news digest ♦ Solar one day programme.
In addition to Oxford Instruments speakers, talks from guest speakers include:
· Introduction to ALD and its applications, including photovoltaics; Erwin Kessels, University of Eindhoven (TU/e), Netherlands
· Etch & deposition process in the OPTO and MEMS application device; Chu Ann-Kuo, Professor of Department of Photonics, National Sun Yat-sen University, Taiwan
· Infrared Focal Plane Arrays (IRFPAs) detector for space applications; Zhenghua YE, SITP (Shanghai Institute of Technology Physics)
· Micro/Nano fabrication and characterisation of Si field electron emitters; Guest Speaker: Juncong SHE, Sun Yat-Sen University, China
· ALD used in the MEMS application; Jerry Wang, Manager of Microsystems Technology Centre, ITRI, Taiwan
Jeffrey Seah, Asia Business Manager, Oxford Instruments Plasma Technology, who will open the Seminar comments, “We are anticipating a large audience at this Seminar in Shanghai, and are extremely honoured that so many distinguished guest speakers have accepted our invitation to speak about their work in Plasma Processing. Our Seminars are a great opportunity for the Plasma Processing community to come together, to share their experiences, and to learn more from leading international experts in their field.”
Based on the success of the 2011 Seminar in Beijing, Oxford Instruments anticipates a very high level of interest from both academic and production participants, attracted by such an interesting programme and prestigious speakers.
The event is free to attend, but booking is essential via process.
news@oxinst.com or
lingling.wang@oxinst.com
CdTe thin-film solar industry
leaders launch PVthin The new coalition was founded by a number of organisations including Abound Solar, First Solar, GE Energy, Calyxo, Arendi and 5N Plus
An international non-profit organisation under Belgian law, PVthin was created to strengthen global energy security and help create sustainable energy infrastructures by promoting the social, economic and environmental benefits of thin-film solar photovoltaic technologies. PVthin represents companies committed to the development of thin-film solar PV products based on chalcogenide compounds. Founding members include CdTe solar cell manufacturers Abound Solar, Arendi, Calyxo, First Solar and GE Energy. Another founder of the project is 5N Plus which is one of the key suppliers of CdTe and CdS, essential components of thin-film solar modules.
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www.compoundsemiconductor.net April/May 2012
“The success of thin-film solar panels is one of the most exciting developments in solar energy in recent years,” said Andreas Wade, President of PVthin. “PVthin was created to champion the role of thin-film PV and communicate the unique technological, environmental and socio-economic aspects of this cost effective and environmentally friendly solar technology. PVthin complements the excellent work of umbrella associations such as EPIA in Europe, SEIA in the US, and BSW in Germany and does not seek to create a rival organisation” he said. As the name suggests, thin-film photovoltaic solar modules employ a very thin layer of semiconductor—usually just a couple of microns thick—in place of a traditional wafer. Simpler to manufacture, thin-film PV makes more efficient use of raw materials and energy and results in both lower costs and smaller carbon footprints.
Thin-film PV now accounts for around 18% of global PV sales, from almost nothing a decade ago, and is leading the way to affordable solar electricity. Thin-film PV also lends itself to relatively simple mechanical and chemical recycling, ensuring the recovery of valuable raw materials when the need to replace the modules arises—often at no additional cost. PVthin aims to strongly promote efficient and energy-saving production, raw material use and state-of-the-art PV recycling and recovery programs and technologies in cooperation with other organisations supporting this objective.
$300,000 DOE grant to support CdTe solar cell research
The latest Department of Energy funds will develop ways to enhance the cadmium telluride back contacts by looking at new materials
Sylvain Marsillac, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering at Old Dominion University and an expert in photovoltaic (PV) energy cells, recently received the grant from the U.S. DOE.
This grant builds on his funded work from last year, when Marsillac brought more than $1 million in awards to ODU for research on PV.
The new grant, awarded through the DOE’s Foundational Program to Advance Cell Efficiency (F-PACE), involves research being done into improving the efficiency of solar cells. The cells are made from CdTe, a polycrystalline compound mostly used in infrared detectors and solar cells.
The material is deposited in a thin film form using high vacuum deposition systems, and the process creates a semiconductor layer designed to absorb and convert sunlight into electricity. Marsillac said this latest DOE-funded research will develop ways to enhance the CdTe back contacts by specifically looking at new materials based on chalcopyrite and delafossite structures.
“Better connection means better voltage, which means better efficiency for the PV cells,” he said.
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