Download - SiGen Kerf-less Wafer Production
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
March 4, 2009
KerfKerf--less wafer productionless wafer productionFrancois Henley
Silicon Genesis CorporationSan Jose, California, USA
50um 150umSiGenSiGen20um
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Agenda
Corporate IntroductionFirst Announcement of 20/20PolyMax™ Equipment DesignPolyMax™ Wafers – Specifications & CapabilitiesSummary
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
| OPTOELECTRONIC| OPTOELECTRONIC
| SOLAR| SOLAR
| Semiconductor| Semiconductor Founded in 1997
Employees: 60 + external contract Eng/Mfg
Headquartered in San Jose, California (Silicon Valley)
Develops and licenses engineered substrate
technology for semiconductor, optoelectronics and
display markets
Company’s proprietary technologies
NanoCleave® (Layer-transfer)
NanoBond (Plasma-activated bonding)
NanoSmooth (Epi Smoothing/Epi Thickening)
SiGen has extended its layer transfer expertise to the
cleaving of mono-crystalline PV wafers for the solar
industry
PolyMax™
Company OverviewCompany Overview
| Display| Display
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Solar Value Chain Needs CHANGE
Renewable energy needs sustainable marketShort-Mid Term
Lower cost and higher qualityHigher efficiencyTechnology innovations
“Though the expected shake-out in the PV-industry, combined with the global recession,will result in the failure of many PV companies, those that exhibit significant technologicaldifferentiation are likely to succeed.” – Greentechmedia – 12.17.08
Longer-term Less dependency of government incentives
How to…
1. Differentiate wafer products?
2. Achieve “Best in Class” manufacturing margins?
3. Support wafer thickness roadmap?
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Learning Curve for Si Wafer PV
Poly silicon price: $300/kg → $100/kg Larger wafers: 3” → 6”Thinner wafers: 350 µm → 225 µm
Improved efficiency: 10% → 16%Volume manufacturing: 1MW → 100MWIncreased automation: none → someImproved manufacturing processes
Factors Driving Past Cost Reduction
Recovery of Poly supply Economies of ScaleEven thinner wafers: → 150 µm
Improved efficiency: 16% → 20%Volume manufacturing: → 1GWAdvanced processing
Factors Driving Near Future Cost Reduction
SiGen Cost Reduction Contributions – Long Run
Optimized use of Poly supply Even thinner wafers: 100→ 50 µm
Advanced processingBetter yield for downstream
Upstream Downstream
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Two PV Absorber Worlds…Thin-Film & Wafered Silicon
Si PV Thickness (um)*
Cel
l Pow
er C
onve
rsio
n Ef
ficie
ncy
(%)
Mono c-Si “Conventional”
Solar Cells
CdTe or CIGS
THIN-FILM CELLS “CONVENTIONAL” CELLS
Optimized Si PV Absorber
* Includes Kerf
2010?2008
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Kerf-Free Wafering
Si PV Thickness (um)*
Cel
l Pow
er C
onve
rsio
n Ef
ficie
ncy
(%)
* Includes Kerf
c-Si KERF-FREE
WAFERS
PolyMax W-Series
50-150μmMono c-Si
“Conventional”Solar Cells
“CONVENTIONAL” CELLS
2008
150μm
50μm2010?
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
c-Si Foil: 20/20 before 2020?
Si PV Thickness (um)*
Cel
l Pow
er C
onve
rsio
n Ef
ficie
ncy
(%)
CdTe or CIGS
THIN-FILM CELLS
* Includes Kerf
PolyMax F-Series
20μm
20%
c-Si KERF-FREE
FOILS
20μm
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Achieving Low-Cost PV Efficiency
Si PV Thickness (um)*
Cel
l Pow
er C
onve
rsio
n Ef
ficie
ncy
(%)
Mono c-Si “Conventional”
Solar Cells
CdTe or CIGS
THIN-FILM CELLS “CONVENTIONAL” CELLS
2008
* Includes Kerf
c-Si KERF-FREE
WAFERS
PolyMaxW-Series
2010?
