VON ARDENNE’s PVD Solution For TOPCon Solar Cells

The rear surface engineering required for TOPCon can also be realized using physical vapor deposition (PVD), although this approach is not entirely new. Jolywood was the first to start developing PVD-based deposition processes for TOPCon technology. However, this method has not gained traction among other TOPCon manufacturers. Jolywood has been working closely with domestic tool suppliers, but details about the equipment remain undisclosed. Meanwhile, VON ARDENNE, a long-time German expert in PVD technology, has been developing this approach for several years and has now introduced a production-ready PVD solution for TOPCon applications. An undeniable advantage of PVD is that it is inherently a single-sided process, positioning itself at the top among all deposition methods in avoiding wraparound issues. This can eliminate one chemical etching step in the line. VON ARDENNE says its system simplifies the process flow by sequentially depositing the tunnel oxide and doped polysilicon layers. Tunnel oxide deposition is achieved directly by sputtering, thereby eliminating the need for a separate thermal oxidation step. Additionally, the tool enables the deposition of both front and rear SiNx passivation within a single tool, which allows for complete in-situ stack formation. VON ARDENNE highlighted performance data from trials at Fraunhofer ISE, where the substitution of PECVD-deposited SiNx with PVD-deposited SiNx yielded a +0.1% absolute gain in median cell efficiency, particularly in open-circuit voltage and fill factor. The company’s GigaNova platform is now optimized for this application.

Beyond process simplification, the company emphasizes that PVD offers significant advantages in safety and facility requirements. This process primarily avoids gases such as phosphine, silane, and ammonia, which are commonly used in CVD techniques. This reduces operational risks and significantly lowers infrastructure costs by eliminating the need for gas bunkers and delivery setups, thus potentially saving $20 million to $30 million, said Sebastian Gatz, Vice President at VON ARDENNE. Such advantages are especially relevant for new production hubs in regions like India, Turkey, MENA, and the US. The difference is stark in terms of equipment footprint. A traditional 4 GW TOPCon line using CVD might require around 42 systems – 14 for the tunnel oxide and poly-Si, and 28 for SiNx. In contrast, a PVD-based line needs only 4 GigaNova tools for the same functionality, resulting in a drastic reduction in cleanroom space, utility consumption, and system complexity.

Although individual PVD tools come with higher capital costs than CVD units, Gatz emphasized that total cost of ownership assessments – accounting for facility, utilities, permitting, and operational savings– show the PVD route to be economically superior, especially outside of China. Internal benchmarking and validation from Fraunhofer ISE support these conclusions. Importantly, the GigaNova platform is also positioned for future cell architectures. For tandem applications using perovskite on TOPCon bottom cells, the system can be reconfigured to deposit TCO layers, ETL/HTL stacks, or recombination layers, enabling long-term adaptability with minimal investment. This flexibility also extends to HJT production, as the tool is capable of sputtering TCOs.

The text is an edited excerpt from TaiyangNews’ latest Market Survey on Solar Cell Production Equipment 2025, which can be downloaded for free here.