compound semiconductor news digest
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DOE to Provide Up to $12 Million to Support Early
Stage Solar Technologies - 28 Jan, 2010
National Renewable Energy Laboratory objectives can be achieved in the near million. Solar Junction will develop a
Launches Four Partnership Projects to Move future,” NREL Incubator Manager Martha manufacturing process to produce a very
Products to Commercial Scale. Symko-Davies said. high efficiency multijunction cell.
U.S. Department of Energy Secretary The PV Technology Incubator project These high performing cells will be used by
Steven Chu today announced that the represents a novel DOE business approach. concentrating PV (CPV) manufacturers to
Department of Energy’s National Renewable Technical benchmarks with firm due dates produce lower cost CPV systems.
Energy Laboratory (NREL) will invest $12 are identified in each proposal. TetraSun, Saratoga, up to $3 million.
million in total funding ($10 million from the Subcontractors will receive funding only TetraSun will focus efforts on a back surface
American Recovery and Reinvestment Act) after each deliverable has been tested and passivation for high efficiency crystalline
to support the development of early stage verified by NREL to have met the silicon solar cells. This effort will result in a
solar energy technologies. predetermined targets. high efficiency low-cost C-Si solar cell.
The Photovoltaic (PV) Incubator Program The partnership projects are subject to North Carolina
partners NREL with companies that have negotiation: Semprius, Inc., Durham, up to $3 million.
developed new solar cell technologies to Semprius will focus efforts toward a
help move the technologies to commercial California massively parallel, microcell-based CPV
scale manufacturing. Over the long-term, Alta Devices, Inc., Santa Clara, to $3 million receiver. This approach combines the
these companies could support new Alta Devices will focus efforts on developing benefits of unique-to-solar manufacturing
domestic high-tech manufacturing jobs. an innovative high-efficiency (more than 20 techniques with the performance and
percent), low-cost compound- operational benefits of microcell
The partnerships announced today support semiconductor photovoltaic module, with concentrating photovoltaics.
DOE’s goal of making solar energy cost- market entry expected in 2011.
competitive with conventional forms of Solar Junction Corp., San Jose, up to $3 Visit NREL online at www.nrel.gov
electricity by 2015 and the Obama
Administration’s commitment to a clean
energy economy.
Accel-RF Corporation Announces Shipment of
“These projects will help move novel
technologies to commercial scale and Reliability Test Systems for GaN technology to
ensure that the U.S. is a world leader in
next-generation, cost-effective solar
Customers in Europe - 20 Jan 2010
technologies,” said Secretary Chu. “These
solar photovoltaic incubator awards will help Accel-RF Corporation, the world leader in Nitride Technology and its long term
accelerate the pace of innovation for these turn-key RF Reliability Testing Systems for reliability,” adds Shaw.Service and first line
start-up companies to bring their Compound Semiconductor devices, today support of these systems will be performed
technologies to market.” announced the successful shipment and by Peritest Eurl, based near Paris, France.
installation of five advanced high power “As a manufacturer of advanced test
These partnerships leverage the technical reliability test systems to customers in equipment, Accel-RF’s technical staff will
expertise of NREL. The Laboratory will Europe, in Q4 of 2009. always be working with our customers,”
provide guidance and technical assistance Shaw continues, “Peritest Eurl for sales,
to help the companies overcome common Shipped to both government research and service, and first line support in Europe has
challenges for small scale or pilot commercial entities, these systems will be worked well for Accel-RF, and their
manufacturing. Companies awarded under instrumental in the development of Gallium technical expertise is excellent.”
the incubator program will work closely with Nitride devices in Europe.
NREL to move prototype and pre- Accel-RF has been selling RF Reliability
commercial PV technologies into pilot and “Now that we have successfully Systems in the US since 2004. Five
full-scale manufacturing. The anticipated shipped and installed these leading edge systems delivered and installed in Europe in
subcontracts, up to $3 million each, will be systems, I am pleased to announce the Q4 of 2009 further demonstrates our
awarded as 18-month phased subcontracts acceptance of our High Power Reliability successful expansion outside of the US.
with payment made on completion of project Test Systems by the compound
milestones. semiconductor community to test the “Global expansion for complex equipment
reliability of GaN technology in the like ours has to be done carefully,” adds
“Working with NREL researchers reduces European Union,” says Roland Shaw, Shaw, “I am proud to say that even with this
the implementation risk associated with new President and Founder of Accel-RF. “It is major expansion effort we have maintained a
solar technologies and increases the exciting for us at Accel-RF to be part of the very close relationship with all of our
likelihood that the performance and reliability advancement and evolution of Gallium customers.”
January/February 2010 www.compoundsemiconductor.net 11
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