Research activities crtse algeria

Research Activities of C.R.T.S.E _ 2015

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République Algérienne Démocratique et Populaire

Ministry of Higher Eduction and Scientific Research General Directorate of Scientific Research and Technological Developpment

Program of Research Activities

Research Center in Semiconductors

Technology for Energetic

C.R.T.S.E

April 2015


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Preamble

The Research Center in Semi-conductors Technology for Energetic (C.R.T.S.E) is a public establishment under

the tutorship of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research (MESRS) and the General Directorate

of Scientific Research and Technological Development (DGRSDT). It was established in August 21, 2012 by

Executive Decree No. 12-316.

The C.R.T.S.E has been created from the ex.UDTS (Development Unit of Silicon Technology) and deployed in

Algiers on three sites:

• Site “Frantz Fanon”, 02 Bd Frantz Fanon, Alger-7 Merveilles, Alger

• Site “El Harrach”, 01 rue Atlas, EL-Harrach, Alger

• Site “El Madania”, 128 rue Mohamed Gacem, Alger

The CRTSE develops disciplines that will have an impact on some socio-economic sectors. Its mission is to lead

scientific research, technological innovation, valorization and post- graduate training in the field of materials

sciences and technology and also semi-conductors devices, covering various applications areas including:

energy conversion, photovoltaic and storage, sensing, optoelectronics and photonics. The CRTSE actively

contributes to the development of knowledge and its transformation into technological know-how and products

for economic and societal development.

The Research Center in Semiconductors Technology for Energetic (C.R.T.S.E ) is composed by four (4)

Research Divisions:

1. Crystalline Growth of semi-conductors and Metallurgical Processes (CCPM);

2. Development of Semi-conductors Devices for Conversion (DDCS);

3. Thin Films, Surfaces and Interfaces (CMSI);

4. Emerging Semi-conductors Technologies for Energy (TESE).

Four (4) Technical Workshops :

1. Silicon Elaboration Workshop (AES),

2. Waste Treatment Workshop (ATE);

3. Semiconductors Devices Packaging Workshop (AEDS);

4. Electronic and Mechanical Workshop (AME).

Two (2) Departments :

1. Department of Scientific Information, Foreign relations and Valorization of the Research Results.

2. Department of Scientific Equipment of Realization and Characterization of the Semi-conductors

Devices.


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The C.R.T.S.E mobilizes 81 permanent Researchers and 53 PhD Students (external and internal).

81 Permanent Researchers

50 Technical Personnel

30 Administrative Staff

32 Maintance and Service Agents

53 PhD Students

Research Activities of C.R.T.S.E

Research Division: CCPM

Crystalline Growth of semi-conductors and Metallurgical Processes

Upstream and to complete already existing technological segments at C.R.T.S.E, the raw material treatment and

crystal growth Division (CCPM) objectives are:

Enrichment of silica for electro metallurgy;

Carbo-reduction of silica to get metallurgical grade silicon (Si-MG);

Purification of Si-MG to get solar grade silicon (Si-SoG);

Use of crystal growth method to get monocrystalline materials with specific properties;

Implementation of physical-chemical characterization techniques for the control and the validity of

elaborated materials;

Undertake research and development on crucibles and others consumables specific to silicon growth;

Numerical simulation of the crystal growth process by vertical Bridgman method;

Treatment of chemical wastes resulting from photovoltaic processes.

Research axis 1

Characterization of Algerian silica - Raw material Treatment – Carbothermic reduction.

Action 1 :

- Supply of pure raw materials from different deposits (silica sand, standstone), veine quartz.

- SIMS, EPAM and ICP-MS characterization of quartz and carbon.

- XRD characterization and enrichment of the national silica by leaching and flotation processes.

Action 2 :

- Raw material enrichment (silica and carbon) up to a required a high level of a quality with XRF and XRD

characterizations before and after enrichment.

Action 3 :

- High temperature load behaviour (induction furnace, microwave).


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- Carbothermic process for obtaining silicon metallurgical grade (MG-Si, 99.99% Si).

Impact de l’activité sur le secteur socio-économique

Mastership of the whole process of the raw material (silica) enrichment, for the future photovoltaic industry in

Algeria.

Research axis 2

Crystal growth numerical simulation

Action 1 :

- Numerical simulation of the directional silicon solidification (DSS technique).

- Process analysis of crystal growth (in general way), of DSS furnace in particular.

- Optimization of the massive crystals growth methods through simulation, to ultimately produce good

quality crystals.

