QD Soleil acquires critical patents in solar energy

PALO ALTO, USA: QD Soleil, a division of Nanosys Inc., announced the signing of an exclusive license agreement with Starfire Electronic Development and Marketing Corp. for patents covering the work of nanotechnology pioneer Dr. Avery Goldstein.

The technologies under license have the potential to dramatically improve the economics of solar energy by increasing process efficiencies and reducing the amount of raw materials required in the manufacture of photovoltaic cells.

The license relates to manufacturing methods for making semiconductor thin films using roll-to-roll processing and nanoparticle inks, and also includes seminal coverage of silicon and germanium nanocrystals, all of which are critical in the production of solar energy at cost parity with traditional energy sources. Silicon nanocrystals also have the potential to produce highly efficient photovoltaic cells.

“These patents complement our strong intellectual property position in the area of thin films and photovoltaic devices,” said Vijendra Sahi, vice president and general manager of QD Soleil. “Avery Goldstein has been one of the leading minds in nanotechnology since the beginning of this field. The licensed patents from Starfire cover fundamental applications of nanotechnology in photovoltaic technologies which will help keep QD Soleil at the forefront of solar innovation.”

“We are pleased to be working with QD Soleil, which is clearly the leader in semiconductor thin films and nanotechnology-enabled photovoltaic cells,” said Dr. Goldstein. “This is a natural fit for our intellectual property. I am excited about the opportunity to further the development and commercialization of this technology working in conjunction with QD Soleil.”