APRIL 20259GOVERNMENT STRENGTHENS REGULATIONS FOR SOLAR CELL MANUFACTURINGINDIA, NETHERLANDS TO SIGN SEMICONDUCTOR MOU TO DRIVE INNOVATIONIndia continues to establish its position in the semiconductor industry by securing major cooperative initiatives between India and the Netherlands. The two nations will execute a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during this year to advance semiconductor technology and critical technology development. The joined partnership The Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has established that only solar cells made from undiffused wafers will be eligible under the Domestic Content Requirement (DCR) policy, thereby banning the use of "blue" or diffused wafers. This aims to guarantee that the key phases of solar cell production--such as diffusion, printing, and metallization--are conducted wholly in India to bolster the local solar sector. aims to develop joint work opportunities in this burgeoning area between both governments.Caspar Veldkamp, Netherlands Foreign Minister, emphasized India's suitability for semiconductor production, stating, "India is a safe place for production of semiconductors and critical technology." As his statement indicates the Netherlands plans to develop semiconductor manufacturing capabilities in India through the government's push to establish an international semiconductor manufacturing center.The External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar engaged in a bilateral tie discussion with Veldkamp during his 26-hour stay in India. "Delighted to meet FM Caspar Veldkamp. Discussed our growing cooperation, including trade, innovation, water, agriculture, and security," Jaishankar wrote on X, further exploring opportunities in green hydrogen, education, and talent flows.S Krishnan from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology disclosed that his department plans to collaborate on semiconductor research through lab-created diamonds. Semiconductor technology leadership from the Netherlands positions the country to assist Indian manufacturers in their development. Through this strategic alliance India will improve its standing within the international semiconductor supply chain while advancing emerging technology research. The ingots are subsequently cut into thin wafers employing precision slicing methods. These "black" or undiffused wafers serve as the foundational material for the manufacturing of solar cells. At this point, the wafers appear shiny, have a metallic sheen, or are somewhat gray and still lack the electrical characteristics necessary for photovoltaic performance. They have to go through several steps to transform undiffused wafers into working solar cells. The initial essential phase is diffusion, during which wafers are placed in a controlled setting with elevated temperatures, enabling dopant elements such as phosphorus or boron to permeate the silicon surface. This procedure forms the crucial p-n junction, which is vital for transforming sunlight into electricity.Avinash Hiranandani, Vice Chairman and Managing Director, RenewSys India, explained, "The process of making blue wafers begins with surface texturing using acid or alkaline solutions to create a microscopic pyramid structures, along with thorough wafer cleaning to remove contaminants. The wafers undergo doping or diffusion, where dopant elements like phosphorus or boron are introduced through thermal diffusion to modify their electrical properties. After diffusion, the wafers are annealed at high temperatures to activate and evenly distribute the dopants".
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