Building a Low-Carbon Society

Photograph: Oerlikon Solar KAI (PECVD)

Solving environmental problems such as global warming, climate change, and energy resource depletion is an urgent
task for humankind. Under our principle of “tackling environmental problems with technology,” the TEL Group is taking
an even greater leadership role in addressing environmental problems in order to create a society of dreams.

The TEL Group and its PV Cell Production Equipment Business
Renewable energy is gaining attention within society due toexpectations that it can contribute significantly to preventing

Tokyo Electron’s PV Cell Production Equipment
Business Expansion

global warming because it emits no or fewer greenhouse gases

Joint Development with Sharp

than current mainstream energy sources and can be used almost
to be representative of this renewable energy. However, further• Plasma CVD systems for use in thin-film
silicon PV cells• Tokyo Electron: Joint development,
manufacturing, and sales

technological innovation and cost reductions are necessary

Collaboration with Oerlikon Solarto overcome the current challenges, including increasing the• End-to-end production line for thin-film silicon
PV cells• Tokyo Electron: Sales representatives in
Asia and Oceania

perpetually. PV power generation using solar energy may be said

efficiency of converting solar energy to electricity, overcoming theshortage of materials for producing the necessary equipment andoverall cost improvements.
Utilizing our production technology cultivated through ourexperience and expertise with semiconductor and FPD production
equipment, the TEL Group made a full-scale entry into the PV cell
production equipment business in 2008. In February of that year,
we set up a joint venture company with Sharp Corporation (Sharp)
to begin joint development of plasma CVD1 systems for use in

Independent development by Tokyo ElectronTOKYO ELECTRON

Installation of a PV power system on
the roof of the new Tokyo Electron
Taiwan Ltd. (TET) premises
A PV power system was installed on the roof of the new TET

thin film silicon PV cells. In February 2009, we also entered an

premises, which were completed in October 2009. Several

exclusive sales representative agreement with Oerlikon Solar Ltd.

types of PV power panels were installed and information(Headquarters: Switzerland) for end-to-end thin-film silicon PVabout the relationship between the amount of solar radiation

cell production lines and equipment in Asia and Oceania. The TEL

to which each panel is exposed and the amount of electricity itGroup is also undertaking independent development of technology

generates is monitored, compared, and evaluated. Currently,

in relation to chemical and organic PV cells and CVD equipment for

the amount of electricity generated is no more than 11 kW,

use in production processes.

but we intend to utilize feedback from these panels to further

Based on our belief that we must employ technology to tackle
environmental issues, we are striving to strengthen our PV celladvance the Group’s technology and enhance productdevelopment and production.

production equipment business to make it the third pillar of ourGroup following our semiconductor manufacturing equipment andFPD production equipment businesses and consequently increase
our contribution to society.
1 CVD (Chemical Vapor Deposition): a method for creating thin films onwafers. Vapor containing the constituent elements of the desired thin film
is poured over the wafer and chemical reactions initiated on the wafer
surface, creating the thin film.

The PV power system on the roof of the new TET premises

10TOKYO ELECTRON

Environmental and Social Report 2010

PV cell factory begins operations at Sharp Corporation’s “Green Front Sakai”
March 29, 2010. This Sharp factory produces thin film siliconcompany with Sharp Corporation (Sharp) to undertake

PV cells using large glass substrates measuring 1,000 mm

cooperative development of plasma CVD systems for use inx 1,400 mm. The thin film silicon PV cells comprise siliconthin film silicon PV cells. The equipment developed throughthinly deposited on these glass substrates. This is a highthis partnership has been delivered to the PV cell factory atenergy-saving structure, which allows a significant reduction

Sharp’s “Green Front Sakai” manufacturing complex in Sakaiin the amount of silicon used to approximately 100th of that

City, Osaka Prefecture, and factory operations began onused in the production of crystal PV cells.

Sales launch of the Probus-SiC™ batch system, which forms SiC epitaxial films
on SiC substrates for use in next-generation power semiconductor applications

Building a Low-Carbon SocietyIn February 2008, the TEL Group established a joint venture

The voltage of electricity generated at power stations is toohigh to be generally used, thus it needs to be lowered throughvoltage conversion at a substation or by a transformer
before the electrical power can be utilized. Moreover, as newtechnologies are being developed to support expanding power
HIGHLIGHT

utilization, such as PV power generation, battery storage aswell as smart grids,2 minimizing power conversion loss isbecoming an increasingly important issue. Currently, mainly
silicon power semiconductors are used for this purpose, butwe now know that using SiC (silicon carbide) instead reduces
the loss tremendously and can be used efficiently.
Applying its accumulated semiconductor productionof SiC power semiconductors, the TEL Group has now
launched sales of the “Probus-SiC,” a device for forming
SiC epitaxial films3 on SiC substrates. The core technology
used for this equipment is the result of industry-university
collaborative research conducted by Kyoto University, Rohm
Co., Ltd., and the TEL Group. Using this tool enables highly
productive formation of high-quality epitaxial films and cancontribute to the realization of SiC power semiconductors.

2 Smart grid: a power grid with the function of automatically adjusting
the supply and demand of electrical power to optimize the supply ofelectricity
3 Epitaxial film: film that has the same crystalline structure as theunderlying crystal substrate

SiC is gaining attention as a new material to follow Silicon,power losses.
The current issue is that the prices of SiC substrates areSilicon, SiC is expected to increase the efficiency of electricalmuch higher than for silicon substrates of the same size, but ourpower conversion—whether by inverters or converters—andcontinuing research and development and cost reduction efforts

greatly reduce electricity losses, thereby leading to a reduction

will lead to the growth of thein CO2 emissions. SiC can also accelerate switching speed,

SiC market, thus contributing towhich helps the development of small devices with good

low-conversion-loss electricalperformance.

power usage and a reduction in

SiC can be used effectively in hybrid and electrical cars,

CO2 emissions.

for example. Currently, these vehicles are equipped with

SOCIAL REPORT

which is currently used in semiconductors. Compared with

EHS REPORT

Improved power conversion is expected to reduce CO2 emissions

MANAGEMENT REPORT

technology for developing new tool to support the possibility

inverter-cooling devices, which could be made unnecessary
by using SiC, as this material can work in a high-temperatureenvironment. This in turn enables extension of driving distanceby reducing the weight and size of the vehicle. In addition, theuse of SiC for wind and hydroelectric power generation, smart
grids, and other measures enables the reduction of electrical

Toshiya Nishino
New Products Promotion Dept.
Tokyo Electron Limited

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