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Press Release MicroFab receives SBIR award from National Science Foundation Plano, Texas (July 21, 2003) MicroFab Technologies today announced the award of a SBIR program titled, “Fabrication of Organic Photovoltaic Solar Panel Using Ink Jet Technology”. The program’s objective is to develop a low-cost, high-volume flexible solar cells using company’s patented drop-on-demand ink jet technology. Specifically, this project will enable printing of solar cells of any size on any type of substrates including plastics, making it a lower cost alternative to conventional inorganic semiconductor-based solar cells. The MicroFab team, under the leadership of the principal investigator, Dr. David Wallace, will develop polymer solutions, and their printing processes to demonstrate the fabrication of plastic solar cells by microdeposition techniques of ink jet. “We are very excited to receive this NSF SBIR award,” said David Wallace, Ph.D., Vice-President, Technology Development at MicroFab. “This technology has the potential to make plastic solar cells ubiquitous, literally in all walks of life including wearable and mobile devices. This is an area of considerable research and development but unfortunately there is no manufacturing technology suitable for making them in volume at lowest cost. Our ink jet microdeposition technology will demonstrate, for the first time, the unlimited potential of printing solar cells on flexible plastics.” MicroFab will commercialize the organic plastic solar cell printing technology by licensing and/or through the sale of manufacturing systems to major corporations that would manufacture them in volume. About the Company Based in Plano, Texas, MicroFab Technologies has pioneered digital microdispensing technologies for the past 18 years. MicroFab’s mission is to be the leading global supplier of printing platforms, devices, and services that enable high-payoff applications for microdispensing and precision printing in a wide range of industries. Commercial applications of the technology include microdispensing of electrical and optical polymers, bioactive materials (Proteins, DNA, Reagents), solder, adhesives, and nanoparticle laden fluids. MicroFab Technologies is at www.microfab.com. Contact Dr. David B. Wallace, Vice-President, Technology Development, at info@microfab.com or by phone at 972-578-8076 (ext. 12).
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