Ideation Process: Solar Singlet Fission Technology

Ideation Process: Solar Singlet Fission Technology
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Specific engineering and manufacturing process planned to be used in developing the new technology
The solar panel products with singlet fission technology would be made according to the design that was determined after the ideation process as well as a thorough market research. The manufacturing process would involve manufacturing the different components of the solar panel product and then fastening them together to make the final, finished product. These solar panels with solar singlet fission technology are designed in such a manner that they can work effectively even in places in which there is little sunlight. Raw materials that are available locally will be used to make the various parts and components of these solar panels. A model or replica would first be made which shall undergo thorough and extensive testing at various solar temperatures starting from 20°C to a maximum of 45°C.
Steps in the manufacturing process
Step 1: Purifying the silicon
Silicon dioxide that is derived from crushed quartz is put in an electric arc furnace. In order to discharge the oxygen, a carbon arc is applied. Carbon dioxide as well as molten silicon are obtained are products. The silicon yielded through this process has only 1% impurity. The silicon which is now 99 percent pure is purified even more with the use of the floating zone technique to yield silicon that is totally pure (Corkish, 2009).
Step 2: Making crystal silicon
Solar cells are then created by using polycrystalline structures. These polycrystalline structures are known as silicon boules. The boule is created through a process known as the Czochralski method whereby a seed crystal of silicon is inserted in polycrystalline silicon that has been melted. As the seed crystal is removed and turned around, a boule of silicon or cylindrical ingot is formed (Corkish, 2009).
Step 3: Making silicon wafers
From the silicon boules, silicon wafers are then sliced one by one with the use of a rounded saw; the inner diameter of the saw cuts into the rod. Just about ½ of the silicon is lost from the boule to the completed spherical wafer (Corkish, 2009). Sometimes hexagonal or rectangular wafers are utilized in solar cells given that they could be fitted together perfectly and in so doing using every available space on the front surface of the solar cell. Next, the wafers are polished in order to get rid of the saw marks (Edelson, 2012).
Step 4: Integrating singlet fission in the silicon (inorganic solar cells)
The singlet fission is then integrated into the silicon – the inorganic solar cells. This will allow a single excite to split into 2 triplet excitons (Walsh & Genzer, 2015). Through doubling the yield of excitons within a solar cell, the number of electrons produced is theoretically doubled leading to a maximum theoretical efficiency of up to 60 percent or even more (Anthony, 2014).
Step 5: Placing electrical contacts
Electrical contacts attach solar cells together as well as to the receiver of the current. It is important to ensure that the contacts are extremely thin as this will prevent them from obstructing sunshin...