REC has introduced a series of innovations to the industry, and is continuing to build on a strong IPR portfolio counting 46 patents granted and 146 patents pending. Key patents and applications cover REC’s production technologies for silicon in Siemens reactors, and fluidized bed reactors, crystallization technology, wafer sawing, washing and singulation.
Silicon
For the past year the technology team at REC Silicon has been focused on finalizing the fluidized bed reactor (FBR) project, which completes four years of pilot trials and transfer of critical process safety information to the operational organization prior to the start-up of Silicon III. Our FBR process saves energy by growing silicon beads in temperature-balanced conditions. It is an improvement over the previous industry-standard Siemens process, which superheats silicon growing rods while they are inside a freezing chamber, conditions which consume more energy per unit of silicon produced. In addition to eliminating energy waste from temperature imbalances, the FBR process is also more productive, because it creates granules that provide a larger surface area for growing silicon than the rod-based Siemens process.
Wafer
In REC Wafer, the focus has been on full-scale testing of new crystallization and furnace technologies for improving multicrystalline wafers, as well as testing of new wire saws, new singulation systems, and other new equipment and quality control systems that are integral parts of the new wafer plants at Herøya. The improved crystallization process and wafer quality has now also been externally confirmed by the new world record multicrystalline modules made by Energy Centre of Netherlands, based on the new REC wafer quality. In co-operation with SiGen, REC also continued testing possible new technologies eliminating traditional wire saws and kerf loss in the wafering process. We were the first in the world to cut 50 micron wafers from an ingot in 2008.
Cell and module
In the downstream operations in cells and modules, focus has been on establishing the new laboratory facilities and optimizing production equipment design for handling thinner wafers. The development of higher efficiency devices has also continued, partly for the existing facilities but even more importantly for the new cell and module plants in Singapore.
New technology centers
To continue the drive for innovative technology development for both existing and planned facilities, REC has invested in four new technology centers. The silane gas and polysilicon technology center in Moses Lake, Washington, USA and Sandvika, Norway were completed in 2008, whereas the wafer technology center at Herøya, Norway will be completed in 2009. The cell/module technology center at the corporate headquarter in Sandvika has just been completed and is now fully operational.
In addition, REC has set up an R&D lab in Silicon Valley, USA, where several engineers and scientists are working on developing new technologies for photovoltaic solar power focusing on the convergence of very thin wafers and thin films.
Total research and development (R&D) expenses in 2008 totaled NOK 213 million.