SANTA CLARITA, USA: BioSolar Inc., a developer of a breakthrough technology to produce bio-based materials from renewable plant sources that reduce the cost of photovoltaic solar cells, announced the successful prototype run of the new BioBacksheet-A product featuring absolute moisture barrier for the thin-film solar cell market.
The announcement follows BioSolar’s recent news that the BioBacksheet-C, designed for the traditional C-Si PV modules, will be the company’s first product commercially available during the later half of 2009.
BioSolar’s chairman and CEO Dr. David Lee recognizes that the fastest growing segment of the photovoltaic (PV) market is thin film, particularly copper-indium-gallium-selenide (CIGS) and cadmium telluride (CdTe) thin-film photovoltaic panels, requiring backsheets with a challenging water vapor transmission rate of nearly zero.
“BioSolar has accepted this challenge, and has developed our BioBacksheet-A with absolute moisture barrier with green components,” said Lee. “The three layer laminate film consisting of 100 percent recyclable aluminum foil is the center core sandwiched between outer layers of bio-based polymer films, making our product unique in the industry.”
“The initial pilot line run, a scaled down prototyping run, of the BioBacksheet-A was highly successful, and samples of this product will be subjected to extensive list of testing once initial evaluation of the backsheet on modules is complete,” said Lee.
BioSolar’s line of proprietary BioBacksheet protective coverings are designed to replace expensive and hazardous petroleum-based film with a bio-based one, creating a more environmentally-friendly and cost-effective solar panel component.
BioSolar’s bio-based materials -– both individually and in combination -– meet or exceed the characteristics of various testing and performance standards for the photovoltaic industry.”
Showing posts with label thin-film solar cells. Show all posts
Showing posts with label thin-film solar cells. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
ULVAC to launch thin-film characterization system
TOKYO, JAPAN: ULVAC Inc. has developed and will launch the MPEC-1300 Multi-Probe Evaluation of Thin-Film Characterization system for evaluating thin-film characteristics in the tandem type thin-film solar cell production process.
In the deposition process of solar cell manufacturing, evaluating characteristics such as deposition quality and deposition thickness uniformity is essential to maintain production yields. The evaluation of deposition characteristics, however, has required multiple systems with different measurement principles depending on the purposes, where evaluation samples are required to be prepared for each system, therefore demanding time and manpower.
ULVAC now releases the MPEC-1300 Multi-Probe Evaluation of Thin-Film Characterization System for tandem type solar cell, which can obtain the optical characteristics of Tandem-deposited micro crystal silicone (µc-Si) films in addition to the evaluation of existing amorphous silicone (a-Si) thin-film solar cells, and can also evaluate multiple different film characteristics without preparing sample glass substrates for evaluation use.
Conventional solar cell thin-film characteristics evaluation equipment is used in the production process of a-Si thin-film solar cells to measure the deposition thickness, surface shapes, and resistance of thin films and to control the distribution of materials deposited, deposition quality, and such other elements.
However, destructive evaluation takes place to obtain the optical characteristics, involving the cutting of glass substrates into small pieces and the use of dedicated measuring instruments specialized in this particular measurement. Such equipment has been very ineffective also due to the necessity of introducing multiple measuring instruments, which incur initial costs.
Contrary to this, ULVAC’s newly developed and launched Multi-Probe Evaluation of Thin-Film Characterization System for tandem type solar cell, MPEC-1300, which is compatible with the 5.5th-generation substrate size used as standard for thin-film silicone solar cells, is a breakthrough evaluation system that can evaluate not only a-Si thin films but also the µc-Si crystallinity of tandem type thin-film solar cells, which is achieved by providing a function that can evaluate optical characteristics in addition to the conventional measurement of deposition thickness, surface shapes, and resistance.
The MPEC-1300 Multi-Probe Evaluation of Thin-Film Characterization System for tandem type solar cell has the following conventional measuring functions:
(1) a “Surface Profiler ,” which measures the deposition thickness and in-plane distributions of electrode-use thin films; (2) a “Low-resistance measurement,” which evaluates the resistance distributions of electrode-use metal thin films. In addition, four additional measuring functions have been intergraded including;
(3) a “Raman Spectoscopy ,” which maps in-plane distributions by obtaining µc-Si Crystallinity;
(4) a “Three-dimensional (3D) measurement,” which three-dimensionally evaluates the shapes both of film surfaces after laser scribing and of TCO (Transparent Conductive Oxide) film surfaces;
(5) a “Spectroscopic Ellipsometer,” which evaluates the optical constants of a-Si thin films; and
(6) a “High-resistance measurement,” which evaluates the high-resistance distributions of a-Si thin films.
By including a total of six types of measuring functions, the MPEC-1300 Multi-Probe Evaluation of Thin-Film Characterization System for tandem type solar cell has enabled the thin-film characteristics evaluation of tandem type thin-film solar cells to be performed in one system. In addition, since all surface areas of a glass substrate up to the 5.5th-generation size can be measured with the system, there is no need to destroy substrates for evaluation. These excellent features can greatly reduce initial introduction costs and running costs by about 1/2 compared to when introducing two or more individual dedicated-use measuring instruments.
This evaluation system is designed such that the user can select the measuring functions to be included according to the user’s purpose.
ULVAC is also developing a system for evaluating the distributions of TCO Haze and solar cell local conversion efficiency.