50-150μm
PolyMax F-Series
c-Si KERF-FREE
FOILS
20%
20μm
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Future opportunities for thinner wafers
300um 200um 180um 150um 100um 50um 20um
Thinner wafers opportunitiesFurther cost reduction
Enhanced rear illumination
Lightweight
Flexibility
Wafer Thickness
c-Si Foilc-Si Wafers
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Compared to 150um Wiresaw wafer PolyMax 20um foils provide 15X material savings
36 x 1.26gm = 45gm
156mm x 156mm - 20um
1.26 gm/wafer
0.29 gm/Wp
1m
1m
Example: 20/20 Thin Foil
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
WireSaw
3 41 5 6
Gluing Wafer Cutting Wafer Separating
Wafer Cleaning
Wafer Measuring
Edge Grinding
2
Growing/Casting
Cropping
Squaring/Bricking
Poly SiMono Si
Wiresaws – Limitations and Bottlenecks
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
WireSaw
3 41 5 6
Gluing Wafer Cutting Wafer Separating
Wafer Cleaning
Wafer Measuring
Edge Grinding
2
Growing/Casting
Cropping
Squaring/Bricking
Poly SiMono Si
Wiresaws – Limitations and Bottlenecks
~50% Poly Loss~100-150μm Limit?
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Multiple SystemsMultiple SystemsMedium Medium CapexCapex
Single SystemSingle SystemHigher Capex
“Optimized” PV Wafering Process
1.“Low” Cost
2.Kerf-Free
3.“Low” Consumables
4.Dry Process
5.Scalable
6.Single-Step
Optimized PV Wafering Process
Multi-Wire Slurry Saws
PolyMaxBeam-Induced
Cleaving
KerfKerf--FreeFreeHigh: ~ 50%High: ~ 50%
Electricity Electricity Process gasesProcess gasesSlurry, WireSlurry, Wire
YESYESSlurry, WaterSlurry, WaterChemicalsChemicals
Down to < Down to < ~20~20μμmmIssues < Issues < ~120~120μμmm
YESYESSaw, Washing, Saw, Washing, SingulationSingulation, etc, etc..
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Multiple SystemsMultiple SystemsMedium Medium CapexCapex
Single SystemSingle SystemHigher Capex
“Optimized” PV Wafering Process
1.“Low” Cost
2.Kerf-Free
3.“Low” Consumables
4.Dry Process
5.Scalable
6.Single-Step
Optimized PV Wafering Process
Multi-Wire Slurry Saws
PolyMaxBeam-Induced
Cleaving
KerfKerf--FreeFreeHigh: ~ 50%High: ~ 50%
Electricity Electricity Process gasesProcess gasesSlurry, WireSlurry, Wire
YESYESSlurry, WaterSlurry, WaterChemicalsChemicals
Down to < Down to < ~20~20μμmmIssues < Issues < ~120~120μμmm
YESYESSaw, Washing, Saw, Washing, SingulationSingulation, etc, etc..
