Centrotherm Photovoltaics’ FHR unit licenses RNT sputter target bonding technologies

Centrotherm Photovoltaics' thin-film equipment unit FHR Anlagenbauhas has signed a licensing deal with Reactive NanoTechnologies for the use of RNT's NanoFoil and NanoBond technologies. FHR has modified its facilities in Ottendorf-Okrilla, Germany, to bond sputter targets using RNT's patented room-temperature bonding technique.

"FHR is very focused in engineering of customized equipment for thin-film technology where we have already demonstrated the benefit that NanoBond provides for increasing deposition rate," said Joseph Grzyb, RNT's CEO. "With FHR’s bundled sputter target and equipment offering, they are certainly in a position to offer great value to the solar panel producers."

"We signed the license agreement with RNT to increase the range of our bonding methods," noted Christian Raensch, FHR's COO. "By using the new NanoBond technology, we are able to supply optimal target assemblies for specific applications. Especially, we are developing new specific target designs for high-rate sputtering, photovoltaic and optoelectronic solutions."

NanoBond is used to bond sputter targets with the additional benefits of minimizing the CTE mismatch of target and backing plate materials, improving the overall performance of target assemblies in use, and providing a more environmentally friendly process solution, according to RNT.

RNT has announced the signing of other agreements in recent weeks. German thin-film component supplier Robeko--which already had a licensing deal in place with RNT-- has added NanoBond to its sputtering products and services offerings. Thermal Conductive Bonding has also agreed to license NanoBond and NanoFoil from the Hunt Valley, MD-based company.