Akrion has announced the receipt of another purchase order for an automated batch-immersion system for advanced heterojunction solar cell production. The solar wet station will ship to Europe later this year.

The tool will be used for advanced cleaning in the process line for silicon-based heterojunction solar cells.

These devices are composed of thin amorphous silicon films deposited onto monocrystalline silicon at low temperatures.

This process produces solar cells with increased efficiencies when compared to conventionally produced cells.

Many companies in the solar power industry are working on developing cells with higher efficiencies and lower costs.

James S. Molinaro, Akrion President and CEO said, "Akrion's systems are adaptable to a wide array of substrates including silicon-based solar cells. It is exciting to be involved with the fast growing solar cell market.

"There is much activity around improving the efficiency of these energy producers and Akrion's surface preparation expertise in cleaning and etching is proving to be an enabling technology for solar cell manufacturers."