MSU Technologies

Laser Assisted SiC Growth on Si Substrates

Introduction

As the demand for energy production shifts from non-renewable sources to renewable sources the market for those renewable energy sources will grow. Solar cell technology is a leading contender in the renewable arena. Enough energy comes from the sun in 1 hour to power the global population for a year. Although renewable technologies such as solar have low operating costs, the cost to implement this technology is still substantial. Current industry leaders are focusing research and development efforts on reducing manufacturing and deployment cost of solar cells. Reliability and durability of installed systems remind an important issue for long term success of photovoltaic technologies. A promising material in solar technology is silicon carbide. Silicon carbide is very strong and provides one of the most durable photovoltaic materials know. Conventional production of silicon carbide is however expensive, and has not seen significant use in photovoltaic products.

Description of Technology

This technology is a versatile and cost effective method for growth of silicon carbide. The silicon carbide can be produced on a wide variety of surface geometries. The process would allow numerous configurations for cost-effective photovoltaic manufacturing. An initial laboratory prototype has been created with favorable conversion efficiency.

Key Benefits

Efficient processing: This technology is an alternative to the costly currently methods of industry and allows silicon carbide production on a wide variety of surface geometries
High Market Potential: Meets industry need for lower production cost
Reliability: Silicon carbide is strong and durable

Applications