Tuesday, June 16, 2015

SoLayTec garners repeat ALD orders from China for PERC production

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment specialist SoLayTec, a subsidiary of Amtech Systems has secured orders from two China-based PV manufacturers. Image: SoLayTec.


Atomic layer deposition (ALD) equipment specialist SoLayTec, a subsidiary of Amtech Systems has secured orders from two China-based PV manufacturers.

Critically, SoLayTec has received its first follow-on order for its modular InPassion system from an existing customer, since first evaluating ALD technology in 2011. The customer entered volume production using the technology in 2014, resulting in a repeat order for production later in 2015. The company said that tool delivery was planned for June.

The second order is for an R&D evaluation with a new client with the expectation of taking the technology from lab to fab in the future. SoLayTec said that in principle the new customer would commence R&D activities with one module, which can handle at least 600wph. However, after pilot testing and validation, the tool can be upgraded to mass production by adding the other modules to reach a maximum throughput of 3,600wph.

Roger Görtzen, co-founder of SoLayTec and manager marketing and sales said: “Since 2011 SoLayTec is working very closely with this Tier one customer and SoLayTec is proud that they have accepted our InPassion ALD in full production last year. They started PERC research with our InPassion LAB tool in 2011 and moved towards mass production in 2014, starting with our InPassion ALD system with three modules (1800wph). This was accepted within three months after which they purchased another three modules upgrading the tool to 3600wph and at the same time showing the advantage of our modular tool set-up. So now SoLayTec has reached its next milestone by repeat orders. This clearly shows the equipment readiness for mass production for the PV market.”

ALD competed with PECVD and APCVD deposition techniques to provide tightly specified thicknesses of Al2O3 for surface passivation of both the front and real cell in a PERC configuration. Tighter deposition control can produce higher efficiency cells.

Financial details were not disclosed.

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