LDK Solar has successfully undertaken factory acceptance testing of more than 50 of Applied Materials' new HCT MaxEdge wire saws for volume wafer production. Installations are due to be finished in October, 2009, the company said.
"We selected Applied's MaxEdge wafering systems because of their industry-leading productivity and capability to produce advanced solar wafers in very high volumes," stated Dr. Yuepeng Wan, CTO of LDK Solar. "This new generation of Applied's HCT wire saws has now proven it can deliver the repeatable high yields necessary to deliver superior quality, cost-effective wafers to our customers. In addition, LDK has received excellent on-site support from Applied's engineers during our aggressive ramp."