In the shiny Process Development and Integration Laboratory (PDIL) on NREL's Golden, Colorado campus, six special robots are assembling, measuring, and analyzing photovoltaic cells. During a visit to the lab last November, I got a firsthand look at some PV assembly methods being tested but didn't realize that there were bots hiding in plain sight. Now it looks like solar companies will be able to test their processes and materials much faster.
According to an NREL article, one of these robots "pivots and dishes like a point guard, sifts like a master chef, analyzes like a forensics expert and does it all while maintaining a vacuum seal on the entire process." Or, as BigGreenBoulder's Dave Burdick says, it's "Chauncey Billups, Hosea Rosenberg and, uh, a forensics expert--all in one!" The result: a six-inch square semiconductor assembled in about half an hour.
The lab has five other robots, including a recent addition that can work with copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) semiconducting material. I have a feeling these metallic helpers will be a sweet advantage for the solar industry, ultimately making PVs easier and more affordable to produce. NREL and 3M just announced that they are going to do joint research on thin-film PV and concentrating solar technology so I imagine those bots will stay busy.
Photo: NREL senior scientist Miguel Contreras with a robot that can analyze solar cell material quality and detect impurities. Credit: Pat Corkery.
Tags: Alternative Power Sources, Government, Green Tech, Semiconductors, Solar Power
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