Solar Cells Info

source:
http://www.azonano.com/news.asp?newsID=3015

Building on more than two years of collaboration with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), HelioVolt announced it will extend the Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) for research carried out at NREL’s facilities to include the development of non-vacuum nanomaterial-based deposition processes optimized for HelioVolt’s proprietary FASST (TM) manufacturing technology. The fastest and most efficient way to manufacture thin-film CIGS photovoltaics, FASST (TM) was recently honored with a Nano 50(TM) Award from Nanotech Briefs, a leading nanotechnology magazine from the publishers of NASA Tech Briefs. Judged by an independent panel of nanotechnology and MEMS experts, the Nano 50 award recognizes HelioVolt’s process for its significant near-term impact on the market as well as the field of nanotechnology.

HelioVolt is enabling new paths to solar energy marketability by building on its knowledge of the unique characteristics of the Copper Indium Gallium Selenide (CIGS) material system. As described most accurately so far in a model published by Dr. B.J. Stanbery, HelioVolt’s founder, when made under the proper conditions CIGS spontaneously arranges itself at the nanoscale to create a percolation network that drastically reduces losses, making the material the most efficient and reliable thin-film for photovoltaics. By taking maximum advantage of this, HelioVolt’s flexible FASST (TM) process can be used under both vacuum and atmospheric conditions to print photovoltaic material directly onto traditional construction materials including architectural glass, steel, roofing and polymers in 80 to 98 percent less time than conventional processes. Under the terms of the CRADA, HelioVolt will work with NREL to optimize both conventional vacuum and pioneering non-vacuum deposition processes for FASST (TM) manufacturing environments.