Step (b) includes brushing several individual portions of the electrode region using a set of brushes, where the set of brushes are individually operable. The method also comprises: (c) removing an absorbing layer from the electrode region prior to step (a), where (c) includes at least one of: (i) scraping the absorbing layer from the electrode region; (ii) removing the absorbing layer from the electrode region using laser ablation; and (iii) brushing the absorbing layer from the electrode region. The solar substrate is a copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) type thin film solar substrate. The electrode region comprises molybdenum (Mo). Step (b) includes brushing the electrode region using a motorized brush comprising a set of bristles extending in a direction from a shaft of the motorized brush toward an outer edge of the bristles; brushing the electrode region using the motorized brush such that during rotation of the shaft the outer edge of ones of bristles brushes the electrode region, the ones of the bristles brushing the electrode region continuously changing based on the rotation of the shaft; brushing the electrode region using a motorized brush comprising a set of bristles, the motorized brush including a first confining structure on a first side of the bristles and a second confining structure on a second side of the bristles, such that the bristles are confined between the first confining structure and the second confining structure, where an outer portion of the bristles extends past the first confining structure and the second confining structure. In cleaning the electrode region of the solar substrate, step (c) includes brushing the portion of the interaction layer from the electrode region using a rotary brush; or brushing selected portions of the electrode region corresponding to bonding locations of the electrode region, the bonding locations being configured to receive bonded portions of a conductive ribbon. The method further comprises: (d) monitoring a characteristic of a brushing operation during the brushing in step (c), and (e) stopping the brushing upon the characteristic reaching at least one of: (i) a predetermined value, (ii) a predetermined amount of change, and (iii) a predetermined rate of change, during step (d). Additionally, (d) includes monitoring at least one of: (i) a speed of a brushing motor used to provide the brushing motion in step (c); (ii) a force applied between a brush used in the brushing of step (c) and a surface of the electrode region; (iii) a brushing time elapsed during step (c); (iv) a brushing sound during step (c); (v) a current of a brushing motor used to provide the brushing motion in step (c); (vi) a torque of a brushing motor used to provide the brushing motion in step (c); (vii) a color change of the portion of the electrode region being brushed in step (c); (viii) a temperature of the portion of the electrode region being brushed in step (c); and (ix) a temperature of a portion of the brush during step (b). Likewise, step (d) includes monitoring at least one of: (i) a force applied between a brush used in the brushing of step (c) and a surface of the electrode region; and (ii) a current of a brushing motor used to provide the brushing in step (c). Step (c) includes brushing several individual portions of the electrode region using a set of brushes, where the set of brushes are individually operable. Step (b) includes at least one of: (i) scraping the absorbing layer from the electrode region; (ii) removing the absorbing layer from the electrode region using laser ablation; and (iii) brushing the absorbing layer from the electrode region. Step (c) includes brushing the electrode region using a motorized brush comprising a set of bristles extending in a direction from a shaft of the motorized brush toward an outer edge of the bristles; brushing the electrode region using the motorized brush such that during rotation of the shaft the outer edge of ones of bristles brushes the electrode region, the ones of the bristles brushing the electrode region continuously changing based on the rotation of the shaft; brushing the electrode region using a motorized brush comprising a set of bristles, the motorized brush including a first confining structure on a first side of the bristles and a second confining structure on a second side of the bristles, such that the bristles are confined between the first confining structure and the second confining structure, where an outer portion of the bristles extends past the first confining structure and the second confining structure. Preferred System: In the system for processing the solar substrate, the brushing system includes a rotary brush, where the brushing system is configured to remove the interaction layer from selected portions of the electrode region corresponding to bonding locations of the electrode region, the bonding locations being configured to receive bonded portions of a conductive ribbon. The system further comprises a monitoring system for monitoring a characteristic of a brushing operation of the brushing system such that the brushing operation may be stopped upon the monitoring system determining that the characteristic reaches at least one of: (i) a predetermined value, (ii) a predetermined amount of change, and (iii) a predetermined rate of change. The characteristic includes at least one of: (i) a speed of a brushing motor of the brushing system; (ii) a force applied between a brush of the brushing system and a surface of the electrode region; (iii) a brushing time elapsed during the brushing operation; (iv) a brushing sound during the brushing operation; (v) a current of a brushing motor of the brushing system; (vi) a torque of a brushing motor of the brushing system; (vii) a color change of a portion of the electrode region being brushed; (viii) a temperature of a portion of the electrode region brushed by the brushing system; and (ix) a temperature of a portion of the brush of the brushing system. The characteristic includes at least one of (i) a force applied between a brush of the brushing system and a surface of the electrode region; and (ii) a current of a brushing motor of the brushing system. The brushing system includes a set of brushes, where the set of brushes are individually operable. The system as well comprises a removal system configured to remove an absorbing layer from the electrode region, the interaction layer being positioned beneath the absorbing layer, where the removal system includes at least one of: (i) a scraping system for scraping the absorbing layer from the electrode region; (ii) a laser ablation system for removing the absorbing layer from the electrode region; and (iii) another brushing system for removing the absorbing layer from the electrode region. The brushing system includes a motorized brush comprising a set of bristles extending in a direction from a shaft of the motorized brush toward an outer edge of the bristles. During rotation of the shaft the outer edge of ones of bristles brushes the electrode region, the ones of the bristles brushing the electrode region continuously changing based on the rotation of the shaft. The brushing system includes a motorized brush comprising a set of bristles, the motorized brush including a first confining structure on a first side of the bristles and a second confining structure on a second side of the bristles, such that the bristles are confined between the first confining structure and the second confining structure, where an outer portion of the bristles extends past the first confining structure and the second confining structure. Alternatively, the system for processing a solar substrate comprises: a removal system for removing an absorbing layer from an electrode region of a solar substrate, the absorbing layer being configured to convert light energy into electrical energy; and a brushing system for removing an interaction layer from at least a portion of the electrode region. In a second alternative case, the system for processing the solar substrate comprises: a support structure for supporting a solar substrate; and a brushing system for selectively removing an interaction layer from an electrode region of the solar substrate, the brushing system including a set of motorized brushes for performing the selective removal of the interaction layer. The set of motorized brushes are rotary brushes. In a third alternative case, the system for processing the solar substrate comprises: a removal system for removing an absorbing layer from an electrode region of a solar substrate, the absorbing layer being configured to convert light energy into electrical energy; a brushing system for removing an interaction layer from at least a portion of the electrode region; and an ultrasonic bonding system configured to bond a conductor to the electrode region.