Canadian Solar (USA) Inc. et al. vs. First Solar, Inc.

Explore the PTAB proceeding IPR2025-01432 filed by Canadian Solar (USA) Inc. et al. on 2025-08-22. This includes filing dates, application numbers, tech centers, patent numbers, and current case status.

Proceeding Overview

Proceeding Number

IPR2025-01432

Filing Date

2025-08-22

Accorded Filing Date

2025-08-22

Institution Decision Date

2025-12-18

Last Modified Date

2026-01-21

Proceeding Type

IPR

Termination Date

2025-12-18

Trial Status

Discretionary Denial

Parties & Counsel

Petitioner

Canadian Solar (USA) Inc. et al.

Represented By

Tiu, Samuelet al

Patent Owner / Respondent

First Solar, Inc.

Represented By

Goswami, Sharonmoyeeet al

Tribunal & Venue

Tribunal

Patent Trial and Appeal Board (USPTO)

Technology Center

TC 1700 - Chemical & Materials Engineering

Patent Information

1 Patent Involved

Respondent Application Number 13265462

Respondent Patent Number 9130074

External Links

Espacenet

Google Patents

Respondent Inventor Oliver Schultz-Wittmann et al

Respondent Tech Center TC 1700 - Chemical & Materials Engineering

Address and Attorney/Agent Information

86 Registered Practitioners

Power of Attorney & Correspondence

Firm / Entity Name HESLIN ROTHENBERG FARLEY & MESITI PC

Customer Number 23405

Address 5 COLUMBIA CIRCLE, ALBANY, NY, 12203, UNITED STATES

Attorney / Agent Information

Reg #	Name	Phone
31359	William Geary Iii	617-348-3046
38898	Edward Grieff	858-314-1898
39586	Kevin Ainsworth	212-692-6745
41832	Fred Hernandez	858-314-1518
42523	Farshad Far-Hadian	858-314-2144
43858	Mark Pino	202-434-7332
44238	Lisa Adams	617-348-3054
44338	Andrew Skale	858-314-1500
45517	Antony Novom	858-500-7321
45895	Pedro Suarez	858-314-1500
46393	Jiewen Davis	713-374-1692
46725	Richard Gervase	212-692-6755
47081	Terri Shieh-Newton	415-432-6084
47106	Christina Sperry	617-348-3018
50498	Irina Britva	858-314-1142
51700	Lawrence Frank	617-348-1879
51846	Kenneth Jenkins	858-314-1082
52051	Marc Morley	858-314-1500
52235	Peter Snell	212-935-3000
52301	Alexander Trimble	415-432-6018
52315	Michael Van Loy	858-314-1500
55055	Yahua Chen	617-348-1602
57917	J. Farmer	617-348-3048
58481	Peter Cuomo	617-348-1854
60071	David Dang	(920) 721-7339
61022	Brad Scheller	212-935-3000
62653	Frank Gerratana	617-348-4878
63259	Elissa Kingsland	617-348-1701
63330	Claudia Hetzer-Egger	858-314-1489
63547	Monique Macek	858-314-1500
63616	Suparna Datta	617-348-4405
65576	Edmund Koundakjian	858-350-2250
67686	Lei Xu	781-674-4472
67872	Natalie Schiller	858-314-1547
68142	Melissa Brayman	858-314-1500
68783	Carolina Save	617-348-1872
68836	Daniel Weinger	617-348-1629
68981	Eunice Chan	202-824-3128
69018	Vishak Ganesh	509-321-6428
69361	Kevin Amendt	617-348-4863
71181	William Allison Iii	617-348-1832
71250	Roy Hom	415-432-6000
71592	James Whittle	617-348-1898
73304	Gregory Dolan	415-432-6096
73736	Amritaa Ganguly	215-656-2416
74236	Peter Hecker	858-350-2321
74460	Serge Banini	617-937-2435
74767	Christine Pemberton	617-937-2403
74798	Qi Zhang	603-369-8683
75306	Nicholas Mouton	858-314-1500
75559	Katherine Jensen	617-348-3049
75602	Sherwin Chan	617-348-3037
75671	Lee Johnson	858-344-1785
75772	Alexander Roan	617-348-4466
75822	Mark Hammond	858-314-1086
75844	Peter Amos	206-883-2587
75972	Nicholas Eadie	617-348-1618
75998	Sophia Petrichenko	469-337-0510
76636	David Lundgren	858-314-1500
76705	Yuwei Chen	608-469-0879
77191	Dylan Casler	862-596-7877
77321	Doris Lee	858-314-1545
77492	Jason Stegall	806-236-9451
77818	Stephen Lam	647-499-0472
78048	Neil Supnekar	650-849-3428
78289	Nicholas Foster	617-348-1728
78337	Katharina Stengel	510-982-6030
78784	Eunha Kim	415-432-6000
79171	Arthur Huang	508-768-5357
79550	Sam Rappaport	970-445-0083
800087	Mingyue Bao	310-586-3200
80098	Gabrielle Hoover	917-224-0829
80349	Cory Massey	858-314-1578
80431	Effie Zhou	650-402-7515
80734	Ryan Rieker	574-309-7393
80753	Iva Rreza	202-434-7422
80854	Peter Mcfadden	520-731-1364
80944	Hye Hyun Ahn	202-434-7300
81036	Kristen Elofson	141-569-65405
81272	Shuo Xing	164-749-90503
81280	Mary Robinson	617-648-4766
81288	William Fiers	161-737-11000
81627	Grace Gong	617-348-4427
81730	Samantha Pilicer	617-310-5213
81822	Iris Cheung	647-499-2679
82898	Zhiheng Chang	617-542-6000

