Amtech said that the multiple orders included diffusion furnace and a PECVD system for solar cell processing of higher efficiency cells.
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Fokko Pentinga, Chief Executive Officer of Amtech said, “These industry leaders reflect the increasing demand for solar technology solutions and a renewed market interest in adding new, highly productive capacity to meet the goal of higher solar cell efficiency at a lower total cost of ownership.”
According to the company, this was the second PECVD production order, which had the potential of doubling the company’s served market.
“We continue to have discussions with both current and potential new customers about our leading-edge technology solutions including our ion implant system, N-type and PECVD technologies,” added Pentinga.
Amtech's announcement provides another key indicator that the industry needs new capacity and new equipment as soon as possible.
Finlay Colville, vice president of NPD Solarbuzz, told PV Tech, “Recent order announcements are now indicating that the supply/demand of effective cell capacity is now passed. Module equality was reached in the second half of last year, driving module orders before the end of 2013. The next key phase to forecast will be the wafering stage.”
Colville pointed-out that Amtech’s PECVD order win was significant considering the company had generated revenue in the past primarily from diffusion furnace equipment sales for both n-type and p-type wafer/cells.
“Therefore, while it is still too early to forecast, it may be that the landscape for PECVD tooling to the PV industry is set to change. If so, this could represent a crushing blow for Meyer Burger as it relies upon cell tooling revenues while wire saws ordering remains weak, and also for Centrotherm as it emerges from its restructuring exercise. It would also provide an indirect confirmation that the China tool makers efforts to get into the PECVD space in 2011 is not something that gave the c-Si cell leaders any great vote of confidence.”
Colville also noted that Amtech's new PECVD order also comes shortly after Orbotech announced a US$10 million purchase order for its Aurora PECVD tool in December, 2013 as it entered the PV space after years of R&D and sales efforts.
“PECVD tools have historically been the highest-ticked items in cell lines, so the drive to own this market segment is huge,” added Colville.
Asher Levy, CEO of Orbotech said in December last year that the PECVD orders “Mark the beginning of a major additional area of potential business for the company and that this highly innovative technology will open up further opportunities.”
Plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition is used for passivation and anti-reflective coating processes and is a key process for PID protection.
Amtech expects to ship the orders within the next six months.
