First Solar sues JA Solar and AMPS over TOPCon patent
The lawsuit in Delaware federal court targets unauthorized use of solar cell technology.
First Solar announced on October 1, 2026, that it filed a patent infringement lawsuit against JA Solar and American Panel Solutions LLC in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware. The complaint alleges the unauthorized use of US Patent No. 9,130,074, which covers manufacturing methods for Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact crystalline silicon photovoltaic solar cells.
The defendants named in the legal action include JA Solar Technology Co., Ltd., JA Solar International, Ltd., JA Solar Vietnam Co., Ltd., and JA Solar Industrial Corp., alongside American Panel Solutions.
This lawsuit is an effort to hold JA Solar and AMPS accountable for their unauthorized use of First Solar's patented technology and reinforces the need for TOPCon manufacturers operating in the United States to respect the well-defined framework of intellectual property law.
First Solar acquired its TOPCon patent portfolio through the 2013 purchase of TetraSun, Inc. The company holds issued patents in the United States, Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, Hong Kong, Japan, Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam, with validity extending to 2030 and beyond. It also maintains pending patent applications in the European Union, Japan, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, and Vietnam. First Solar previously announced ownership of this portfolio and initiated infringement investigations against crystalline silicon cell makers in July 2024.
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