Amtech to place Ion implant system at ECN for solar cell R&D
Amtech Systems' solar subsidiary, Tempress Systems, has signed a contract with ECN, a world leader in solar research, to cooperate on the development of low cost, high efficiency cell technologies utilising its IonSola system (an ion implant tool).
The IonSolar system was developed and manufactured by Kingstone Semiconductor, a majority-owned subsidiary of Amtech. The IonSolar system, together with existing Tempress Systems' equipment already installed at ECN, will be used for these research and development activities.
Fokko Pentinga, Chief Executive Officer of Amtech, comments, "This cooperation with ECN is another indication of the potential of Kingstone's IonSolar system for future cost effective cell technologies and demonstrates our investment in research and development, which is delivering highly relevant technologies to the market."
"We are very proud that our long standing partnership with ECN, and their world-leading solar development efforts on cost effective solar cell and module technology, is now expanded to include our ion implant technology. ECN has an excellent track record on commercialisation of their R&D efforts. In the technology roadmap of Tempress Systems and Kingstone Semiconductor, the integration of our ion implant technology and our diffusion and PECVD deposition technology is critical to enable the next generation of low cost, high efficient solar cells."
Amtech Systems, Inc. manufactures capital equipment, including silicon wafer handling automation, thermal processing and ion implant equipment and related consumables used in fabricating solar cells, LED and semiconductor devices.
Semiconductors, or semiconductor chips, are fabricated on silicon wafer substrates, sliced from ingots, and are part of the circuitry, or electronic components, of many products including solar cells, computers, telecommunications devices, automotive products, consumer goods, and industrial automation and control systems.
The company's wafer handling, thermal processing and consumable products currently address the diffusion, oxidation, and deposition steps used in the fabrication of solar cells, LEDs, semiconductors, MEMS and the polishing of newly sliced silicon wafers.
