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Editorial: The Rundown on Solar Technology in the Compound Semi World
... In the first part of a series on compound semi-based photovoltaics in the McDonald Report, our news editor Scott McMahan will discuss the variety of PV technologies making news today. Photovoltaic cells (also known as solar cells) that convert light energy directly into electricity come in a wide...
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IQE joins European-funded “VISIT” Program
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 8, 2008...IQE of Cardiff, UK, was welcomed has a member of the €3.5 million European program to develop photonics components for broadband and local area networks. The Vertically Integrated Systems for Information Transfer (VISIT) program will last up to three years and will focus on strategic design and development of high-value photonic components and subsystems for scalable economic broadband access and local area networks. Other members of the VISIT programme are Intel (Ireland), VI Systems (Germany), Chalmers Tekniska (Sweden), The University of Cambridge (UK), University College Cork (Ireland) and the Russian Academy of Sciences (Russia).
The program aims to produce system-enabling optical transmitters that have a completely novel design and/or largely improved functionality as compared to current technology.
IQE points out that demand for consumer bandwidth has been increasing by about 30 percent each year. This leads to a more than 12 percent CAGR in demand for optical components, according to industry forecasts.
Professor Dieter Bimberg of Technische Universitaet in Berlin commented, “Upon completion of the programme a full supply chain from production of epitaxial wafers to test beds for measurements and prototype systems will be established. The economic impact of this work will be systematically enhanced by contributing directly to international standardization activities and roadmaps of this area.”
Andrew Joel, Product Director for Optoelectronic Materials at IQE’s Cardiff facility, said,
“IQE brings a wealth of experience in the growth of both edge emitting lasers and VCSELs for optical communications networks. “ IQE News Release Solyndra Introduces Cylindrical Panel PV System; Announces $1.2 Billion in Multi-year Orders
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 8, 2008...Solyndra, a company based in Fremont, California USA, that produces copper indium gallium diselenide solar cells, announced a new photovoltaic system for the commercial rooftop market. The company also announced that it currently has over $1.2 billion in multi-year customer contracts in Europe and the United States
The company’s new rooftop system uses uniquely designed cylindrical modules
that capture sunlight across a 360-degree photovoltaic. The company uses the curved surface to converting direct, diffuse and reflected sunlight into electricity without the need for costly mounting on sun tracking platforms. The company says that despite mounting on tilting platforms to improve the capture of direct light, conventional solar cell arrangements on platforms offer poor collection of diffuse light and fail to collect reflected light from rooftops or other installation surfaces. Solyndra says its panels perform optimally when mounted horizontally and packed closely together. The company contends that this allows its system of tubes to cover significantly more of the available roof area and produce more electricity per rooftop on an annual basis than a conventional panel installations. Additionally the design eliminates the need for costly roof anchoring mounts and wind ballasts.
Manfred Bachler, Chief Technical Officer at Phoenix Solar AG, one of the largest solar power integrators in Europe and a Solyndra customer said, "For commercial rooftops, PV module installation time can now be measured in days, not weeks. For flat commercial rooftops this is game-changing technology." Company News Release Sanyo Develops Blue-Violet Laser for 12x Blu-ray Write Speed
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 8, 2008...Sanyo Electric Co., Ltd. of Japan has developed a pulsed operation 450 mW output blu-violet laser. The company says it promises 12x Blu-ray disc recording. This would be about twice the current record for Blu-ray writing of 6x, meaning that a two hour of high definition video would take ten minutes instead of 20 minutes to write. The company’s previous highest output for blue-violet lasers is 200mW with continuous operation. The company says it would be allow 100GB to be stored on a four layered disc instead of getting up to 25GB on a one layered disc using a 200mW blue-violet laser.
