GT Solar announces newest CVD reactor for polysilicon production

MERRIMACK, USA: GT Solar International Inc., a global provider of polysilicon production technology, and sapphire and silicon crystalline growth systems and materials for the solar, LED and other specialty markets, has announced the SDR 400 next generation CVD reactor for the production of high purity polysilicon.

The SDR400 reactor can produce greater than 400 metric tons annually (MTA) of polysilicon. The new SDR400 also lowers electricity consumption by approximately 20 percent for each kilogram of polysilicon produced over the company’s previous generation reactor, the SDR300.

“Our new SDR400 CVD reactor further extends our polysilicon production technology leadership,” said Dave Keck, vice president and general manager of GT Solar’s polysilicon division. “Customers can produce 33 percent more polysilicon annually in the same footprint using approximately 20 percent less electricity for every kilogram of polysilicon produced. This lowers their cost of ownership and strengthens their competitive position.”

GT Solar also announced that it is partnering with German-based AEG Power Solutions to offer a new power supply developed by AEG, the Thryobox PI, that is designed to further enhance the output of the SDR400 reactor. The new power supply will be offered as an option to the standard SDR400 configuration and is targeted to increase annual polysilicon production to greater than 500 MTA.

Current GT Solar customers using previous generation reactors will be able to upgrade these systems to take advantage of the expected increased annual production output.