Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: "IMEC announces new partnerships and a new pilot line for its solar cell research program"

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Thin-film epitaxial silicon solar cells

Thin-film epitaxial silicon solar cells

Abstract:
IMEC today announced that it has established new partnerships with solar cell material and equipment suppliers. These companies, including MEMC Electronic Materials Inc., Leybold Optics Dresden GmbH, Roth & Rau AG, and Mallinckrodt Baker B.V., have concluded joint-development agreements with IMEC in the frame of IMEC's newly launched wafer-based silicon photovoltaics industrial affiliation program (IIAP).

IMEC announces new partnerships and a new pilot line for its solar cell research program

Leuven, Belgium | Posted on July 14th, 2009

As part of this multi-partner R&D program, and with support by the Flemish Government, a solar pilot line will be set up. This pilot line will allow the partners to conduct advanced solar cell process development research in a semi-industrial environment, enabling an efficient transfer of the results of this research directly to the industry's production lines.

"With our IIAP program, we want to set up a research ecosystem with the aim to create innovative processes to fabricate the next generations of silicon solar cells. Researchers from solar cell manufacturers and material and equipment suppliers will work together with IMEC's solar experts on developing these advanced processes and testing them on our pilot line" said Jef Poortmans, Program Director Solar+ at IMEC.

MEMC Electronic Materials Inc., Leybold Optics Dresden GmbH, Roth & Rau AG, and Mallinckrodt Baker B.V., are starting joint-development projects with IMEC, complementing the participation of SCHOTT Solar AG, a leading photovoltaics manufacturer that recently joined IMEC's IIAP. MEMC has made its initial shipments of high lifetime, thin crystalline silicon solar wafers to IMEC. Leybold Optics Dresden GmbH is building an inline sputtering system A550V7 that will be shipped to IMEC in Q4 of 2009. Roth & Rau AG will ship an AK-1000 RIE inline plasma system for PV plasma texturization and PSG removal to IMEC in the same period. Mallinckrodt Baker B.V. will be providing novel fluoride- and non-fluoride-containing chemistry for the development of Hydrogen Fluoride (HF) replacement processes.

To extend its silicon photovoltaics research infrastructure, IMEC will benefit from the recent decision of the Government of Flanders (Belgium) to invest in renewable energies. IMEC will receive a grant of 8.7 million euro. This grant will be used to set up the pilot line that will allow developing new processes in a semi-industrial environment. The partners in the program will help build this line, which will solely consist of industrial-strength tools. The goal is to develop process flows that can easily be transferred to the industry. "We are very grateful to the Flemish Government for their investment in PV research infrastructure. Advanced infrastructure is key to enable research on next-generation technologies" added Jef Poortmans.

IMEC's silicon solar cell IIAP concentrates on a sharp reduction in silicon use, whilst increasing cell efficiency and hence further lowering substantially the cost per Watt peak. The program explores both wafer-based bulk silicon solar cells and epitaxial cells.

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About IMEC
IMEC is a world-leading independent research center in nanoelectronics and nanotechnology. IMEC vzw is headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, has a sister company in the Netherlands, IMEC-NL, offices in the US, China and Taiwan, and representatives in Japan. Its staff of more than 1650 people includes about 550 industrial residents and guest researchers. In 2008, its revenue (P&L) was EUR 270 million.

IMEC's More Moore research aims at semiconductor scaling towards sub-32nm nodes. With its More than Moore research, IMEC looks into technologies for nomadic embedded systems, wireless autonomous transducer solutions, biomedical electronics, photovoltaics, organic electronics and GaN power electronics.

IMEC's research bridges the gap between fundamental research at universities and technology development in industry. Its unique balance of processing and system know-how, intellectual property portfolio, state-of-the-art infrastructure and its strong network worldwide position IMEC as a key partner for shaping technologies for future systems.

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Contacts:
Katrien Marent
IMEC Director of External Communications
T: +32 16 28 18 80
Mobile : +32 474 30 28 66,

Barbara Kalkis
Maestro Marketing & Public Relations

T: +1 408 996 9975, M: +1 408 529 4210

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