News

27 January 2009

 

Taiwan’s INER orders Aixtron MOCVD system for solar cells

Aixtron AG of Aachen, Germany says that in fourth-quarter 2008 the Institute of Nuclear Energy Research (INER) in Taoyuan, Taiwan, ordered an AIX 2800G4 Planetary Reactor MOCVD system, to be delivered in first-quarter 2009 in 15x4-inch wafer configuration (with options to use wafers of up to 8 inch diameter).

“Already we have enjoyed a professional and responsive working relationship with the local Aixtron team, which we expect to continue when the new MOCVD tool arrives,” says Dr Cherng-Tsong Kuo, project leader of INER’s High Concentration Photovoltaic System Research and Development Project.

INER will use the reactor to develop germanium/III-V-based higher-efficiency photovoltaic devices for its High Concentration Photovoltaic (HCPV) project, in which it has already set up a solar power demonstration system with a capacity of 100kW. Construction of a 1MW demonstration system is nearly completed.

“The Institute of Nuclear Energy Research has focussed on the development of solar cell modules for some years now,” says Kuo. INER applied technology developed from its research on radiation detectors to the development of III-V solar cells, modules, and solar tracking systems. Working with local companies, it completed a prototype with energy conversion efficiency of over 35%.

With its new AIX 2800G4, INER expects to own the complete turn-key process and beat its own project targets, Kuo adds. Building on this, INER aims to further develop an epitaxy manufacturing process to produce cells with energy conversion efficiency of 45%.

See related items:

OSU orders Aixtron CCS MOCVD system for solar cell development

Fraunhofer ISE raises Euro PV efficiency record to 39.7%

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