New factory to commercialize novel silicon wafer production technique
DOI: 10.1063/PT.5.029291
MIT Technology Review : Conventional silicon wafer production is a multistep process that wastes up to half the silicon. Earlier this year Ely Sachs of MIT and colleagues at his startup 1366 Technologies developed a manufacturing process that reduces production costs and silicon waste by producing wafers directly from molten silicon. Last week the company announced that it will build its first commercial-scale factory, which will use the new process. Frank van Mierlo, 1366’s CEO, says the $100 million plant will initially produce 50 million wafers per year, the equivalent of 250 MW of power-generation capacity. The company hopes to eventually produce 12 times as many wafers annually.