The company said it made three improvements to its design to create the record breaking laser. First, it improved material and reduced the amount of light absorption with its new 'LASTECT' (Low optical Absorption STructure by Endurable Coating Technology) structure that reduced the amount of light absorbed with an the end-face protective film that acts like a mirror. This virtually double its operational life to 1000 hours at 80°C. Secondly, the company increased the optical conversion efficiency through by reducing light loss from absorption in the optical waveguide's cladding layer. The company did this and boosted optical output by 10 percent by cutting the amount of impurities incorporated during layer growth in half. Thirdly, the company said that it optimized the shape of the waveguide and improved the precision of its dry etching method to ensure a more stable beam position. Company News Release JDSU Introduces New Pump Laser to Support FTTH Networks
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 8, 2008...JDSU of Milpitas, California USA announced its new 4900 Series pump laser product. The company says it offers twice the power, improved efficiency, and a 70 percent smaller package compared to previous pump lasers for fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks. The pump lasers have optical power amplifiers to enable high definition TV, internet, phone, and video-on-demand FTTH services between a service provider’s central office and consumers’ homes.
According to the company, the new pump laser increases an optical amplifier’s signal power so that it can split a signal to travel over multiple fibers and reach the maximum number of homes. This lowers signal generation costs for network equipment manufacturers (NEMs) and service providers. The product reportedly doubles the laser pumps power from 4 W to 8 W, increases the efficiency by 20 percent, and is 70 percent smaller. JDSU notes that the pump laser is based on its telecom-grade L4 diode laser platform that was released in December, 2007.
“With twice the power, our customers can service twice as many homes from the same amplifier, helping them to control costs as voice, video and on demand services continue to grow in popularity among consumers,” said Toby Strite, marketing director of High Power Lasers in the Optical Communications business segment at JDSU .
Company News Release Photovoltaics Becomes Top GaAs Growth Market, Strategy Analytics Says
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 6, 2008...Strategy Analytics has released its latest predictions about the gallium arsenide bulk substrate market. In its report entitled, "Semi-conducting GaAs Bulk Substrate Market 2007-2012." SA predicts that while LEDs will continue to be the largest market for GaAs bulk substrates accounting for 39 percent of demand, the end demand from the photovoltaic market about 20 percent has the potential to grow at a CAAGR (compound annual average growth rate) of 79 percent through 2012. The company said that three- and four-inch material accounted for 70 percent of the GaAs wafer output in 2007 and the market for larger diameter material will continue through 2012. Also, VGF and VB-based substrates made up 64 percent of wafer output in 2007 and this will increase to 75 percent through 2012.
"Mitsubishi Chemical, Sumitomo Electric Industries and Hitachi Cable are the market leaders," noted Asif Anwar, Director of Strategy Analytics' GaAs service. "Collectively, the Japanese leaders accounted for over 64 percent of the total market. Other significant suppliers in 2007 in rank order included AXT, Dowa, Freiberger Compound Materials and Neosemitech." Strategy Analytics News Release
TriQuint Wins $4.5M Navy Contract for Development of GaAs Amplifiers
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 6, 2008...TriQuint of Hillsboro, Oregon USA, announced that the Office of Naval Research (ONR) has awarded it a 21-month, $4.5 million contract to advance manufacturing methods for producing high-power, high-frequency gallium arsenide (GaAs) amplifiers. TriQuint was chosen because of its experience developing high-performance, high-reliability amplifiers for defense and aerospace applications, according to Dr. David Fanning, TriQuint contract program manager. The new program’s goal is to extend the use of the high voltage gallium arsenide pHEMT technology to higher frequencies, Dr. Fanning said. TriQuint indicated that the first phase is to develop a new high-frequency, high-power device technology that will extract circuit design models. In the second phase, TriQuint will design and fabricate high power MMICs. TriQuint indicated that it is the sole contractor for the project, which it will complete at its Richardson, Texas facility.
Dr. Fanning said that TriQuint’s high voltage pHEMT (pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor) GaAs technology will be the focus of the new ONR program since it provides higher power density (more power per square millimeter of surface area) and efficiency compared to other processes. These performance characteristics are required for critical Navy applications including phased array radar, electronic warfare and communications systems.
Dr. Gailon Brehm, TriQuint’s Defense and Aerospace Product Marketing Director said, “This enhanced high frequency technology will extend the capability of our GaAs process family to the higher voltage needed for both military and commercial applications at frequencies above 20 GHz. ”
Company News Release Emcore Corporation Closes $25 Million Credit Financing
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 6, 2008...While the credit crisis has hit Wallstreet and Main Street to some extent, Bank of America was likely happy to extend credit secured with actual assets to a compound semi device maker with a bright future, Emcore.
