H i g h l i g h ts
D eve l o p m e n t o f t h e PV C e ll
Pr o d u c t i o n Eq ui p m e n t B u s in e s sDevelopment of the PV Cell
Production Equipment Business
Amid growing public expectations for renewable energy, the Tokyo Electron Group has announced
the launch of a PV cell production equipment business.

What is PV Power Generation?
most pressing agenda for society. We need to shift from being
dependent on fossil fuels to becoming a low carbon society byutilizing renewable energy. Renewable energy is expected to makesignificant contributions toward preventing global warming as it canbe used semi-perpetually while emitting less greenhouse gases thancurrent mainstream energy sources.
PV power generation using solar energy is the leading player ofThin-film Si PV cell production equipment

Crystalline Si PV cells
Thin-film Si PV cells
Production (GW)

Market size (billions of yen)
1,800

10080

2007–2020

1,500

25%

1,200

Average growthenergy in order to overcome present challenges, such as increase

HIGHLIGHTs

in energy conversion efficiency (from solar energy to electricity),shortage of materials to produce related equipment, and cost/
efficiency issues.
The Group has started the PV cell production equipment business2015–2020

Average growth

37%

60

such renewable energy. However, further technological innovations
and cost reductions are necessary for common use of this green

Thin-film Si PV Cell Production
Equipment Market

PV Cell Production

Solving the problem of climate change and global warming is the2007–2020

40

Average growth

52%

20

900
600
300

0

2007–2015

Average growth

44%02007

2015

2020

20072015

2020

Source: TEL’s calculations based on the power demand forecast.

with a strong commitment to making contributions to environmental
solutions through our technological excellence.

PV Cell Business at the Tokyo Electron Group
Following an extensive period of basic research, the Group has

MANAGEMENT Report

decided to start a PV production equipment business.
TEL agreed with Sharp Corporation (“Sharp”) to launch a joint
venture, Tokyo Electron PV Limited, which will specialize in thedevelopment of commercial plasma CVD systems for use in thinfilm silicon PV cells. (Please note that this agreement pertains only

With technologicalinnovation, PV cells will
be applied acrossbroader areas

to plasma CVD systems for thin-film silicon PV cells: it is not anagreement on a comprehensive partnership on FPD production
equipment and other operations.)
Thin-film silicon PV cells, containing a thin layer of silicon
deposited on a glass substrate, is a type of solar cell that has
attracted significant interest in recent years. We aim to develop

EHS Reporthigher productive plasma CVD systems for thin-film silicon
PV cells by combining the Group’s experience and expertise invacuum plasma technology applied to the mass production ofsemiconductors and FPD production equipment, with technology forthin-film silicon PV cell production that Sharp, a leading company in
PV cell production, has built. The development of such CVD systems
will be conducted by the new joint venture of the Group and Sharp,
and production and sales will be conducted solely by the Group. We
intend to introduce the first model to market in 2009.

SOCIAL Report

8TOKYO ELECTRON Environmental and Social Report 2008

Mitsuru Onozato
Senior Vice President
General Manager
FPD/PVE DivisionTokyo Electron Limited

Tetsuroh Muramatsu
PhD
Executive Officer
Group General Manager
Solar Systems GroupSharp CorporationEHS Report
SOCIAL Report

TOKYO ELECTRON Environmental and Social Report 2008

MANAGEMENT Report

Since 1959 when we began our R&D efforts on PV cells, we atSharp have devoted about half a century to making this new energy
source one that can be used by more people and in broader areas.
In addition to our long-standing focus on crystalline PV cells, wehave been focusing our R&D efforts on thin-film PV cells and theexpansion of related business.
Producing thin-film PV cells requires a volume of silicon 100
times less than its crystalline counterparts. These products do not
lose the capacity to generate power even at high temperatures. Theirmajor target markets are the United States and European countries
for use as electricity power sources.
Another important strength is the short production process.
Plasma CVD systems hold the key. Each unit of PV cells produced
within plasma CVD systems will substantially determine whether or
not a technological breakthrough can take place, resulting in higher
energy conversion efficiency and substantially lower prices of thinfilm PV cells.
To date, we have produced plasma CVD systems at ourown facilities. To achieve mass production and further improve
performance of the systems, we have agreed to work together withTokyo Electron, a leader of semiconductor and FPD production
equipment business with sophisticated technologies and a company
with profound understanding and a solid strategy centering on thefuture of PV cells.
At our new factory currently under construction in Sakai City,
Osaka, we plan to install these plasma CVD systems. In the initial
phase, we will aim for a 480 MW output level. Our eventual target isglobal output of 1 GW by operating additional overseas plants.
According to a forecast by the European Renewable Energy
Council (EREC), global electricity demand will double from thecurrent level by 2040, about 25% of which will be generated by solar
energy. I believe that a combination of Tokyo Electron’s equipment
technologies which have been built over many years and Sharp’s
thin-film PV cell technologies will help our society move one step
closer to becoming “low carbon.”HIGHLIGHTs

I feel climate change is happening—with greater intensity.
We at the Tokyo Electron Group have made up our minds tomake a fundamental difference in society through our main businessby using our reservoir of excellent technologies. We documented
this commitment in the TEL Missions (see pages 6 and 7). ThePV cell production equipment business is the first step we havetaken to materialize these missions. Out of a variety of production
methodologies to produce PV cells, we will develop plasma CVD
systems for thin-film silicon PV cells.
The objective of this new business is to develop PV cells withgreat power efficiency and to make them available worldwide ataffordable prices. We are confident that we can make this happen
by combining the technologies of PV cell leader Sharp Corporationand our manufacturing processes and equipment technologies
steadily built on the back of development of semiconductor and FPD
production equipment.
Looking toward the upcoming launch of joint development in fullforce, the two companies share a strong passion and commitment todeveloping excellent PV cells.
For TEL, semiconductor business is well within our expertise.
Our extensive experience tells us the best road to take in terms ofeverything from business models to people’s mindsets in addition toresponding to the expectations of society.
In contrast, energy-related business is unknown territory forus. We are bracing ourselves for a totally new world, from technicalelements of PV cell production equipment to target markets andcollaboration with policymakers on electric power and with partners
in developing countries.
Nonetheless, we have taken a bold initial step looking wellinto the next decade. We do not consider this PV cell production
equipment business as a spin-off of our existing semiconductor andFPD businesses. Rather, we intend to grow this PV cell production
equipment business under the long-term goal of creating anothermainstay business that represents our new corporate DNA.
Sunlight is an energy source that everybody on this planet
can benefit from equally. Whether you are in a developing ordeveloped country does not matter. We hope to see the creationof a low-carbon society where people all over the world, including
in developing countries, use PV cells manufactured with ourequipment. We will work tirelessly toward achieving this goal.

Toward a low-carbon society, we look toTEL’s reservoir of production equipment
technologies.

D eve l o p m e n t o f t h e PV C e ll
Pr o d u c t i o n Eq ui p m e n t B u s in e s s

We will strive to achieve worldwide use ofsolar energy to help solve environmental
problems.

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