IGF::OT::IGF - IN THE PROPOSED PHASE II PROGRAM, WE WILL TRANSITION MICROLINK'S 6-INCH EPITAXIAL LIFT-OFF (…

Public award description

IGF::OT::IGF - IN THE PROPOSED PHASE II PROGRAM, WE WILL TRANSITION MICROLINK'S 6-INCH EPITAXIAL LIFT-OFF (ELO) SOLAR CELL FABRICATION PROCESS INTO A MANUFACTURING PLATFORM CAPABLE OF SUSTAINING LARGE-VOLUME PRODUCTION. KEY PHASE II IMPROVEMENTS IN THE ELO PROCESS ARE REDUCTION IN CYCLE TIME AND INCREASE IN THE YIELD OF LARGE-AREA DEVICES. IN ADDITION, WE WILL TRANSITION ALL CRITICAL DEVICE FABRICATION PROCESSES TO 6-INCH PRODUCTION TOOL SETS THAT ARE DESIGNED FOR VOLUME PRODUCTION, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON AUTOMATED CASSETTE-TO-CASSETTE AND BATCH PROCESSES THAT WILL MINIMIZE OPERATOR DEPENDENCE AND VARIABILITY. DURING THE PHASE II PROGRAM WE WILL ESTABLISH A PILOT PRODUCTION LINE CAPABLE OF AT LEAST 1500 6-INCH WAFERS PER MONTH AT GREATER THAN 80% YIELD. WE WILL ALSO INCREASE THE YIELD AND MANUFACTURABILITY OF THE 6-INCH RECLAIM PROCESS, WHICH IS CRUCIAL TO REDUCING THE COST OF THE CELLS. THIS WILL INVOLVE A CLOSER COLLABORATION WITH OUR SUBSTRATE RECLAIM VENDOR AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CLEAR METRICS TO QUALIFY KEY PROCESS VARIABLES IMPACTING DEVICE YIELD. A SUCCESSFUL CONCLUSION OF THIS PHASE II PROGRAM WILL PLACE US IN STRONG POSITION TO SUPPORT POTENTIAL SEP VOLUME SOLAR CELL MANUFACTURING REQUIREMENTS.