!!! Press Release !!! AIXTRON wins new triple system contract from TECSTAR TECSTAR, the world´s leader in the production of space-based power systems, has awarded a contract to AIXTRON for the purchase of three, and an option for an additional four, AIX 3000 MOCVD reactors for the growth of III-V single and multi-junction solar cells. The new reactors, which are scheduled for delivery in 1997, will increase TECSTAR´s solar cell production capacity by more than 35%. TECSTAR´s expanded capacity will feed the increasing demand for high power commercial satellites which are necessary to provide for the skyrocketing demand for communications around the world. David van Buren, President and CEO of TECSTAR said: " We developed the world´ s leading large area manufacturing processes in the AIX 3000, which in one growth run can generate approximately two square feet of epitaxially grown layers for high efficiency multi-junction solar cells. After evaluating the different vendors for MOCVD equipment, we found that the AIX 3000 provides the lowest overall processing cost and highest throughput in the reactor industry while delivering the best service and technical expertise." The technical staff at TECSTAR, which pioneered the production of advanced III-V semiconductor solar cells over the past fifteen years, reports the uptime of the AIX 3000 is more than 80%. "The uptime data were generated in the three years we have been using several AIX 3000 reactors" said Frank Ho, Vice President, Solar Cell Operations. "The AIX 3000 is the best value among competing reactors when considering reliability, craftsmanship, level of service and process support. Especially in a multiple shift, high volume operation, the AIX 3000 is more efficient in material consumption and exhaust gas emission. This gives us a great advantage in lower operating costs and better safety, both human and environmental." "We are very pleased to work for the very experienced and successful team at TECSTAR", adds Dr. Holger Juergensen, President and CEO of AIXTRON Inc. and AIXTRON´s German Headquarters. "The AIX 3000 Planetary Reactor® technology is our top-of-the-line equipment for the Space Solar Cell Industry. It is the product of many years of hard work on the part of all our staff, and in particular, that of the reactor development and process experts team. Thanks to them the AIX 3000 is today the world´s leading MOCVD equipment. It continually outperforms competitive systems, not only on material quality and uniformity, but also on the key issues of Cost of Ownership and Operations measured on reliability, throughput, efficiency and safety. We are proud that AIXTRON, "the CVD Engineering Company®", enables industry to focus and expand in core businesses." AIXTRON offers a wide range of epitaxial systems for MOPVE, VPE and LPE from R & D- oriented systems up to large-scale Planetary Reactor® production systems for up to 95 x 2" wafers. The company has installed over 220 systems worldwide, provides an extensive service and support network for maintenance and upgrading and is represented in 18 countries. Among AIXTRON's list of industrial clients are names such as Alcatel, ASE, AT&T, CISE, ENE, EPI, Epitronics, Hewlett Packard, Honeywell, Hughes-Spectrolab, IBM, ISE, Kopin, Motorola, NEC, Philips, Rockwell, Samsung, Siemens and numerous Japanese corporations. AIXTRON systems have also been installed in many of the world's most renowned research institutes including JPL-CALTEC, Sandia Nat. Lab., Fraunhofer Institute, CNET and CNRS. AIXTRON is very active in advancing MOCVD technology through collaborations and joint R & D projects with major partners worldwide. For further information please contact:
© AIXTRON May 1997 Homepage | Contact | About Aixtron | Products & Services | Customer Support | R & D | Production Results | What's new | Events © 1996 - 1999 by AIXTRON AG |