Applied Technology

High-efficiency Solar Cells on Micro- or Nano-wire Surface

A research team in the advanced solar cells of the Institute of Microelectronics, CAS has greatly improved the nanowire-array-textured solar cells. In their exploration, the silicon micro- or nano-wires were grown on the surface of the traditional crystalline silicon solar cells. The nanowire-array-textured structure was proved to possess an excellent anti-reflection property compared to a traditional c-Si solar cell, resulting in a promising increase in the final energy-conversion efficiency. In their further study, the team has led research into the topic “Electrode-contact enhancement in silicon nanowire-array-textured solar cells”. Researchers have solved this key problem of lowering the contact resistance on the nanowire-array-textured surface by the achievement of the selective emitter via a novel double-diffusion or implantation method. The results of the experiment indicated that this novel method could effectively reduce the electrode-contact resistance, leading to increased energy-conversion efficiency. This valuable finding is believed to provide a new applicative approach for ion-implantation equipments in the area of realization of high-efficiency solar cells with novel structures. This achievement has been published on J. Vac. Sci. Technol. B 29, 021014(2011) (SCI).

Coal-Ethylene Glycol Technology to be industrialized

On Mar. 29, the Project "Coal - Ethylene Glycol technology" passed the acceptance check. The acceptance check covers three aspects: first, the technology for large-scale preparation of the catalysts used in the "Coal-Ethylene Glycol" project and the development of new catalysts; second, technological breakthrough in the key processes of 200,000-tonnage level "Coal-Ethylene Glycol" project; third, the system integration technology and industrial demonstration of the 200,000 tonnage level "Coal-Ethylene Glycol" project. This project provides innovative solutions to various key scientific issues, such as improving the stability of catalysts prepared in a large scale, enhancing the reaction rate of the purification of the industrial CO catalytic dehydrogenation, effective control of heat transferring during the purification of the industrial CO catalytic dehydrogenation, improving the reaction efficiency of the simultaneous oxidation and esterification of CO. This project also develops the technology for large-scale preparation of the catalysts used in the "Coal-Ethylene Glycol" project and provides catalyst technology support for the 200,000 tonnage level "Coal-Ethylene Glycol" industrial demonstration. This project develops new and highly effective catalysts to provide new technical reserves for optimization and updating of the catalyst technology to be used in the "Coal-Ethylene Glycol" project. It amplifies and integrates the system test technology in the ten-thousand tonnage level "Coal-Ethylene Glycol" project. Thus the 200,000 tonnage level Coal-Ethylene Glycol packaged technology which matches with the catalyst performances is established; highly-effective and stable 200,000 tonnage level Coal-Ethylene Glycol industrial demonstration plant is thus constructed and ethylene glycol products in line with the superior indexes of international standard of GB4649-93 can be produced.