CMP PROCESSING

Learn more about R&D chemical mechanical polishing by requesting our FREE informational CD.

Download our CMP White Paper

 

FREE subscription
Subscribe for free to receive each issue of Semiconductor Today magazine and weekly news brief.

News

28 August 2007

 

Ascent Solar awarded DoE contract for high-rate CIGS process development

Ascent Solar Technologies Inc of Littleton, CO, USA, which develops thin-film photovoltaic materials and modules based on copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), has been awarded a $165,000 contract by a US Department of Energy National Laboratory to develop materials and processing tools that could lead to higher manufacturing speeds, and thus greater throughput and lower manufacturing costs.

“The early-stage experimental research and development work performed under this grant is aimed ultimately at reducing manufacturing costs,” says chief technical officer, Dr Joseph Armstrong. “We will be investigating a novel new approach to increasing the production throughput in the CIGS process.”

* Earlier in August, Hydro ASA of Oslo, Norway (an offshore producer of oil and gas and the world’s third-largest integrated aluminum supplier) made a follow-on investment of $10.48m, bringing its stake to 23%. Hydro also has an option, from 13 December, to raise its stake further to 35%.

“We believe there will be a large market for their products,” says Einar Glomnes, head of Hydro’s Solar Division. “Its super-thin and flexible solar cell modules go very well together with Hydro’s building systems activities.”

“The additional capital will help accelerate our plans towards building our first 25MW high-volume production plant,” said Ascent’s president and CEO Matthew Foster. “The full 25MW build-out is planned to be complete by the end of 2009. Our current priority remains the completion of our 1.5MW pilot plant [in Denver, CO, USA], which is on track for completion by the end of 2007 with initial production beginning in early 2008.”

See related items:

Ascent Solar raises over $20m from warrant conversion

Ascent Solar shareholders approve increase in Norsk Hydro stake from 23% to 35%

Honda starts selling CIGS solar cells

Emerging PV technologies growing at 43% annually

Energy producer Hydro invests in Ascent Solar for CIGS-based flexible solar cells

Visit: http://www.ascentsolar.com