facilityMaterials Engineering Laboratory

The Mechanical Engineering's Materials Engineering Lab (MEL) has in been in the forefront of CdTe photovoltaic manufacturing technology development since 1991. Several unique testing hardware, capabilities and expertise have been developed by MEL.

Lab Developments include the following 14 testing capabilities:

1. Continuous in-line system for processing 3 x 3 inch substrates for CdS/CdTe photovoltaic devices. The system has capabilities for glass heating, CdS deposition, CdTe deposition, CdCl2 treatment and back contact. Facilities for measuring film thickness are available.
2. Substrate preparation and automated cleaning in a cleanroom mini-environment.
3. Substrate heaters, deposition sources.
4. Spray metallization for back electrode formation.
5. Small area device fabrication for analysis.
6. Stress testing of devices under accelerated conditions with controlled temperature and illumination
7. Exposing and testing devices under outdoor conditions emulating sealed modules.
8. Device characterization including dark JV, light JV, CV, CF, TAS, TID, PHCAP etc. and the capability to perform these as a function of temperature using cryostat.