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Natcore Tests Black
Silicon Process

Natcore Technology says an unnamed Chinese manufacturing partner has processed its black silicon wafers into working solar cells in an actual production line.

Five batches of silicon wafers with a black silicon etch - prepared by Natcore’s scientists in Rochester, N.Y., under a license from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory - were supplied to the Chinese company for cell finishing and testing.

Two of the batches were used as controls to help interpret results. Of the three test batches, one had a diffusion using phosphorous oxychloride applied by Natcore. The remaining test batches were diffused by the Chinese company. In all cases, the Chinese firm performed the final steps necessary to turn the wafers into solar cells and to test them.

Natcore: natcoresolar.com

 

Semprius Makes Cell With 43.9% Efficiency

North Carolina-based Semprius Inc. has manufactured a four-junction, four-terminal, stacked solar cell using its microtransfer printing process.

The new solar cell consists of a three-junction microcell that is stacked on top of a single-junction germanium microcell. Semprius worked with the Frederick Seitz Materials Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and Solar Junction on the effort.

Semprius says that by using four junctions, the stacked cell is able to capture light across a broader portion of the spectrum and therefore achieve higher efficiencies. According to the company, initial trials yielded solar cells with measured efficiencies up to 43.9%.

Semprius: semprius.com

 

Midsummer Achieves 16.2% Efficiency For CIGS

Sweden-based Midsummer has increased the efficiency of copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) thin-film solar cells manufactured on its equipment from 15% to 16.2%.

The equipment maker says the gains come by increasing the effectiveness of the active area of the 156 mm × 156 mm solar cell addressed by its manufacturing process from 2.8 W to 3.07 W. The solar cell was manufactured in a regular production run, and the process is already implemented in the production line.

Sven Lindstrom, Midsummer’s CEO, says the improvement is notable considering that the solar cell is made on stainless steel in an all-dry, all-vacuum process where all layers are deposited by sputtering. Solar cells produced with Midsummer’s process are manufactured individually and then strung together into flexible modules in a variety of sizes and shapes.

Midsummer: midsummer.se R