Akrion, a supplier of advanced surface preparation equipment, and CEA-Liten (Laboratory of Innovation for New Energy Technologies and Nanomaterials), a French public technological research organization, have signed an agreement to collaborate on the development of silicon-based heterojunction solar cells until at least the end of 2009.
Akrion's system will provide pre-deposition surface conditioning for heterojunction solar cells as part of the research program on Liten's silicon solar cells technology platform localized in INES (French Institute for Solar Energy) in Le Bourget du Lac, France.
By using INES platforms, CEA-Liten conducts research on improving the performance of silicon photovoltaic cells by optimization of manufacturing processes and the introduction of new cell design based on micro and nanotechnologies.
The Joint Development Agreement is focused on developing a specific heterojunction process to manufacture silicon solar cells at high efficiency — up to 20% — using a high productivity process.
