Acquisition of measurement instruments for use in an electrochemical texturing project between Norut Teknologi and REC Scancell

This project has direct commercial benefits to the PV R&D activities in Narvik and Norway and will have long term benefits through continued internal and external development projects for both Scancell and Norut. Scancell will improve their competitive po sition in the photovoltaic industry by developing a texturing process which gives superior results but costs less and is more environmentally friendly than the current process options. The main goal of developing the texturing process is to reduce the re flection by changing the topology of the surface. The electro-chemical etching may also change the density of the surface layer and there by grade the index of refraction which increase light absorption. Electro-chemical processes can be effective at inco rporating hydrogen in to materials which could improve hydrogen passivation. The electro-chemical texturing process could easily be combined with electro-chemical oxidation of the surface. Silicon oxide passivates the surface of silicon better than silico n nitride. Clearly there is a high potential for significant improvements when electro-chemical processes are developed. There is however a lack of equipment. The funding granted so far does not cover for a new spectrometer and a quantum efficiency measu rement system. Full sized wafers cannot be measured in the old spectrometer, they have to be broken in smaller pieces. A new spectrometer that can scan up to 3300nm and that fit full size wafers is needed. Most wanted is also the quantum efficiency syste m with which the total end efficiency of the new electrochemically etched cells can be determined, no such equipment is available at the moment and would be quite unique in Norway. The new equipment will also be used to increase the competiveness of the new PV group at Norut. Already new projects are on the way with REC Scancell in Narvik and REC SiTech in Glomfjord. For example: - Hybrid solar thermal/PV device - Improvement of ingot and wafer production - etc