US-based high-technology equipment manufacturer Intevac said it had secured an order for two ‘ENERGi’ ion implant systems from a China-based solar cell producer for precision emitter solar cell manufacturing. Financial details and delivery schedules were not disclosed.
Few solar cell producers have adopted ion implantation technology, typically viable for N-type monocrystalline solar cells, providing process simplification, compared to traditional over boron diffusion processes, while boosting conversion efficiencies.
Unlock unlimited access for 12 whole months of distinctive global analysis
Photovoltaics International is now included.
- Regular insight and analysis of the industry’s biggest developments
- In-depth interviews with the industry’s leading figures
- Unlimited digital access to the PV Tech Power journal catalogue
- Unlimited digital access to the Photovoltaics International journal catalogue
- Access to more than 1,000 technical papers
- Discounts on Solar Media’s portfolio of events, in-person and virtual
Or continue reading this article for free
The company had previously received only two individual ion implant tool orders for solar cell applications, including an R&D facility. Ion implant tools can cost in excess of US$4 million each.
Wendell Blonigan, president and chief executive officer of Intevac said, “This new order for systems configured with our ion implantation source technology demonstrates continued and meaningful progress in our Thin-film Equipment growth strategy. Securing this order from a leading solar cell manufacturer in China validates the capability and value proposition of our implant technology for high-efficiency solar cell manufacturing. These two systems are expected to ship in the second half of 2016 and will require signed customer acceptance before we recognize revenue on the tools.”
