JA Solar granted patent rights to gallium-doped silicon wafers for solar cell applications from Shin-Etsu Chemical

China — JA Solar has reached an agreement with Shin-Etsu Chemical of Japan to license its intellectual properties of using Ga-doped silicon wafers for solar cell applications.

Shin-Etsu Chemical holds a number of patents on doping Ga in silicon crystals and using the Ga-doped p-type crystalline silicon wafers for making solar cells. An official ceremony of signing the agreement took place recently in Tokyo, Japan, has effectively granted JA Solar the IP rights over various nations and regions the patents covered.

It is well known that solar cells using boron-doped p-type silicon wafers have long suffered a so-called light-induced degradation (LID) upon initial light illumination. With the adoption of PERC cell structure in recent years, the problem of LID associated with solar cells made from B-doped silicon wafers becomes more severe.

Using Ga-doped silicon wafers can effectively mitigate such a problem that assures the performance of PV modules assembled with p-type silicon-wafer based solar cells more stable and better in long-term energy generation.

Mr. Jin Baofang, JA Solar’s Chairman of Board of Directors, commented that “using Ga-doped silicon wafers for solar cell application definitely results in better performance of solar cells and PV modules, as well as the improvement of their long-term reliability. Being the patent holder of several leading technologies including bifacial PERC technology in China and other countries, JA Solar has benefited from and always supports IP protection. We deeply appreciate Shin-Etsu Chemical granting JA Solar their IP rights of Ga-doped crystalline silicon technology, which is an important step for JA Solar in introducing advanced technology and supporting the industry’s intellectual property protection. JA Solar will continue to develop and provide high-performance PV products and clean-energy solutions to our customers worldwide through technological innovation and continuous performance improvement.”