Emcore Corporation, announced that on Friday (3 October) the company closed a $25 million revolving credit facility with Bank of America. The company said that the asset-backed credit facility will allow it to borrow up to $25 million that can be used for working capital, letters of credit and other general corporate purposes.
The credit facility incorporates both LIBOR and Prime-based borrowing alternatives and is subject to certain financial covenants and a borrowing base formula. Emcore secured the credit facility with certain of its assets. The agreement matures in September 2011. According to the company, the facility will add to its financial flexibility as it continues to pursue its growth strategy. Emcore News Release Hague Corp to Buy Solterra Assets
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 7, 2008...Hague Corp., a company based in Nevada that engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties, reports that it has signed a binding letter of intent to purchase the assets of Solterra Renewable Technologies, Inc. (Solterra). Solterra has technology for quantum dot solar cells. Solterra contends that quantum dot solar cells have the potential to turn more than 90 percent of the solar energy collected into electricity. This is about three times the theoretical limit of silicon solar cell efficiency.
Dr. Michael Wong and a team of reseachers at Rice University produced tetrapod quantum dots at a 95 percent lower cost than existing production processes, according to Solterra. Dr. Wong and the group of researchers spun-off the company Solterra Renewable Technologies Inc. Unlike conventional silicon, quantum dot solar cells can produce either high voltage or high amperage, Solterra said. Additionally, they can be placed behind a protective shell for greater longevity, the company indicated. Greg Chapman, President of Hague, stated, “We are extremely pleased to be working with such a company as Solterra. Their vision of capturing renewable solar power is truly on the cutting edge of alternative sources of energy.” Solterra Renewable Technologies Inc. News Release Sapphire Material Market to Grow Past $400 Million in 2012
CompoundSemi News StaffOctober 2, 2008...Research firm, Yole Development of France has release a report outlining the sapphire electronic application business.
The company report predicts that the sapphire material market for electronics will surpass $400 million by 2012. Yole points out that sapphire material is mainly used for two applications in the electronics market, gallium nitride (GaN)-based LED and RF switch devices for mobile phones.
Yole says that the sapphire substrate market for electronic applications has reached a volume of 4.61 Million wafers including (2” equivalent) for LEDs and several 10’s of thousands of 6” wafers for SoS RF applications in 2007. Yole predicts that the sapphire material market for electronics will grow at a 21 percent annual growth rate to reach $402 million by 2012.
According to the company, nitride LEDs has been the main driver of growth in the market with a 15 percent CAGR for several years to $100 million in 2007.
Yole indicated that in 2007 the revenue for SoS at the substrate level was in the below the $35 million range, but it is expected exceed $100 million in 2011.
With prices for 2-inch substrates down to $17 per wafer in Asia, companies are looking elsewhere. Demand for 4-inch wafers is reportedly booming. Big players such as Showa Denko and Samsung are moving to 6-inch wafers, the company said. Monocrystal appears to be ahead in the bigger wafer development after a demonstration of 8-inch c-plan sapphire. Yole Development Flyer Our news features are reported
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The
McDonald Report
Commentary & Perspective...
October 9, 2008...In the first part of a series on compound semi-based photovoltaics in the
McDonald Report, our news editor Scott McMahan will discuss the variety of PV
technologies making news today.
Photovoltaic cells (also known as solar cells) that convert light energy directly
into electricity come in a wide variety of designs. To date, the most commonly
used solar cells are silicon based. However, a wide range of compound semiconductor-based
alternatives have arisen over several decades. These primarily include thin
film solar cells such as cadmium telluride (CdTe), copper indium gallium diselenide
(CIGS) and copper indium selenide (CIS). Thin film solar technology is a more
recent introduction, headlined by cadmium telluride and several varieties of
thin film cells make the second generation of solar cell technology. First Solar
is an example of the cadmium telluride solar providers. (Ref: Coverage).
Copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS), copper indium selenium (CIS), amorphous
silicon, and micromorphous silicon can be applied in thin layers to a supporting
substrate such as silicon, glass, or ceramics. Amorphous silicon, and micromorphous
silicon are not based on compound semiconductors, and typically aren't covered
here in the CS News. CIGS solar cells are generally not as efficient as crystal
silicon which has reached 24.7 percent conversion efficiency, but they are expected
to be cheaper to produce. So far the jury is still out on that. Wurth Solar
began commercializing CIS solar cells in 2007, and many companies in recent
years have sprung up in this field with the rising price of oil. Global Solar
sells flexible portable solar chargers with thin-film CIGS material. Startups
including Heliovolt, Nanosolar, Solopower, Solyndra, Miasole, Amelio Solar,
and Solibro have also joined the CIGS bandwagon.