HigherOverall
ManufacturingCost
LowerOverall
ManufacturingCost
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
SiGen PolyMax Process
Cleaved Wafers
Silicon Brick
Two Step Process (1) Implant (2) Cleave
What kerf less representsEliminates Consumables and Waste
SiC, Slurry, WireEliminates Other Systems
GluingSingulationCleaning
Reduces Upstream CapExLess poly feedstockLess CZ pullers
Develops thin wafer marketRemoves the sub-150μm wafer barrierNew applications (i.e. BIPV)
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Wafer Thickness Roadmap
17
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
Waf
er T
hick
ness
(um
)
Monocrystalline
SiGen Thickness Roadmap
39
gm/w
afer26
19 9.5
6.3
3.2
1.3
7.6
PolyMax will cover the wafer thickness roadmap with reduced gm/wafer and $/WpAssumptions: Poly price: $100/kg; wafer size: 156mm x 156mm; CE:16%; WS thickness 150um baseline
2012
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Wafer Thickness Roadmap
18
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
2002 2004 2006 2008 2010
Waf
er T
hick
ness
(um
)
Monocrystalline
SiGen Thickness Roadmap
39
gm/w
afer26
19 9.5
6.3
3.2
1.3
7.6
PolyMax will cover the wafer thickness roadmap with reduced gm/wafer and $/WpAssumptions: Poly price: $100/kg; wafer size: 156mm x 156mm; CE:16%; WS thickness 150um baseline
2012
Δ=$0.45/Wp
Δ>$0.55/Wp
Δ=$0.55/Wp
Δ=$0.34/Wp
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Potential of Kerf-free Wafering
Poly Plant
Growing
Cropping
Block cutting
Grinding
*10,000MT $1B
Poly Plant
Growing Cropping
Block cutting
Grinding
Cleaving wafers
Poly Plant
Capacity Needed
~1/3
PolyMax Plant
~50% Reduction
Standard Upstream Process Line
CZ Puller
Capacity Needed
~1/3
Slicing wafers
Gluing Pre-Cleaning
Final Cleaning
Kerf, Slurry
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Potential of Kerf-free Wafering
Poly Plant
*10,000MT $1B
Poly Plant
Poly Plant
Capacity Needed
~1/3
PolyMax Plant
Standard Upstream Process Line
Feedstock: 3,300 metric ton
Price: $70/kg
Total: $231M
Feedstock: <1,000 metric ton (150um)
Price: $70/kg
Total: $70M
Assumptions: Poly price: $70/kg; wafer size: 156mm x 156mm; CE:18%; WS thickness 180um baseline
300MW Wafering
$161M less Poly
Feedstock Payments per year
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
PolyMaxPolyMax™™System DesignSystem Design
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Dual Endstation System
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ProcesschamberMaintenance
cart
Output LLInput LL
End-Station
Scanchamber
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HVM Initiation/Propagation Subsystem
Tray In
Tray Out
Line Initiation
Cleaved Films
The configuration consists of the following elements:Propagation is caused by beam-induced cleaving
Expected Propagation Process Time < 10 seconds per waferNo tile handling/tray disassembly Cleaved film pick up is from top
HVM CCM Specifications
CCM – Controlled Cleave Module
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
PolyMaxPolyMax™™
Development StatusDevelopment Status
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Equipment/R&D System Development
Development of R&D Systems (2007-2009)50um System – Mid-2007 150um System – Late 2008 20um System – Early 2009
Alpha SystemAlpha System Scheduled Integration: Q2 2009Pilot tests planned to be conducted on Alpha
Q2-Q3 2009 schedule
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
PolyMaxPolyMax™™ Wafers Wafers
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
150um Kerf-free Example
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Cleave Example – 150um Brick
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
TTV/Roughness − Key to Thin PV
