Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT) introduces its latest advances in PV manufacturing technology at the SNEC PV Power Expo 2011. These include a selective emitter (SE) technology for increased cell efficiency, and a wire saw development to increase cutting speed.
February 22, 2011 — Applied Materials Inc. (AMAT), equipment supplier to the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, will introduce its latest advances in PV manufacturing technology at the SNEC PV Power Expo 2011 show this week in Shanghai, China. These include a selective emitter (SE) technology for increased cell efficiency, and a wire saw development to increase cutting speed.
Applied Materials’ Selective Emitter (SE) process uses its high-precision Esatto Technology on Applied Baccini integrated cell platforms for rapid, low-risk fabrication of SE structures. While a Baccini line can support any SE approach, Applied’s new SE product incorporates a high-precision imaging system, custom screens, optimized dopant paste technology developed with Honeywell Electronic Materials, and dedicated process support. Applied’s SE process raises absolute cell efficiencies by more than 0.5% (demonstrated by the company at multiple customer sites).
Applied also unveiled its upgraded wire saw technology with a new high-strength structured wire capability for the Applied HCT Squarer, which prepares silicon ingots to be cut into PV wafers. The new structured wire increases cutting speed by 70%. AMAT also optimized structured wire technology for its Applied HCT B5 wire saw. The structured wire approach, production-proven for ingot squaring, is designed to deliver immediate and significant productivity and performance advantages when extended to wafering applications on HCT B5 tools.
At SNEC, Applied Materials will also highlight the advanced Applied E3 and SmartFactory MES automation software and service support solutions for maximizing factory productivity and yield.
Applied Materials Inc. (Nasdaq:AMAT) provides equipment, services and software to enable the manufacture of advanced semiconductor, flat panel display and solar photovoltaic products. Learn more at www.appliedmaterials.com
Subscribe to Photovoltaics World
Follow Photovoltaics World on Twitter.com via editors Pete Singer, twitter.com/PetesTweetsPW and Debra Vogler, twitter.com/dvogler_PV_semi.
