Si licon So lar C onsortium

1. Silicon Solar Consortium A Global Partnership for Silicon Photovoltaic Research, Development and Education A National Science Foundation I/UCRC Industry/University Cooperative Research Center www.sisoc.biz 1

2. The I/U CRC Program Objectives • To develop long term partnerships among industry, academe, and government • To promote the development of industrially relevant ‘pre-competitive’ research programs • To produce students who are well versed in industrially relevant research 2

3. A National Science Foundation Industry/University Cooperative Research Center (I/UCRC) Hanyang University (Korea) University of Washington Rochester Inst. of Tech. Lehigh University Texas Tech wafer/cell equipment National Lab paste nanoscale devices

4. University Members • North Carolina State University:(Primary Site) • George Rozgonyi, Center Director • Jon-Paul Maria • Georgia Institute of Technology:(Partner Site) • AjeetRohatgi, Center Co-Director • Steve Danyluk and ShreyesMelkote • Hanyang University: Jae-Gun Park • Lehigh University: Mike Stavola • Texas Tech University: Stefan Estreicher • University of Washington: Scott Dunham • Rochester Institute of Technology: Santosh Kurinec

5. Industry and National Lab. Membership • Applied Materials ATMI • Bandgap Engineering • Bosch Solar (Germany) • centrotherm (Germany) • Confluence Solar • Dow Corning - Hemlock DuPont Electronic Tech. GT Solar Hanwha (Korea) Heraeus Kayex MEMC Electronic Materials NREL OCI (Korea) REC (Norway/US) Sandia National Lab. ReneSola (China) SolarWorld (Germany/US) Suniva SunPower Suntech Power (China)

6. SiSoC Advisory Board • SiSoC Decision Making Entity • Formulates By-Laws • Suggests Research Topics • Votes to Select New R&D Projects • Votes on New Industry and University • Membership Nominations

7. SiSoC Research Topics • Silicon Feedstock • Silicon Crystallization • Defects and Impurities: Gettering • Passivation • Mechanical Properties:Wafer Breakage • Process Modeling and Simulation • Device Design and Fabrication • Advanced Characterization • Module Technology

8. Funding/Communication/ Management • Funding • Annual industry member fees for research (~$600k US) • NSF provides funds for operations support (~$140k US) • Communication • Website maintained by NCSU (password protected) • Flyer available online (http://sisoc.biz) • Project Selection and Management • Two year research projects at universities • Semi-annual meetings and progress reports • Strong industry mentor-university interactions

9. Project Selection and Management • Competitive Annual Project Selection • Members provide a list of R & D topics of interest • Universities submit 3-page project proposals • Members vote to select projects and allocate funds • In 2010, 8 projects were selected out of 10 proposals • (5 fully funded and 3 partially funded) • Project Management • Two-year duration with competitive renewal option • Progress reports during semi-annual meetings • Strong industrial mentor-university interactions

10. Membership Levels and Fees • Annual SiSoC membership fees paid by Industry and Agency members varies according to membership type: • Full Member: Fee $50,000 – 50 project selection pts. • 2 votes on IAB issues, full patent/IP options • Associate Member: Fee $25,000 – 25 project selection pts. • 1 vote on IAB issues, full patent/IP options • Observer Member: Fee $10,000 – no voting/no IP options • NSF provides annual university operations support : • $80,000 – Primary Site (NC State U) • $50,000 – Partner Site (Ga Tech)

11. Examples of Completed and Ongoing Projects: I • Mechanical Properties of Mono- and Multi-crystalline Silicon: Correlation with Impurities and Defects • Gettering and Passivation of Defects in Low-Cost c-Si Materials • Microscopic Studies of Recombination Centers, Passivation, and Hydrogenation • Analysis of the Stress State in Thin Silicon Wafers Due to Handling • Fundamental Understanding of a Boron Emitter and Back Surface Field • Influence of Local Residual Stresses on Mechanical Properties and Crack Initiation/Propagation of Silicon PV Wafers • Impact of Light Element Impurities (O, C, N) on the Structure and Electrical Behavior of Photovoltaic Crystalline Silicon

12. Examples of Completed and Ongoing Projects: II • Implementation of Optimized Gettering and Passivation Strategies for Multicrystalline Silicon Solar Cells with Focus on Grain Size Dependence and Advanced Features • Understanding and Development of Dielectrics for Backside Passivation of Low Cost, High Efficiency Silicon Solar Cells • Analysis of the Effects of Wafer Slicing on the Mechanical Integrity of Silicon Wafers • Conductive Antireflection Coatings for Si Solar Cells • Impact of Oxygen, Carbon and Nitrogen on the Mechanical Properties and Crack Initiation/Propagation in Silicon PV Wafers • Light Impurities and Transition Metals in Si Solar-Cell Materials • Technology Computer Aided Design Tools for Silicon Solar Cells

13. Contact • Center Director • Prof. George Rozgonyi, NCSU • (919) 515-2934 • rozgonyi@ncsu.edu • Center Co-Director • Prof. Ajeet Rohatgi, Georgia Tech • (404) 894-7692 • ajeet.rohatgi@ee.gatech.edu • Operations Director • François Hautin, NCSU • (919) 513-3927 • fdhautin@ncsu.edu

14. Website: www.sisoc.biz • Public access section with general information • Password protected section for member access only: • Project presentations/ proposals -ppt files, etc. • Meeting minutes • Project evaluations by Industrial Advisory Board (IAB) • Annual reports • Maintained by NCSU • Advertising Flyer: Available online • Used for recruiting new members