Linton has expanded its tool portfolio by adding the latest n-type KX420PV series crystal puller
This tool has a daily ingot pulling yield rate of over 200 kg
It can maintain uniformity of resistivity across the length of the ingot and maintain a low oxygen concentration level
Resilience and supply chain independence are increasingly becoming important in today’s geopolitical landscape. India is not only striving toward these goals but has also introduced dedicated policies to support them. While the country is making progress in ramping up its solar cell and module manufacturing capacity, the crystal growth segment has yet to see that level of adoption. To support the aspirations of emerging ingot and wafer manufacturers, Dr. Zhixin Li, CEO & CTO of Linton Technologies Group and Linton Crystal Technologies, showcased the company’s latest crystal growth solutions as part of his presentation on upstream integration at the TaiyangNews Solar Technology Conference India 2025 (STC.I 2025).
Held from April 10–11, 2025, the conference featured speakers from across the PV value chain, from upstream equipment suppliers to PV material suppliers, facilitating insightful and interactive sessions.
In his talk, Dr. Li spotlighted Linton’s latest tool – the advanced n-type smart KX420 series Crystal Puller, developed in alignment with industry expectations.
Pulling High-Quality Ingots
Linton’s KX420PV series Crystal Puller is equipped with a 1,700 x 1,800 mm hot zone and is compatible with crucibles up to 42 inches in diameter, with a charge capacity of up to 1,400 kg of molten silicon. With these features, it can deliver a daily ingot yield of over 200 kg. The system features a 450 mm diameter throat and a 450 x 5,500 mm receiving chamber, allowing it to pull ingots up to 16 inches in diameter and over 5 meters in length, supporting wafer sizes of up to 210 x 210 mm.
Enabled by AI-driven smart process automation, and with upper and lower bearing load capacities of 1,500 kg and 2,000 kg, respectively, the tool achieves an automatic pulling accuracy of over 99%, according to Dr. Li. He added that it also minimizes operational costs (OpEx) while maintaining a high throughput, thanks to its isothermal process design that reduces body growth power consumption to up to 42 kW and cooling water demand to just 20 m³/h.
To meet rising quality standards, such as uniform resistivity from head to tail of the ingot, which results in tighter efficiency distribution and yields more high-efficiency cells, the KX420PV enables precise control, claimed Dr. Li. Furthermore, its advanced oxygen management schemes and customizable configurations reduce oxygen concentrations (typically introduced from the quartz crucible) to as low as 6 parts per million (PPM), ensuring solar cell reliability and long-term performance. According to Dr. Li, this crystal puller is compatible with both standard Czochralski (CZ) and Magnetic Czochralski (MCZ) crystal growth methods.