12 July 2011

NREL confirms 16.3% efficiency for XsunX CIGS PV devices

XsunX Inc of Aliso Viejo, CA, USA, which is developing hybrid copper indium gallium (di)selenide thin-film (CIGS) photovoltaic (TFPV) cell technologies and ‘CIGSolar’ manufacturing processes, says that the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has certified the peak efficiency conversion of 16.36% achieved by XsunX for CIGS photovoltaic devices. 

Overall efficiency of tested samples ranged from 15.3% to 16.36%, producing an average efficiency of 15.91%. The sample provided to NREL was part of a 125mm substrate which, after deposition, was sub-divided into quadrants to produce NREL device test structures and analytical equipment test structures. The purpose was to provide a statistically significant body of data in support of XsunX’s continuous process improvement efforts.

“NREL’s official measurement of 16.36% supports our manufacturing approach and the viability of single-cell processing,” reckons chief technology officer Robert Wendt. “We believe the efficiency levels that we achieved will provide an economically viable process that we can offer the market,” he adds. “Our approach lends itself to direct translation to production,” he believes.

XsunX’s technology uses co-evaporation for the rapid deposition of final-sized cells to better control the complex management of the CIGS layer deposition process. The firm’s method, unlike other CIGS manufacturing technology, begins and ends using individual substrates sized to match silicon cells. In addition to providing a smaller and more precise deposition environment, this also helps to avoid performance losses experienced when cells are either cut from rolls of CIGS material or mismatched electrically in monolithic assemblies, the firm claims.    

“We focused our efforts on the belief that high-performance CIGS solar cells could offer an alternative to the use of more costly silicon technology — a $13bn market opportunity in 2010,” says CEO Tom Djokovich. “The official measurements conducted by NREL help to show that small-area co-evaporation offers the necessary conversion efficiencies to compete with silicon.”

See related items:

XsunX ups CIGS PV cell efficiency further to 15.1%

Tags: XsunX CIGS solar cell CIGS

Visit: www.xsunx.com