Of particular interest here at CompoundSemi are the multi-junction gallium
arsenide on germanium solar cells, the third generation of which, the triple
junction variety made with GaAs on germanium wafers, are proving to be the most
efficient photovoltaic technology to date. Emcore and Spectrolab produce the
vast majority of triple junction solar cells. Two start-ups, SolFocus and Solar
Systems also procure triple junction solar cells from Emcore and Spectrolab to sell as part of their own systems. Triple-junction cells are
the most expensive to produce, but when used along with solar concentrating
modules they have attained conversion efficiencies as high as 40.7 percent,
according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (Ref: Coverage)
and make up the third generation of solar cells. Concentrator cells use a combination
of optics such as lenses and mirrors in addition to triple-junction solar cells
to make the most electricity in the least amount of space. Triple junction solar
cells have been used largely in space-based applications such as satellites
because of the high cost of production. With improvements in MOCVD and MVPE,
and the use of concentrating technology the cost per kilowatt hour ($/kWhr)
may one day be the lowest of all solar cells.
Another form of solar cell technology uses quantum dots (electron-confined
nanoparticles) embedded in a supporting matrix. These use both organic and inorganic
molecules to form the photovoltaic cell and are also known as hybrid organic
photovoltaics. They use materials such as titanium oxide (TiO2) and
while they hold some promise, few companies so far have the expertise to delve
into this area. One such company that has stepped out in the effort to produce
quantum dot based solar cells is Cyrium Technologies. (Ref: Coverage)
In addition to the inorganic technologies, there are also molecular-organic
photovoltaics that are made out of the successive layers of electron and hole
transporting materials under vacuum. Common materials for these, according to
Wikipedia, include PTCBI, PTCDA, Me-PTCDI, Pe-PTCDI, H2Pc, MPc where M stands
for (Zn, Cu), TPyP, TPD, CBP, C60, and PCBM. There are also polymer-organic
photovoltaics with the most common materials for these being PPV - Poly(p-phenylene
vinylene), polyfluorenes, or polythiophenes. Another type of solar cells use
light absorbing dyes. These are called dye-sensitized solar cells. They use
mesoporous layer of nanoparticulate titanium dioxide to amplify the surface
area compared to single-crystal TiO2. These have the problem of degradation
from heat and UV light. Additionally, the cell casings are difficult to seal
because of the solvents used in the assembly, according to Wikipedia. These
are not serious contenders to be the technology of choice for this reason, although
they do work better than other solar cells if confined to interior, protected
environments.
One type of solar cell that is still in the theoretical stage that might soon
fall into the compound semi realm is the infrared solar cell. Researchers have
devised inexpensive ways to produce plastic sheets containing billions of nanoantennas
to collect heat energy generated by the sun and other sources. The researchers
still have to devise methods to produce useful electricitym but when they do,
these would have the distinct advantage of being able to collect (invisible)
infrared rays in the dark of night since they are harvesting the stored infrared
energy as it radiates back off the earth's surface at night.
Overally, most of the PV technologies have not yet proven themselves to be
cost effective for producing electricity on a large scale. However, with the
amount of money venture capitalists and the government are pouring into research,
definitive proof of cost effectiveness of the technology should be arriving
soon. For more detail on the non-CS based technologies, Wikipedia provides a
very comprehensive discussion of solar
cell technology. You can also view the list of news stories in the compound
semi solar arena found on CS News through our search page (Ref: Search
for Non-silicon solar cells). If you have questions about the
solid state lighting and compound semiconductor industries or have news
or views to share, I'm Jo Ann McDonald, Editor of LIGHTimes and CompoundSemi News.
Feel free to contact me directly, anytime. 
My direct tel at the ranch is
+1-325-463-5345
From time to time Jo Ann may comment on companies in which she holds a
modest investment - be sure to read
her disclosure at some point in time... |