Proceeding Documents

119

Notice: refund approved NOTICE

2026-01-05 FILING PARTY: BOARD

Download

Petitioner's Request for Refund OTHER

2025-12-22 FILING PARTY: PETITIONER

Download

Director Discretionary Decision: Deny RESPONSE

2025-12-18 FILING PARTY: BOARD

Download

2023

Ex. 2023 - Declaration of Dr. Michael Dudley, Ph.D. in Support of Patent Owner Preliminary Response Exhibit

2025-12-01 FILING PARTY: PATENT OWNER

Download

Patent Owner Preliminary Response POPR

2025-12-01 FILING PARTY: PATENT OWNER

Download

Canadian Solar (USA) Inc. et al. vs. First Solar, Inc.

Proceeding Overview

Parties & Counsel

Petitioner

Canadian Solar (USA) Inc. et al.

Represented By

Patent Owner / Respondent

First Solar, Inc.

Represented By

Tribunal & Venue

Patent Information

Address and Attorney/Agent Information

Power of Attorney & Correspondence

Attorney / Agent Information

Proceeding Documents

Notice: refund approved NOTICE

Petitioner's Request for Refund OTHER

Director Discretionary Decision: Deny RESPONSE

Ex. 2023 - Declaration of Dr. Michael Dudley, Ph.D. in Support of Patent Owner Preliminary Response Exhibit

Patent Owner Preliminary Response POPR

Scheduling Order, D.I. 27, First Solar, Inc. v. Canadian Solar Inc., C.A. No. 1:25-cv-582 (JLH) (D. Del.) Exhibit

J. Tourino, et al., “Canadian Solar launches 5GW TOPCon module assembly plant in Texas,” pv-tech.org (June 12, 2024”) Exhibit

Letter to Hon. Judge Hall, D.I. 25, First Solar, Inc. v. Canadian Solar Inc., C.A. No. 1:25-cv-582 (JLH) (D. Del.) Exhibit

“Canadian Solar Announces U.S. Module Manufacturing Facility In Mesquite, Texas,” prnewswire.com (June 15, 2023) Exhibit

F. Feldmann, et al., “A passivated rear contact for high-efficiency n-type silicon solar cells enabling high Voc and FF>82%,” 28th European PV Solar Energy Conference and Exhibition 30 September – 4 October, 2013, Paris, France Exhibit

F. Feldmann, et al, “Passivated rear contacts for high-efficiency n-type Si solar cells providing high interface passivation quality and excellent transport characteristics,” Solar Energy Material & Solar Cells, 120 (2014) 270-274 (Oct. 11, 2013) Exhibit

M. Osborne, “First Solar ends heterojunction foray; shifts Malaysian plant to CdTe Series 5 assembly,” pv-tech.org (July 5, 2016) Exhibit

S. Swanson, et al., Abstract of “Approaching The 29% Limit Efficiency Of Silicon Solar Cells,” IEEE Xplore (Aug. 8, 2005) Exhibit

Docket Navigator Motion Success Data (snapshot taken Oct. 9, 2025) (graphing outcome of motions to stay pending IPR by Judge Jennifer Hall) Exhibit

First Solar, Inc., Form 10-K (2024) Exhibit

First Solar, Inc., Form 10-K (2016) Exhibit

JP Casey, “Canadian Solar delivers first US-made TOPCon modules to distributor Signature Solar,” pv-tech.org (Jan. 15, 2024) Exhibit

Text Order, Cleveland Medical Devices, Inc. v. ResMed Inc., 1-22-cv-00794-JLH (D. Del. June 21, 2024) Exhibit

Uruguay Round Agreement: TRIPS, “Part I — General Provisions and Basic Principles,” World Trade Organization Exhibit

