Abatement System suits solar cell, flat panel manufacturing.
Press Release Summary:
Featuring integrated wet scrubbing system, Spectra ZW is used for abating deposition and clean gases used in high gas flow chemical vapor deposition process steps in solar and flat panel manufacturing. High-flow particulate and acid gas capture and processing are provided in one standalone system, which can also be integrated into Zenith for custom-built abatement and vacuum pump design. Greater than 99.5% of silica powder produced during abatement process is captured by system.
Original Press Release:
Edwards Announces new Abatement System for Solar Cell and Flat Panel Manufacturing
New Spectra ZW is a "total solution" abatement system providing high-flow particulate and acid gas capture and processing in a single, compact system
CRAWLEY, WEST SUSSEX, UK. (October 26, 2009)- Edwards Limited, a leading global supplier of vacuum and abatement equipment and services, today introduced the new Spectra ZW abatement system for solar cell and flat panel manufacturing. The Spectra ZW is a single, compact system for abating the deposition and clean gases used in the very high gas flow chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process steps in solar and flat panel manufacture. A wet scrubbing system is integrated within the Spectra ZW for a total abatement/waste processing solution.
The Spectra ZW is available as a standalone system or it can be integrated into the Zenith for a custom-built abatement and vacuum pump design that reduces footprint, installation and operation time, and provides added safety.
"We've just launched this system and already have received orders for 30 units, 25 of which are for integrated Zenith/Spectra ZW systems. The benefits of having a burner-wet solution with such world-leading powder capture has definitely been recognized by our customers. The Zenith system's merits of fast installation, compactness, and seamless integration of pumps and abatement were clearly advantageous to our customers."
The Spectra ZW is a very efficient total solution with maximum standard process gas flows exceeding 16 standard litres per minute of silane, 200 standard litres per minute of hydrogen, and 40 standard litres per minute of nitrogen trifluoride, all of which are commonly used materials during the CVD processing step in solar cell manufacturing. In addition, most other dopant materials such as phosphine, diborane or trimethyl borate, as well as etch materials, can be abated and processed effectively by these units.
When combined with the optional wet electrostatic precipitation (WESP) unit, the Spectra ZW provides a comprehensive gas abatement and powder handling solution that captures greater than 99.5 percent of silica powder produced during the abatement process.
Stewart Davidson, Edwards' product manager for the Spectra Z systems, adds, "We have leveraged our experience in semiconductor manufacturing to build the new Spectra ZW with 100 percent uptime in mind. The systems are designed to enable production maintenance, for example, multiple units are linked together with valve manifolds that allow back-up of systems in the rare event of failures." Davidson adds, "Edwards offers teams of engineers to bring up, maintain and service their equipment at the customer site, which enables the most cost-effective use of the customer's capital and allows them to focus on their core competencies."
The Spectra ZW can be a standalone gas abatement system with wet scrubbing or it can be integrated with the WESP to provide enhanced powder handling capability. The Spectra ZW can also be combined with the Zenith for an integrated vacuum pump/abatement custom-built solution. The Spectra ZW is available now. For further information, please visit www.edwardsvacuum.com.
About Edwards
Edwards is a leading global supplier of integrated solutions for the manufacture of semiconductors, flat panel displays, LEDs and solar cells and a leader in vacuum technology for industrial, scientific, process and R&D applications. The company employs around 3,000 people worldwide in the design, manufacture and support of high technology vacuum and exhaust management equipment. Edwards invented the concept of the low-maintenance, cost-effective, commercial oil-free 'dry' vacuum pump and offers a wide range of other pumping technologies, and related products, supported by an international sales and service organization.
