Development opportunity
Researchers at the University of Oxford, UK, have developed a method for treating multi-crystalline silicon that counteracts the problem of the electrical activity of dislocations.
The solar cell market is currently growing at 40 percent or more per year, with the dominant technology being based on multi-crystalline silicon. Compared to single crystal material, multicrystalline silicon is cheap to produce but it also contains more electrically active defects that reduce the overall efficiency of the completed cells. The most important of these defects is widely acknowledged to be line defects, or dislocations.
The researchers say their technique is low cost, works at low temperatures and is a simple process that is carried out on the device surface
Preliminary studies have shown that the electrical effects of dislocations can be modified to a depth of 30 microns or more, while still maintaining structural integrity of the silicon substrate.
This work is the subject of patent application, and Oxford’s technology transfer arm Isis Innovation is looking for companies interested in developing the commercial opportunity.
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