OTB Solar, Trident Join Forces to Bring Cutting Edge Inkjet Printing Technology to Solar Applications

OTB Solar and Trident Solar announced a partnership for bringing innovative, cost-saving inkjet technologies to the solar market. As part of this collaboration, Trident’s proprietary 256Jet-S inkjet printhead will be integrated into OTB Solar’s PixDro open architecture inkjet platforms – including the LP50 research and development tool and the Elements pilot or full production system.

The innovative Trident inkjet printhead combined with OTB Solar´s specialty software allows the enhanced LP50 and Elements systems to provide the most cost-effective and precise deposition of jettable materials available for solar applications.

“This collaboration brings together one of the leading printhead suppliers with a best in class inkjet printing technology platform,” explains Dr. Paul Breddels, CEO of OTB Solar and Steve Liker, business manager at Trident.

Trident’s inkjet printhead features stainless steel construction and a unique repairable design – that allows the nozzle plate to be disassembled, ultrasonically cleaned and reassembled. The inertness of the 256Jet-S printhead enables jetting of the more aggressive solar processing fluids such as phosphorous dopants and alkaline etchant. These features allow the 256Jet-S printhead to last up to 8 times longer than alternative inkjet printheads.

The unique open architecture of OTB Solar´s product line allows for more cost-effective development and production of solar cell technologies. The open architecture provides customers with enhanced flexibility in the production of solar cell technologies with different manufacturing requirements and allows for a variety of printhead and laser applications to be integrated.

OTB Solar currently offers two inkjet printing solutions for the solar market. The LP50 is an advanced research and development tool used for trials in the development of inkjet materials, processes and applications. The Element is flexible inkjet printing system that allows for easy scaling from application development on a LP50 into a pilot scale or full production. The tool can handle product sizes of 5, 6 and 8 inches and has a throughput of up to 1500 wafers/hour.

OTB Solar will be featuring its newly extended line of inkjet solar products at booth 49 of the IDTechEx Photovoltaics USA 2009 event held from Dec. 1-4, 2009 in San Jose, CA.