The Applied HCT Precision Wafering Systems are used in manufacturing crystalline silicon wafers. These systems contribute to Applied Materials’ overall strategy to drive down the cost-per-watt of solar power by reducing the quantity of silicon used per watts of electricity generated. Precision wafering system technology is used to slice silicon ingots or cast silicon into wafers approximately 100 microns thick (approximately the thickness of a human hair), significantly reducing kerf loss and contributing a critical component in the drive to improve silicon material utilization and reduce overall costs in the solar industry. Applied HCT Wafering Line The Applied HCT Wafering Line, including E500SB-B is specifically dedicated to reducing the solar cell costs by offering high throughput of qualified wafers with a minimum operating requirement.

The Applied HCT Precision Wafering systems can be used with either mono or multi-silicon wafers, from 100mm to 300mm in size. The systems deliver:

• Square, round or pseudo-square shapes
• 100 to 350 microns thickness, in mass production
• Throughput equivalents of 2 to 15 megawatts for each wire saw per year

The Applied HCT systems have also successfully addressed mass-production wafer challenges, including:

• Thin wafers of 120 microns thickness
• Large wafers 156 x156mm and 210 x 210mm
  - With high volume production yields

Applied HCT Squaring Systems
The Applied HCT Squarer reduces silicon waste in slicing and grinding from traditional technologies using fixed abrasive.

The Bricketer or Squarer is used to slice cast multi-silicon ingots into bricks or pulled mono-silicon ingots into pseudo-square bricks with superior surface quality (no further grinding required), and kerf loss in the range of zero.

For further information about how these products can help lower the cost of solar energy, please see the Applied HCT Precision Wafering Systems Web site.