14 Oct 2008
Milton Keynes, 14th October 2008: Wafer Technology today
announces a new energy conversion efficiency record for
thermo-photovoltaic (TPV) cells. In partnership with CIP
Technologies and the University of Oxford, and with partial
funding from the UK Technology Strategy Board and EPSRC, a
successful three year collaborative research project has
delivered first generation single-junction cells with energy
conversion efficiencies up to 12%. This compares to 9% from
existing, commercially available devices.
TPVs are similar to solar cells, but operate at infrared
rather than visible wavelengths, generating electricity
directly from heat. They have applications in waste heat
recovery from industrial plant such as blast furnaces,
combined heat and power (CHP) generation and domestic
boilers, as well as silent mobile power generation.
On the TPV project, CIP is responsible for epitaxial growth,
device fabrication and the fabrication of fully packaged TPV
modules. Wafer Technology developed a new range of low cost
InP substrates, and the University of Oxford engaged in cell
design and device testing.
Brian Smith, Wafer Technology’s Crystal Growth Manager,
commented, “We are very pleased to have contributed the InP
substrates upon which these world-class results have been
achieved. Our success in developing a new range of InP
products specifically targeting TPV applications is a
significant achievement and these results affirm Wafer
Technology’s strength in advanced crystal growth and
substrate manufacturing technologies”.
The partners in the TPV project are:
Wafer Technology : www.wafertech.co.uk
CIP Technologies : www.ciphotonics.com
Physics Dept., Oxford University : www.physics.ox.ac.uk
Contacts:
Wafer Technology (Sales)
Dr. Mark J. Furlong
mfurlong@wafertech.co.uk
Tel +44 19 0821 0444
IQE (Press/Investors)
Chris Meadows
investors@iqep.com
Tel: +44 29 2083 9400