Ion implantation, the process of doping a semiconductor and thereby changing the semiconductor properties, has been widely used in integrated circuit (IC) industry. The ion implanter, the tool that is responsible for the implantation process, is one of the most crucial pieces of equipment for advanced IC production with an annual market size of 1.5 billion dollars.

Ion implantation has advantages over conventional thermal diffusion: mono-element doping; single-sided, collimated doping; superior uniformity; tailored dopant profiles; and patterned doping.  Thus, ion implantation not only forms high quality PN junctions that improve solar cell conversion efficiency but also significantly simplifies the fabrication processes of various high efficiency solar cells. In conventional P-mono cell processes, ion implantation eliminates the PSG removal and edge isolation steps. Masking steps can be removed in bi-facial cell processes.  IBC cells can be realized with self-aligned doping, greatly reducing their manufacturing costs.

Given these merits, ion implantation is not only the most economical and reliable process for high efficiency solar cell manufacturing but also an environmentally friendly process in solar cell manufacturing due to the elimination of POCl3 or BBr3, PSG or BSG removal, as well as edge isolation steps that result severe pollution.

Despite its adva ntages, the application of implant technology in the photovoltaic industry has been limited due to the associated high IC implanter price, low throughput, and large footprint.  Based on the requirements of state-of-art solar cell technology, Kingstone has designed a new ion implanter specifically tailored to the PV industry - IonSolar. On both the wafer handling and beamline modules, IonSolar™ introduced patented breakthroughs: a "curtain-like" ion beam that can implant multiple wafers simultaneously, and a wafer handling platform that allows continuous wafer implanting without waiting for wafer movements.  This allows for higher throughput and lower cost of ownership (CoO) of ion implantation to be realized. IonSolar™ makes possible field retrofittable upgrades of existing solar cell production lines in order to achieve higher efficiency cell manufacturing.

IonSolar Features

• High productivity

production throughput of 1800 wafers / hour, matching the pacing of existing production lines

• Small footprint

22m², fitting into space requirements of existing production lines

•Low CoO

40% reduction compared to similar systems, allowing for ROI in less one year

• Local manufacturing and service at a world-class standard

Kingstone was founded by a team of overseas experts who have many years of successful experience, developing several generations of sophisticated IC ion implanters. The team has devoted themselves to making world-class quality ion implanters in China.