GT Equipment Wins Three Technical
Grants for Solar Cell Cost Reduction Program
GT Equipment Technologies, Inc., a company that develops manufacturing
equipment for the production of photovoltaics and semiconductors, has won three technical grants from the United States government
under the Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) and the Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR). The
total value of the grants is estimated at $1 million.
The two SBIR grants, phase 1 and phase 2, are for a low cost process
for the production of crystalline silicon to reduce the cost of solar cell production and to investigate the production of
solar cells from metallurgical grade silicon as opposed to solar grade silicon. The STTR grant is for a joint research project
between GT Equipment and the University of New Hampshire to develop a cost-effective atmospheric plasma chemical vapor deposition
process for the production of coatings used in the manufacturing of solar cells as well as for the production of semiconductor
related coatings.
Executive Vice President of GT Equipment, Jon Talbott, commented
on the importance of the grants, "The research we're conducting with these grants will be important not only for GT's business,
but also for more efficiency and lower cost production in the photovoltaic, semiconductor and electronic industries - industries
that depend on continual R&D to grow."
