GT Advanced Technologies Inc. has acquired certain capital assets and intellectual property of Twin Creeks Technologies Inc., a privately owned company that has developed an ion implanter technology.
According to GT, Twin Creeks' technology enables the production of lower cost thin substrates with minimal material (kerf) loss. The assets were purchased from Twin Creeks' lenders in a private sale for approximately $10 million and royalties that will be based on future sales.
GT expects that Twin Creeks' unique Hyperion ion implanter technology will have broad application in the production of thin wafers for solar applications. The Hyperion ion implanter has the potential to minimize – or, in some cases, eliminate – the need for wafering saws, which would significantly lower the cost of production.
The assets acquired by GT relate primarily to the Hyperion ion implanter, as well as Twin Creeks' portfolio of approximately 30 granted U.S. patents and over 70 pending U.S. and international patent applications. GT's ion implanter engineering team will be based in Danvers, Mass.
GT expects to start the commercialization of this technology in late 2014.