In the deposition process of solar cell manufacturing, evaluating characteristics such as deposition quality and deposition thickness uniformity is essential to maintain production yields. The evaluation of deposition characteristics, however, has required multiple systems with different measurement principles depending on the purposes, where evaluation samples are required to be prepared for each system, therefore demanding time and manpower.
ULVAC now releases the MPEC-1300 Multi-Probe Evaluation of Thin-Film Characterization System for tandem type solar cell, which can obtain the optical characteristics of Tandem-deposited micro crystal silicone (µc-Si) films in addition to the evaluation of existing amorphous silicone (a-Si) thin-film solar cells, and can also evaluate multiple different film characteristics without preparing sample glass substrates for evaluation use.
Conventional solar cell thin-film characteristics evaluation equipment is used in the production process of a-Si thin-film solar cells to measure the deposition thickness, surface shapes, and resistance of thin films and to control the distribution of materials deposited, deposition quality, and such other elements.
However, destructive evaluation takes place to obtain the optical characteristics, involving the cutting of glass substrates into small pieces and the use of dedicated measuring instruments specialized in this particular measurement. Such equipment has been very ineffective also due to the necessity of introducing multiple measuring instruments, which incur initial costs.
Contrary to this, ULVAC’s newly developed and launched Multi-Probe Evaluation of Thin-Film Characterization System for tandem type solar cell, MPEC-1300, which is compatible with the 5.5th-generation substrate size used as standard for thin-film silicone solar cells, is a breakthrough evaluation system that can evaluate not only a-Si thin films but also the µc-Si crystallinity of tandem type thin-film solar cells, which is achieved by providing a function that can evaluate optical characteristics in addition to the conventional measurement of deposition thickness, surface shapes, and resistance.
The MPEC-1300 Multi-Probe Evaluation of Thin-Film Characterization System for tandem type solar cell has the following conventional measuring functions:
(1) a “Surface Profiler ,” which measures the deposition thickness and in-plane distributions of electrode-use thin films; (2) a “Low-resistance measurement,” which evaluates the resistance distributions of electrode-use metal thin films. In addition, four additional measuring functions have been intergraded including;
(3) a “Raman Spectoscopy ,” which maps in-plane distributions by obtaining µc-Si Crystallinity;
(4) a “Three-dimensional (3D) measurement,” which three-dimensionally evaluates the shapes both of film surfaces after laser scribing and of TCO (Transparent Conductive Oxide) film surfaces;
(5) a “Spectroscopic Ellipsometer,” which evaluates the optical constants of a-Si thin films; and
(6) a “High-resistance measurement,” which evaluates the high-resistance distributions of a-Si thin films.
By including a total of six types of measuring functions, the MPEC-1300 Multi-Probe Evaluation of Thin-Film Characterization System for tandem type solar cell has enabled the thin-film characteristics evaluation of tandem type thin-film solar cells to be performed in one system. In addition, since all surface areas of a glass substrate up to the 5.5th-generation size can be measured with the system, there is no need to destroy substrates for evaluation. These excellent features can greatly reduce initial introduction costs and running costs by about 1/2 compared to when introducing two or more individual dedicated-use measuring instruments.
This evaluation system is designed such that the user can select the measuring functions to be included according to the user’s purpose.
ULVAC is also developing a system for evaluating the distributions of TCO Haze and solar cell local conversion efficiency.
Monday, June 22, 2009
LG Display to nurture thin-film solar cell business as future growth driver
SEOUL, KOREA: LG Display Co. Ltd, a leading innovator of thin-film transistor liquid crystal display (TFT-LCD) technology, announced plans to focus its R&D capabilities on a thin-film type solar cell and nurture it as a future growth driver.
LG Display plans to invest KRW50 billion into R&D to build a pilot line within its Paju display complex in Korea during the second half of 2009 and build an outdoor test power generation facility.
Further, the company aims to raise the current energy conversion efficiency rate of 8 percent to 12 percent by 2010, and eventually achieve efficiency rate of 14 percent in 2012 to prepare for commercialization. It also plans to secure sufficient commercial value by lowering the manufacturing cost to less than $1 per watt.
In addition, LG Display target the market for cells used in photovoltaic power generation, buildings and public displays during the initial stages of commercialization. The company’s long-term blueprint includes expansion into solar cells for mobile displays and automobiles, as well as solar cells for extreme environments such as offshore photovoltaic power generation stations.
According to US market researcher Nano Markets, the thin-film type solar cell market will grow from $4.6 billion in 2011 to $14 billion by 2015.
LG Display plans to invest KRW50 billion into R&D to build a pilot line within its Paju display complex in Korea during the second half of 2009 and build an outdoor test power generation facility.
Further, the company aims to raise the current energy conversion efficiency rate of 8 percent to 12 percent by 2010, and eventually achieve efficiency rate of 14 percent in 2012 to prepare for commercialization. It also plans to secure sufficient commercial value by lowering the manufacturing cost to less than $1 per watt.
In addition, LG Display target the market for cells used in photovoltaic power generation, buildings and public displays during the initial stages of commercialization. The company’s long-term blueprint includes expansion into solar cells for mobile displays and automobiles, as well as solar cells for extreme environments such as offshore photovoltaic power generation stations.
According to US market researcher Nano Markets, the thin-film type solar cell market will grow from $4.6 billion in 2011 to $14 billion by 2015.
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