Action 2 :

- Development of a comprehensive simulation model of silicon solidification oven, based on the DSS

technique and Multiphysics COMSOL software.

Action 3 :

- Implementation under COMSOL: choice of the physical model; geometry, mesh-optimization; FEM

discretization.

Impact of the activity on the socio-economic sector

Optimization of the crystalline silicon for photovoltaic use and multicrystalline silicon process development.

Research Axis 3

Characterization, treatment and regeneration of semiconductor effluents "photovoltaic Process".

Action 1 :

- Adsorption, electro-adsoprtion; valorisation of sludge, etc.

Action 2 :

- Develop a recovery device of high purity silicon from the by-products of polycrystalline silicon wafering

process.

Action 3 :

- Physico-chemical treatment of effluents resulting from chemical mechanical polishing of silicon wafers

(optimization of the operating conditions: the dose of the coagulant and floculent).

Action 4 :

- Adsorption separation process: choice of adsorbent materials and device set-up for dynamic adsorption of

pollutants (fluoride and nitrate).


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Action 5 :

- Study of the DCO effect and turbidity during effluent electrochemical treatment (copper, fluoride).


Resources valorisation and cost reduction of waste management

Recovery of semiconductor by-products (cutting of silicon ingots)

Cost reduction of solar cell production

Research Axis 4

Material Rheology and Applications.

Action 1 :

- Development of ultrapure Si3N4 based new coatings for photovoltaic solar crucibles.

Action 2 :

- Multicrystalline silicon wafers sampling for lifetime measurements by WCT 120.

Action 3 :

- Lifetime Tests for multicrystalline silicon wafers.

Action 4 :

- Directional solidification of HEM mc-Si ingots in old and new-coated crucibles.


Industrial development and injection of new solutions for solar crucibles coatings that will be developed in the

future solar production lines.

Research Axis 5

Crystal growth of massive semiconductors.

Action 1 :

- Synthesis of poly-crystals and physico-chemical characterization.


Development of a Laboratory device for semiconductors crystal growth.


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Research Division: DDCS Development of Semi-conductors Devices for Conversion

The mission of Development of Semi-conductors Devices for Conversion (DDCS) Division focuses on the

study, design, implementation and development of technological processes in order to give rise to prototypes of

photovoltaic solar cells with silicon and with others semi-conductors materials such as GaAS, CIGS, TCO’s,

etc. The main objective is to test all technology segments having to lead in a first step to the realization of

monocrystalline silicon based solar cells (from wafers developed at CRTSE) whose conversion efficiency would

exceed 15%.

Research Axis 1

Passivation of defects and recombination centers in Silicon. Theoretical and experimental studies.

Action 1:

- Study and simulation of the theoretical model of the kinetics of the formation and dissociation of the boron

oxygen complexes and related defects.

Action 2 :

- Realization of p+pn

+ structures with and without porous layers.

Action 3 :

- Specific annealing to optimize co-gettering with and without porous layers.

Action 4 :

- Preliminary study of porous layers and their effect on the electric properties of wafers prior to diffusion.

Action 5 :

- Rapid thermal annealing profile optimization of Silicon CZ p-type wafers in RTP furnace.


Optimization of electric performance of p-type silicon solar cells.

Prototypes of silicon wafers with best and stable electrical performance.

Research Axis 2

N-type silicon based solar cells.

Realization of heterojunction solar cells [a-Si : H(p)/c-Si(n)].

Action 1 :

- Development of n+ BSF.

- Control of the spin - on diffusion process and vapor phase for n+ BSF from phosphorus sources.

- Optimization of the BSF.


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Action 2 :

- Development of p+ emitters.

- Control of the spin - on diffusion process and vapor phase for n+ BSF from boron sources.

- Realization of emitters with both techniques.

Action 3 :

- Sputtering of intrinsic amorphous silicon thin films on glass and n-crystalline silicon substrates : effect of

technological parameters.

- Development of thin aluminum layers (< 20 nm) and thickness optimization.

Action 4 :

- Realization and study of the Al/a-Si: H(i)/c - Si(n) structure.


Thin-film technologies are promising for the reduction of manufacturing costs of solar cells made from Silicon,

especially amorphous hydrogenated a-Si: H.

Realization of low-cost solar cells.

Research axis 3

Realization of solar cells with copper metal contacts

Action 1 :

- Realization of selective emitters on multicrystalline silicon by a Laser-assisted doping.

