Saint-Gobain Ceramic Materials AS DEVELOPMENT IN THE USE OF SIC FOR THE SOLAR INDUSTRY. The University of Agder, June1st 2011

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1 Saint-Gobain Ceramic Materials AS DEVELOPMENT IN THE USE OF SIC FOR THE SOLAR INDUSTRY The University of Agder, June1st 2011 Small Crystals Great Solutions

2 Consolidated companies in 64 countries Total sales abt. 320 billion NOK Employes global: , Nordic: 14,000, Norway 4,000 One of Global 100 most sustainable companies 2

3 Saint-Gobain, proud of it s history The origins of a multinational company 1688 Invention of glassware casting, Saint-Gobain to become the leader in this sector 17th century Louis XIV and Colbert to transform the French economy 1665 Foundation of the Royal Glass Works 1692 Factory opens in the town of Saint-Gobain 3

4 Saint-Gobain Silicon Carbide production sites Wiresaw grits for Solar industry Worcester US Estabilshed 1965, 145 Employees Technical Ceramic Powders Puerto Ordaz Venezuela Hody Belgium Lillesand Eydehavn Norway Xining China Phuentsholing Buthan Tirupati India Mudanjiang China Lianyungang China Barbazena Brazil Estabilshed 1912, 115 Employees Solar Wafer cutting & Abrasive grains 4

5 Saint-Gobain Silicon Carbide Activities Metallurgical Refractory MACRO abrasives MICRO abrasives Wiresawing, PV-Silicon Fine Ceramic Powders 2,65 g/cm 3 Sinterable Powders 3,2 g/cm 3 Powders for Diesel Particle Filters

6 Saint-Gobain Silicon Carbide Norway Development Traditional Specialities Volum (tonn) Salg (MNOK) 6

7 Saint Gobain Silicon carbide Wiresaw Solar related Lillesand IN NORWAY 1996 Started selling Wiresaw grits, standard micro abrasives 2007 Superslice pilotline estabilshed 2008 Superslice step 1 finished 2009 Superslice - Step II finished, 2009 Opticut product line established 2010 Superslice expansion, 2010 Opticut expansion, Eydehavn, Arendal OUTSIDE NORWAY 2008 Wiresaw grits production established in Brazil 2009 Supercut line established in China MNOK 250 invested since 2006 in PV-related capacity in Norway. Processes developed, designed and constructed by Saint-Gobain, Norway

8 Why Silicon Carbide (SiC)? Silicon Carbide (SiC) is a synthetic material with an outstanding hardness, only superseded by Diamond, Cubic Boron Nitride (CBN) and Boron Carbide (B 4 C). The chemical inertness to alkaline and acids in combination with its excellent heat and abrasion resistance make Silicon Carbide very suitable under extreme operating conditions SiC 8

9 SiC General Prosess Acheson Furnace Petroleum Coke Quartz Sand Acheson furnace Green SiC Black SiC Refining Process Finished goods Crushing / Milling Classification Treatments

10 Abrasive Solar cells Silicon Carbide is an attractive material for cutting Silicon Solar Wafers because of : Extreme hardness Abrasion resistance Particle shape modification 10

11 Manufacturing chain of a solar c-si wafer The standard crystalline PV wafer manufacturing chain Sources : Meyer + Burger 11

12 Application Wiresaw 12

13 Wiresawing Silicon, large number of variables Wire sawing process Wire Slurry Si Wire saw Tensile strenght Fluid SiC Properties Temperature Wire guides Thickness Glycol/oil Shape Physical Inclusions Power drive Structure Additive Size Electr. conductivity Homogeneity (multi/mono) Table speed Wear Oscillation Wetting Distribution (narrow/width) Surface tension Temperature Dimension Wire speed Composition Load Density Verticla force Abrasion Agglomeration Viscosity Hoizontal force Torque Moisture Wire bow Chemical Slurry flow The SiC Si contact is the key Other factors can improve/reduce the efficiency of cutting O2 Water content ph Zeta potential Si content Wire tension Acceleration 13

14 Trends in development of SiC Need for finer SiC-grit, mainly driven by Si price/availability , Mainly F500 (JIS800) 15 µm , Mainly F500 and F600 (JIS800, JIS1000, JIS1200) 15 µm 10 µm , Mainly F600 and F800 (JIS1200, JIS1500, JIS2000) 10 µm 6 µm Efficiency of cutting Coarser particles cuts faster, but gives more kerf loss Sharper particles cuts faster Recycling of SiC 14

15 SiC Particle Size ~50 µm F600 D03 = 15 µm D50 = 9,3 µm D94 = 4,5 µm F800 D03 = 11 µm D50 = 6,3 µm D94 = 3,0 µm 15

16 SiC Photovoltaic project SUPERSLICE Traditional Micro/WS Stage I Stage II 16

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