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Sunovia Energy Technologies and EPIR Technologies have completed Phase 1 of their shared 2,000 sq. ft. cleanroom for the manufacture of cadmium telluride (CdTe)-based solar cells and CdTe and mercury cadmium telluride (HgCdTe) infrared detectors as part of the joint venture operations. More than $25 million has been invested in R&D and cleanroom facilities to date, the companies said. The cleanroom is based at EPIR’s operations in Bolingbrook, Illinois, USA.
The new cleanroom houses a new molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) machine for the growth of single crystals of semiconductor materials. It also contains an x-ray diffractometer with a CCD camera and a spectrophotometer for measuring encapsulant and solar cell material optical properties and more generally for measuring the thickness and surface roughness of thin film layers.
Also used is a current-voltage station from Keithley and an Oriel/Newport solar simulator to measure solar cell efficiency. Two more MBE machines are currently on order for the Phase II expansion, the companies said.
