CuInSe2-based Solar Cell Key Patent Analysis
Photovoltaic energy is the one of the strategic key technology businesses that now the government are highly interested in and also high potential resource of renewable energies to be realized. PV industry is rapidly growing by annually over 40% for the last 2~3 years due to the boom of worldwide PV industry and becomes bright in the future.
The challenge of reducing manufacturing cost in PV industry makes chemical compound solar cell skyrocket recently. Within these solar cells, CIS-based solar cell has 1x105 cm-1 absorption coefficient that is highest number among semiconductors and 1~2 um in thickness. Moreover, many researches are being conducted because of its high potential of high efficiency solar cell and high long-term electric-optical stability. CuInSe2 compound semiconductor thin film solar cell developed by U.S based Boeing in 1980's is light weight space-use solar cell with high efficiency and high stability, made as replacement of mono-crystalline silicon solar cell (20W/kg). Moreover, generation per weight that is key constituent of space-use solar cell, is about 100W/kg, superior to 20~40W/kg of conventional Si or GaAs solar cell. Advanced countries have focused on technical development, aiming for land-based high efficient/low cost thin film solar cell since 1980s and achieved the highest conversion efficiency, 19.2%, of 1.2 eV single junction CuInGaSe2 solar cells.
Solar&Energy considered the need for research and research ripple effect and choose CIS-based solar cell technology field (even detail technology) as the target for patent analysis. We searched patents from July 29, 1974 to Dec 31, 2010, targeting Korea from KIORIS DB, Japan from Thomson-innovation DB, U.S public/registered patents, EU public/registered patents and patents in other countries.
The contents of CIS-based solar cell are contained in this report by year, country, company and applicants. The detailed technologies are divided, analyzed by absorber layer construction/vacuum deposition/nano power as well as substrate/buffer-layer/window layer/electrode/patterning. Especially, this report contains the list and analysis of key patents major companies applied for on whole CIS field and also let companies in R&D stage understand the patent rights and development direction of technology.
The challenge of reducing manufacturing cost in PV industry makes chemical compound solar cell skyrocket recently. Within these solar cells, CIS-based solar cell has 1x105 cm-1 absorption coefficient that is highest number among semiconductors and 1~2 um in thickness. Moreover, many researches are being conducted because of its high potential of high efficiency solar cell and high long-term electric-optical stability. CuInSe2 compound semiconductor thin film solar cell developed by U.S based Boeing in 1980's is light weight space-use solar cell with high efficiency and high stability, made as replacement of mono-crystalline silicon solar cell (20W/kg). Moreover, generation per weight that is key constituent of space-use solar cell, is about 100W/kg, superior to 20~40W/kg of conventional Si or GaAs solar cell. Advanced countries have focused on technical development, aiming for land-based high efficient/low cost thin film solar cell since 1980s and achieved the highest conversion efficiency, 19.2%, of 1.2 eV single junction CuInGaSe2 solar cells.
Solar&Energy considered the need for research and research ripple effect and choose CIS-based solar cell technology field (even detail technology) as the target for patent analysis. We searched patents from July 29, 1974 to Dec 31, 2010, targeting Korea from KIORIS DB, Japan from Thomson-innovation DB, U.S public/registered patents, EU public/registered patents and patents in other countries.
The contents of CIS-based solar cell are contained in this report by year, country, company and applicants. The detailed technologies are divided, analyzed by absorber layer construction/vacuum deposition/nano power as well as substrate/buffer-layer/window layer/electrode/patterning. Especially, this report contains the list and analysis of key patents major companies applied for on whole CIS field and also let companies in R&D stage understand the patent rights and development direction of technology.
CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW
1.1. Technology Overview
1.1.1 Vision of PV
1.1.2 CuInSe2- based Solar Cell Technology
1.2. Worldwide PV Installation Market and Industry Trend
1.2.1 Worldwide PV Market Forecast
1.2.2 Worldwide Solar Cell Market Forecast
1.3. Technology Analysis and Analysis Scope
1.3.1 Technology Category and Analysis Scope
1.3.2 The Final Valid Data Status
1.3.3 Index of Patent Analysis
CHAPTER 2. CUINSE2 BASED SOLAR CELL PATENT TREND ANALYSIS
2.1. Overall Patent Trend
2.1.1 Patent Trend by Year
2.1.2 Key Applicant by Country
2.1.3 Focus Area of Major Countries by Technology
2.1.4 Nationality Distribution of Applicant by Technology
2.1.5 Patent Distribution by Detail Technology
2.2. Patent Application Trend by Country
2.2.1 Patent Application Trend in Korea
2.2.2 Patent Application Trend in U.S
2.2.3 Patent Application Trend in Japan
2.2.4 Patent Application Trend in EU
2.3. Comparative Analysis of Technology Competitiveness by Country
2.3.1 Analysis of Market Competitiveness
2.3.2 Analysis of Technology Competitiveness
CHAPTER 3. PATENT TREND BY APPLICANT
3.1. Application status by Country
3.1.1 Selection of Analysis Target and Analysis Process
3.1.2 Technical Application Status by Country
3.2. Patent In-Depth Analysis of Top 10 Applicants by Technology
3.2.1 Matsushita Electric's Patent Analysis
3.2.2 Showa Shell (now, Solar Frontier)'s Patent Analysis
3.2.3 Honda's Patent Analysis
3.2.4 SoloPower's Patent Analysis
3.2.5 Yazaki's Patent Analysis
3.2.6 Nanosolar's Patent Analysis
3.2.7 Samsung Electronics's Patent Analysis
3.2.8 Miasole's Patent Analysis
3.2.9 Asahi's Patent Analysis
3.2.10 Fuji Electric's Patent Analysis
3.3. R&D Trend by Technology
3.3.1 R&D Trend of Absorber Layer Compound Technology
3.3.2 R&D Trend of Absorber Layer Nano Powder Technology
3.3.3 R&D Trend of Absorber Layer Vacuum Compound Technology
3.3.4 R&D Trend of Absorber Layer Other Technology
3.3.5 R&D Trend of Compound Thin Film Solar Cell Technology
3.3.6 R&D Trend of Substrate Technology
3.3.7 R&D Trend of Buffer-layer Technology
3.4. Patent Point by Technology
3.4.1 Point of Absorber Layer Compound Technology Patent
3.4.2 Point of Absorber Layer Nano Powder Technology Patent
3.4.3 Point of Absorber Layer Vacuum Compound Technology Patent
3.4.4 Point of Absorber Layer Other Technology Patent
3.4.5 Point of Chemical Compound Thin Film Solar Cell Technology Patent
3.4.6 Point of Substrate Technology Patent
3.4.7 Point of Buffer-layer Technology Patent
3.4.8 Point of Window-layer Technology Patent
3.4.9 Point of Electrode Technology Patent
3.4.10 Point of Tandem Technology Patent
3.4.11 Point of Patterning Technology Patent
3.4.12 Point of Module Technology Patent
CHAPTER 4. PATENT IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF
Key Research Centers/Company by Technology
4.1. Patent In-Depth Analysis of Key Research Centers by Technology
4.1.1 NREL's Patent Analysis
4.1.2 University of Delaware's Patent Analysis
4.1.3 ZSW 's Patent Analysis
4.2. Patent In-Depth Analysis of Key Companies by Technology
4.2.1 Wurth Solar's Patent Analysis
4.2.2 Avancis's Patent Analysis
4.2.3 Solibro's Patent Analysis
4.2.4 Stion's Patent Analysis
4.2.5 Ascent Solar's Patent Analysis
4.2.6 Global Solar's Patent Analysis
4.2.7 Solyndra's Patent Analysis
4.2.8 LG Innoteck's Patent Analysis
CHAPTER 5. SUMMARY
5.1. Patent Trend Analysis
5.2. Key Patent Analysis
CHAPTER 6. CONCLUSION
Appendix 1. Statistical Data