S. Swanson, et al., “Approaching The 29% Limit Efficiency Of Silicon Solar Cells,” IEEE (2005) Exhibit

First Office Action, Chinese Pat. App. No. 202011335191.9 Exhibit

C. Tsai, et al., “Patent Analysis of High Effiency Tunneling Oxide Passivated Contact Solar Cells,” Energies 2020, 13, 3060 (June 12, 2020) Exhibit

“First Solar Shifts Malaysian Production Capacity to Series 5 Assembly,” businesswire.com (July 5, 2016) Exhibit

First Solar, Inc., Form 20-F (2024) Exhibit

“Canadian Solar Announces U.S. Solar Cell Manufacturing Facility In Jeffersonville, Indiana,” prnewswire.com (Oct. 30, 2023) Exhibit

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., Form 20-F (2024) Exhibit

Second Office Action, Chinese Pat. App. No. 202011335191.9 Exhibit

“First Solar shelves TetraSun silicon cell development,” Optics.org (July 7, 2016) Exhibit

Petitioner's Opposition to Patent Owner's Request for Discretionary Denial Brief RESPONSE

“Canadian Solar To Start Mass Production Of Topcon Modules With Power Output Up To 690W,” prnewswire.com (Dec. 15, 2022) Exhibit

“First Solar pulls plug on TetraSun, returning focus to CdTe,” rechargenews.com (July 5, 2016) Exhibit

“First Solar to Acquire TetraSun to Expand Addressable Market Opportunity,” businesswire.com (Apr. 9, 2013) Exhibit

B. Schreiner, “Canadian Solar announces nearly $712 million project forKentucky battery plant, renewableenergyworld.com (Nov. 18, 2024) Exhibit

Memorandum Order, Wildcat Licensing WI LLC v. BMW AG, 19-834-JLH, 2020 WL 6940038, at *1-2 (D. Del. Nov. 25, 2020) Exhibit

Ex. 2010 - Yahoo! Finance - FirstSolar to Buy TetraSun, Gives View Exhibit

Ex. 2004 - Taiyang News - PERC Solar Cell Technology 2016 Exhibit

Patent Owner's Request for Discretionary Denial RESPONSE

Ex. 2005 - PV Magazine - TOPCon_ The next big thing after PERC Exhibit

Ex. 2008 - Press Release - Canadian Solar Releases New TOPCon 2.0 _ 660 Wp N-Type Module Exhibit

Ex. 2006 - Press Release - Canadian Solar to Start Mass Production of TOPCon Modules with Power Output up to 690W Exhibit

Ex. 2009 - CCCME Post-Conference Brief ITC 701-TA-511 Exhibit

Ex. 2012 - EE Power - First Solar to Acquire TetraSun to Expand Addressable Market Opportunity Exhibit

Ex. 2018 - CSIS - Protecting Intellectual Property Exhibit

Ex. 2020 - Department of Commerce Issues Final Determination of Circumvention Inquiries of Solar Cells and Modules from China Exhibit

Ex. 2014 - Espacenet – CN114613865A Exhibit

Ex. 2015 - Espacenet – CN114613865A - Citations Exhibit

Ex. 2011 - Business Wire - First Solar to Acquire TetraSun to Expand Addressable Market Opportunity Exhibit

Ex. 2021 - Form 20-F CANADIAN SOLAR INC._December 31, 2024 Exhibit

Ex. 2022 - Scheduling Order Exhibit

Ex. 2019 - BBC - Solar panel plans ditched over 'ethical concerns' Exhibit

Ex. 2007 - Press Release - Canadian Solar Enters into Significant Supply Contracts During the 2023 U.S. RE+ Trade Show Exhibit

Ex. 2016 - Global Dossier - CN114613865A First Search 9.8.2023 Exhibit

Ex. 2013 - Progress in Photovoltaics - Silicon-based passivating contacts The TOPCon route Exhibit

Ex. 2003 - Canadian-Solar TOPCon Module Technical White Paper Exhibit

Ex. 2017 - USTR 2025 Special 301 Report Exhibit

Declaration of Keith R. Hummel in Support of PHV Motion Exhibit

Keith R. Hummel Biography Exhibit

Motion for PHV Admission of Keith R. Hummel MOTION

Patent Owner's Mandatory Notices NOTICE

Patent Owner's Power of Attorney NOTICE

Notice: Notice filing date accorded NOTICE

Declaration of James L. Mullins, Ph.D Pt. 9 (pages 1872-2891) Exhibit

Post et al., Polysilicon Emitters for Bipolar Transistors...(1992) Exhibit

Gan et al, Polysilicon Emitters for Silicon Concentrator Solar...(1990) Exhibit

Zuoari et al., Simple analytical solution and efficiency...(2008) Exhibit