Action 2 :

- Realization of the emitters.

- Optimization of 80 and 100Ω/□ emitters; deposition of SiNx films.

Action 3 :

- Optimization of the laser parameters for 20 to 30 Ω/□ resistivity.

- Test of laser treatment on n+ / Si with PSG and SiNx/n

+ / Si.

Action 4 :

- Silicon nitride thin layer deposition with different refractive indices.

- SiNx stacking optimization for passivation and anti-reflective effect.

Action 5 :

- Analysis of deposited Nickel barrier and copper layers.


- Reduction of the number of technological steps

- Production of photovoltaic crystalline silicon cells with improved performance.

- Control and adaptation of simple and inexpensive techniques for solar cell manufacturing.

- Replacement of the chemically screen printing technique to realize the metallization grid on the

front side of the solar cell.


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- Reduction of the solar cell manufacturing cost.

Research axis 4

Development of photovoltaic heterostructures with silicon and chalcogenide as absorber base.

Action 1 :

- Numerical simulation of TCO/Si and TCO/CZTS structures.

Action 2 :

- Ab-initio study of alloyed TCO’s [(Fe1-xMxS2; M = Ni, Co, O...), Cu2-xMxO].

Action 3 :

- Preparation of thin films (TiO2, ZnS, Cu2O, ZnMgO and FeS2) TCO and alumina passivating

layers.

Action 4 :

- Realization of reference devices on p-type mc - Si substrates; experimental optimization of CZTS

films deposition.

Action 5 :

- Realization of doped TCO /Si structures.

Impact de l’activité sur le secteur socio-économique

Design of advanced multicrystalline silicon based and 2nd

generation photovoltaic cells; patents; prototypes.


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Research Division : CMSI

Thin Films, Surfaces and Interfaces

The mission of Thin Films, Surfaces and Interfaces (CMSI) Division is to promote a multi-field R&D

associating the fundamental and applied aspects in the field of advanced materials (organic, inorganic and

hybrid) of surfaces and interfaces, nanoscience ((nanostructures and nanotechnologies) and biotechnologies.

The CMSI Division focuses on two main areas:

Development of materials and processes in thin surface layers and interfaces;

Structures and devices for detection, optoelectronics and conversion.

Study of deposited of oxides and metals alloys in nanostructured silicon;

Production of chemical sensors biosensors based on nanostructured silicon for detection of toxic

chemical species;

Thin films of silicon carbide: application environment and energy storage;

Formation of nanostructures chemically on semiconductors materials;

Functionalization of nanostructures based semi-conductors.

Research axis 1

Study of metallic oxides and alloys deposition onto silicon nanostructures.

Silicon nanostructuration.

Action 1:

- Control of deposition conditions of oxides (ZnO, NiO, V2O5) with selected techniques.

Action 2 :

- Control and optimization of deposition conditions onto Silicon nanostructures.

Action 3 :

- Device study of silicon nanostructure / oxide.

Action 4 :

- Silicon nanostructuration in new solutions (oxidants, solvents, etc.).

- Experimental Conditions (catalyst deposition), combination of chemical and electrochemical methods, etc.

Action 5 :

- Study of optical, structural, morphological properties, etc. of silicon nanostructures.

Action 6 :

- Study of silicon nanostructures in aqueous media in the presence of Li, Na...ions.

Activity impact on the socio-economic sector

Patents:

IR filter for sun ray protection


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Anti-reflective layers for solar cells

Conversion and energy storage

Silicon Nanostructuration

Research axis 2

Growth of semiconductor thin films.

Action 1:

- Elaboration by PECVD and sputtering of silicon thin films.

Action 2 : - Elaboration of thin films and multilayers of a-SiC: H: technological parameter effect.

Action 3 :

- Preparation of nitrogen doped samples (a-SiC: N).

Action 4 :

- Chemical and electrochemical treatment of SiC thin films in aqueous solutions.

Action 5 :

- Chemical synthesis and characterization of InP and Zn3P2 nanoparticles.

Action 6 :

- Chemical and electrochemical synthesis and characterization of silicon carbide porous layers (a-SiC: H).


Patents:

Coloured LEDs

Lithium batteries

Research axis 3

Growth and properties of nitrides based thin films and Nanostructures.

Action 1 :

- Synthesis of AlN films with and without polarization.

- Study and optimization of their properties.

Action 2 :

- Preparation and characterization of AlN/SiC/Si heterostructures.

