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Lead by Professor Feng Liangheng, the Institute of Solar Material & Components, Sichuan University, has pioneered the research of Cadmium Telluride (CdTe). During the “Ninth Five Year Plan Period (1996-2000)”, the Institute has undertaken the scientific and technological breakthrough research project financed by the Ministry of Science & Technology (MOST): “Development of Polycrystalline Thin Film Solar Cells of the II-VI Family Compound Semiconductor”. During the three year project period, the Institute has developed the near-space vaporization equipment and other key equipments, studied the depositing methods of cadmium telluride, zinc telluride, phosphate telluride thin films, studied the structure and preparation technologies of cadmium telluride solar cells and prepared cadmium telluride thin film solar cells with conversion rate of 11.6%. Experts considered this as an important breakthrough in the research of solar cells in China in the recent years and thus the Institute has contributed to the pioneering development of solar cells in China.
The Institute has also undertaken the “863” research project of “Manufacturing Technology and Mid Stage Test Line for Cadmium Telluride Solar Cells” with a budget of RMB 20 million. The final goal of the project is to construct a first-class research and test platform of solar cell and opto-electronic materials, to build a 300 Watt Cadmium Telluride thin film solar cell test production line, and to form a high level solar cell research and development team. The first phase of the project was already completed and was also verified by the “*863” Program Follow-up Energy Technology Subject Expert Team. Hot spot of the research achievement of that phase is the new record of solar cell energy conversion rate – 13.38%, a new record of all kinds of other new type of solar cells as well. This record was achieved without the use of anti-reflection film, and therefore it is a near world record figure.
According to Prof. Feng, the tasks for phase II research are much more demanding. The entire research and development have to overtaken four barriers – effective surfaces of solar cells shall be increased from 1cm2 to 0.1m2, an increase of 1000 fold, the solar modules will consist of 36 units in series rather than only one, manufacturing will be expanded from single cell in the labor to 200 units of continuous production and the manufacturing equipment shall be used for mass production rather than labor test. Till end 2005, a China-made, scale production line of thin film solar cells shall be completed.
Posts: 3 | From: hangzhou | Registered: Feb 2002
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