Mar 1 2011
Solar3D, a Pioneering developer of a three-dimensional Solar Cell Technology, which maximizes the conversion of sunlight into electricity, has revealed that its design would utilize low cost semi conductor processes for achieving mass production.
The company took note of the light management techniques, which were used in fiber optic devices and developed a new and innovative solar cell technology, which was a three-dimensional design to trap sunlight rays within the micro PV structures. Inside these structures photons jump around till they get converted into electrons. According to the company, this innovative solar cell design would revolutionize the solar energy industry in terms of economics.
Solar 3D’s CEO, Jim Nelson stated that it was essential to have both low costs and high efficiency involved in their operations. With this breakthrough product, he felt the company was on the right path to success. He further revealed that for low cost fabrication to be implemented successfully in three-dimensional Solar cells, they were to use the already existing semiconductor manufacturing plants and equipments. This was mainly because the semiconductor manufacturing process was the same process, which was designed in the 1990s, and hence all the operational bugs in both the machines and in the process would have been completely eliminated.
Furthermore, there was no necessity to construct new facilities or new machines for making the three-dimensional solar cell. Nelson revealed that the PV Solar Cell basically consisted of a diode, which was the basis of most microprocessors and electronics used now. The company’s belief was that the diode if designed with the correct size and shape would help in the production of three-dimensional structures. Ultimately, what the company wanted to achieve was getting more power on a low cost basis in a smaller space.