Action 3 :

- Preparation and characterization of AlN/Metal/Si heterostructures.

Action 4 :

- Nanostructuration

- Implementation of nitrides depostion frame


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Prototypes of LEDs and filters based on nitrides.

Research axis 4

Functionalization of nanostructured materials

Action 1:

- Elaboration of nanostructures and structured surfaces (pores, nanotubes, nanoparticles,...) by chemical and

electrochemical methods

- Formation of hybrid materials by functionalization of the nanostructures with specific molecules

(biomolecules, polymers, fluorophores, small organic molecules...)

- Morphological and structural characterization of the obtained structures

Action 2 :

- Preparation of multilayer structures

- Study of optical and physicochemical properties of hybrid nanomaterials

- Study of energetic and topographic aspects, hydrophobic and hydrophilic properties

Action 3 : - Fabrication of electroluminescent devices.

- Yield enhancement and optimization.

- Photocatalysis degradation tests of organic molecules on the functional nanostructures.

- Process optimization.


OLEDs and PLEDs

Self-cleaning coatings for photovoltaic panels

Research axis 5

Magnetic materials for energy.

Action 1:

- Electrochemical deposition of CoFeCu on silicon and porous silicon

Action 2 :

- sol - gel deposition of XFe2O4 by, X = Ni, Co, Ni-Zn


Development of new nanostructured materials

Improvement of magnetic properties of ferrites in order to increase the performance of electronic transformers,

inductors)

Technological development of new systems for energy production


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Research Division : TESE

Emerging Semi-conductors Technologies for Energy

The Emerging Semi-conductors Technologies for Energy (TESE) Division approaches innovative organic and

inorganic semi-conductors materials intended for energy applications: photonics, optoelectronic, energy

conversion and storage (batteries and process for hydrogen storage). Among these, mention will be made of

composite materials, polymers, hybrid materials, carbon in any form and derivatives thereof.

It concerns also material of nanoparticles and nanopowders assembled nanoparticles, nanowires, materials and

functionalized surfaces and / or micro nanostructured primarily intended for optoelectronics (LED, OLED).

Note also that a several emphasis is placed on innovative materials used in activities that meet societal needs

and environment constraints: storage and clean production of energy environment monitoring and depollution,

etc.

Research axis 1

Nanomaterials for conversion and energy storage

New materials and concepts for optoelectronics

Action 1 :

- Parameter control of deposits to obtain a - SiNx:H layers containing an excess of silicon.

Action 2 :

- Study of thermal annealing: temperature, time and atmosphere. Structural and optical analysis.

- Growth of nanocristalline silicon.

Action 3 :

- Preparation of doping rare earth solutions.

- Elaboration of rare-earth-doped thin films.

- Study of the photoluminescence before and after annealing.

- Conception of an optoelectronic device.

Activity Impact on the socio-economic sector

Integration of conversion layer in the photovoltaic cells, electrical yield enhancement.

Development of materials for their application as optoelectronic devices.


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Research axis 2

Nanomaterials for conversion and energy storage.

Action 1 :

- Graphene-SiNWs based structures for energy.

Action 2 :

- Development of a supercapacitor.

Action 3 :

- Fabrication of heterostructures for energy conversion.

Action 4 :

- Use of silicon nanowires as a photocatalyst for graphene synthesis.


Achievement of new structures for energy conversion.

Achievement of a supercapacitor (energy storage).


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Ateliers _ CRTSE

Silicon Elaboration Workshop (AES)

Research axis

Manufacturing and characterization of multicrystalline silicon ingots.

Action

- An HEM station with complete automation is used for manufacturing Silicon PV ingots.


The furnace in CRTSE is designed to grow multicrystalline silicon ingot. The obtained ingots are sliced into

thin wafers and are used to make a solar cell.

Waste Treatment Workshop (ATE)

Research axis

Treatment and recovery of acidic effluents and used organic solvents.

Action 1 :

- Elimination of acid release and acids outdated by a physico-chemical effluent treatment station type

Assissteaux with a capacity of 150 liters/hr.

Action 2 :

- Distilling and recycling of used organic solvents by using a Distiller type ECO - DEC with a capacity of 20

liters/hr.

Action 3 :

- Service delivery for the treatment of effluents from other institutions, companies and research centers.


Put an end to the storage of used acids.

Management and treatment of acids by Algerian and international standards.

Reuse of recycled solvents.

Provision of service.

Documents

Research activities crtse algeria