Appendix 2. Figures
Appendix 3. Tables
1.1. Technology Overview
1.1.1 Vision of PV
1.1.2 CuInSe2- based Solar Cell Technology
1.2. Worldwide PV Installation Market and Industry Trend
1.2.1 Worldwide PV Market Forecast
1.2.2 Worldwide Solar Cell Market Forecast
1.3. Technology Analysis and Analysis Scope
1.3.1 Technology Category and Analysis Scope
1.3.2 The Final Valid Data Status
1.3.3 Index of Patent Analysis
CHAPTER 2. CUINSE2 BASED SOLAR CELL PATENT TREND ANALYSIS
2.1. Overall Patent Trend
2.1.1 Patent Trend by Year
2.1.2 Key Applicant by Country
2.1.3 Focus Area of Major Countries by Technology
2.1.4 Nationality Distribution of Applicant by Technology
2.1.5 Patent Distribution by Detail Technology
2.2. Patent Application Trend by Country
2.2.1 Patent Application Trend in Korea
2.2.2 Patent Application Trend in U.S
2.2.3 Patent Application Trend in Japan
2.2.4 Patent Application Trend in EU
2.3. Comparative Analysis of Technology Competitiveness by Country
2.3.1 Analysis of Market Competitiveness
2.3.2 Analysis of Technology Competitiveness
CHAPTER 3. PATENT TREND BY APPLICANT
3.1. Application status by Country
3.1.1 Selection of Analysis Target and Analysis Process
3.1.2 Technical Application Status by Country
3.2. Patent In-Depth Analysis of Top 10 Applicants by Technology
3.2.1 Matsushita Electric's Patent Analysis
3.2.2 Showa Shell (now, Solar Frontier)'s Patent Analysis
3.2.3 Honda's Patent Analysis
3.2.4 SoloPower's Patent Analysis
3.2.5 Yazaki's Patent Analysis
3.2.6 Nanosolar's Patent Analysis
3.2.7 Samsung Electronics's Patent Analysis
3.2.8 Miasole's Patent Analysis
3.2.9 Asahi's Patent Analysis
3.2.10 Fuji Electric's Patent Analysis
3.3. R&D Trend by Technology
3.3.1 R&D Trend of Absorber Layer Compound Technology
3.3.2 R&D Trend of Absorber Layer Nano Powder Technology
3.3.3 R&D Trend of Absorber Layer Vacuum Compound Technology
3.3.4 R&D Trend of Absorber Layer Other Technology
3.3.5 R&D Trend of Compound Thin Film Solar Cell Technology
3.3.6 R&D Trend of Substrate Technology
3.3.7 R&D Trend of Buffer-layer Technology
3.4. Patent Point by Technology
3.4.1 Point of Absorber Layer Compound Technology Patent
3.4.2 Point of Absorber Layer Nano Powder Technology Patent
3.4.3 Point of Absorber Layer Vacuum Compound Technology Patent
3.4.4 Point of Absorber Layer Other Technology Patent
3.4.5 Point of Chemical Compound Thin Film Solar Cell Technology Patent
3.4.6 Point of Substrate Technology Patent
3.4.7 Point of Buffer-layer Technology Patent
3.4.8 Point of Window-layer Technology Patent
3.4.9 Point of Electrode Technology Patent
3.4.10 Point of Tandem Technology Patent
3.4.11 Point of Patterning Technology Patent
3.4.12 Point of Module Technology Patent
CHAPTER 4. PATENT IN-DEPTH ANALYSIS OF
Key Research Centers/Company by Technology
4.1. Patent In-Depth Analysis of Key Research Centers by Technology
4.1.1 NREL's Patent Analysis
4.1.2 University of Delaware's Patent Analysis
4.1.3 ZSW 's Patent Analysis
4.2. Patent In-Depth Analysis of Key Companies by Technology
4.2.1 Wurth Solar's Patent Analysis
4.2.2 Avancis's Patent Analysis
4.2.3 Solibro's Patent Analysis
4.2.4 Stion's Patent Analysis
4.2.5 Ascent Solar's Patent Analysis
4.2.6 Global Solar's Patent Analysis
4.2.7 Solyndra's Patent Analysis
4.2.8 LG Innoteck's Patent Analysis
CHAPTER 5. SUMMARY
5.1. Patent Trend Analysis
5.2. Key Patent Analysis
CHAPTER 6. CONCLUSION
Appendix 1. Statistical Data
Appendix 2. Figures
Appendix 3. Tables