PolyMax™ – TTV is a % of the wafer thickness thinner wafer better TTV
TTV
, RM
S R
ough
ness
TTV
, RM
S R
ough
ness WiresawWiresaw
ThicknessThickness2020μμmm
5050μμmm 100100μμmm 150150μμmm
PolyMaxPolyMax™™
Wafer Wire
TVin TVout
vw
Wafer Wire
TVin TVout
vw
WS – TTV is almost independent of thickness worse TTV for thinner wafers
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
TTV,
RM
S R
ough
ness
TTV,
RM
S R
ough
ness
ThicknessThickness2020μμmm
5050μμmm 100100μμmm 150150μμmm
PolyMaxPolyMax™™
ThicknessThickness2020μμmm
5050μμmm 100100μμmm 150150μμmm
PolyMaxPolyMax™™
PolyMaxPolyMax™™ Material Results Material Results
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
PolyMaxPolyMax™™ Material Results Material Results
PolyMaxTM 20μm thick waferRMS 59.1nm
Z range: 493.1nm
X 5.00 μm/divZ 1000.00 nm/div
PolyMaxTM 20μm thick waferRMS 59.1nm
Z range: 493.1nm
X 5.00 μm/divZ 1000.00 nm/div
PolyMaxTM 50μm thick waferRMS 97.6nm
Z range: 796.3nm
X 5.00 μm/divZ 1000.00 nm/div
PolyMaxTM 50μm thick waferRMS 97.6nm
Z range: 796.3nm
X 5.00 μm/divZ 1000.00 nm/div
PolyMaxTM 150μm thick waferRMS 386.8nm
Z range: 3.2μm
X 10.00 μm/divZ 2000.00 nm/div
PolyMaxTM 150μm thick waferRMS 386.8nm
Z range: 3.2μm
X 10.00 μm/divZ 2000.00 nm/div
TTV,
RM
S R
ough
ness
TTV,
RM
S R
ough
ness
ThicknessThickness2020μμmm
5050μμmm 100100μμmm 150150μμmm
PolyMaxPolyMax™™
ThicknessThickness2020μμmm
5050μμmm 100100μμmm 150150μμmm
PolyMaxPolyMax™™
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
0
50
100
150
200
1.0E+15 1.0E+16 1.0E+17
Minority- Carrier Density (cm-3)
Mea
sure
d Li
fetim
e (u
sec)
Tau = 129.0 µs at 1.6E+15 cm-3
0
10
20
30
40
50
1.0E+15 1.0E+16
Minority- Carrier Density (cm-3)
Mea
sure
d Li
fetim
e (u
sec)
Tau = 38.6 µs at 2.9E+15 cm-3
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
1.0E+15 1.0E+16
Minority- Carrier Density (cm-3)
Mea
sure
d Li
fetim
e (u
sec)
Tau = 205.4 µs at 5.7E+15 cm-3
TTV,
RM
S R
ough
ness
TTV,
RM
S R
ough
ness
ThicknessThickness2020μμmm
5050μμmm 100100μμmm 150150μμmm
PolyMaxPolyMax™™
ThicknessThickness2020μμmm
5050μμmm 100100μμmm 150150μμmm
PolyMaxPolyMax™™
PolyMaxPolyMax™™ Material Results Material Results
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Lifetime >50μsec
BOW <35μm
Resistivity ~1-10 Ω-cm (defined by ingot)
Oxygen Conc. < ~1x1018 cm-3 (defined by ingot)
Carbon Conc. < ~5x1016 cm-3 (defined by ingot)
Dimension 125mm x 125mm & 156mm x 156mm
Thickness 150μm +/- 5μm (as-cleaved)
TTV < ~ 10μm
Mechanical Strength Higher than wiresaw
Crystal Orientation (111)
Ex: 150um Wafer Specifications
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Kerf-less wafering equipment is real and practicalHigh-Volume manufacturing equipment on target for 2009
Direct Film Transfer is the enabling technologyImplant technology applied to low-cost productionCleave technology for high productivityMaintaining high material quality
Conclusions Conclusions -- EquipmentEquipment
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Kerf-free benefits are numerous for the PV Industry
1. Lower overall cost through entire PV value chainPoly feedstock savingsUpstream equipment savings (CZ pullers, cropping, etc.)Lower Opex costsThinner & higher strength form factors
2. Green footprint & waste reductionFree of wire and slurry consumablesSmaller energy footprint Free of recovery/waste treatment infractructure
3. New ApplicationsEffective across residential to commercial to utility Enables high-efficiency BIPV Flexible high-efficiency PV
Conclusions Conclusions –– PV IndustryPV Industry
©2009 Silicon Genesis Corporation. All rights reserved Photon’s 4th PV Production Equipment Conference
Thank you!Thank you!
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