NREL is a national laboratory of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Energy 

Efficiency & Renewable Energy, operated by the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC.

Contract No. DE-AC36-08GO28308

Development of a High Volume 

Capable Process to Manufacture 

High Performance Photovoltaic 

Cells

Cooperative Research and 

Development Final Report

CRADA Number: CRD-08-322

NREL Technical Contact: John F. Geisz

CRADA Report

NREL/TP-7A10-56613

November 2012
NOTICE

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Cooperative Research and Development Final Report

In accordance with Requirements set forth in Article XI.A(3) of the CRADA document, this document is 

the final CRADA report, including a list of Subject Inventions, to be forwarded to the Office of Science 

and Technical Information as part of the commitment to the public to demonstrate results of federally 

funded research.

CRADA Number: CRD-08-322

CRADA Title: Development of a High Volume Capable Process to Manufacture High 

Performance Photovoltaic Cells

Parties to the Agreement: RF Micro Devices Inc.

Joint Work Statement Funding Table showing DOE commitment: 

Estimated Costs NREL Shared Resources

Year 1 $ 00.00

Year 2 $ 00.00

Year 3 $ 00.00

TOTALS $ 00.00

Abstract of CRADA work: 

The intent of the work is for RFMD and NREL to cooperate in the development of a commercially viable 

and high volume capable process to manufacture high performance photovoltaic cells, based on 

inverted metamorphic (IMM) GaAs technology. The successful execution of the agreement will result in

the production of a PV cell using technology that is capable of conversion efficiency at par with the 

market at the time of release (reference 2009: 37-38%), using RFMD’s production facilities.

The CRADA work has been divided into three phases:

• A foundation phase where the teams will demonstrate the manufacturing of a basic PV cell at 

RFMD’s production facilities;

• A technology demonstration phase where the teams will demonstrate the manufacturing of 

prototype PV cells using IMM technology at RFMD’s production facilities, and;

• A production readiness phase where the teams will demonstrate the capability to manufacture 

PV cells using IMM technology with high yields, high reliability, high reproducibility and low cost.

Summary of Research Results: 

RFMD, in cooperation with NREL, has fabricated dual-junction PV cells that integrate gallium arsenide 

(GaAs) and indium gallium phosphide (InGaP) PV junctions using the Company's standard six-inch 
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semiconductor equipment. The successful fabrication of the dual-junction PV cells clears the way for 

RFMD to develop triple-junction structures, with the ultimate goal of developing a commercially viable 

and high volume-capable compound semiconductor-based process for high-performance PV cells. 

RFMD's development efforts related to a compound semiconductor-based process for PV cells are 

broadly applicable across technologies, including IMM as well as conventional triple-junction 

Germanium-based CPV devices.

(taken from http://ir.rfmd.com/releasedetail.cfm?releaseid=554243) 

Subject Inventions Listing: 

None

Report Date: 

10/1/12

Responsible Technical Contact at Alliance/NREL: 

John F. Geisz

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