Saudi Arabia’s KAUST Makes Breakthrough to Boost Solar Cell Efficiency and Durability

Saudi Arabia’s KAUST Makes Breakthrough to Boost Solar Cell Efficiency and Durability
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Saudi Arabia’s KAUST Makes Breakthrough to Boost Solar Cell Efficiency and Durability

Saudi Arabia’s KAUST Makes Breakthrough to Boost Solar Cell Efficiency and Durability

Researchers at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) have made a significant breakthrough in solar energy technology by developing a novel method to boost the performance and stability of perovskite silicon tandem solar cells.

The research team, led by Professor Stefaan De Wolf at the KAUST Photovoltaics Laboratory, discovered a way to significantly improve the efficiency and durability of these solar cells by introducing a chemical cation called tetrahydrotriazinium into the perovskite material, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Tuesday.

De Wolf said that these cells have undergone testing under conditions that replicate the intense light and heat of the Arabian Peninsula, which indicates that they can function effectively in environments with extreme climatic conditions where they might be required to operate.

Published in the journal Science, a leading peer-reviewed academic journal that covers a wide range of scientific disciplines, the method demonstrated that tetrahydrotriazinium strengthens the perovskite crystal structure by increasing hydrogen bond formation.

According to the journal, this enhancement substantially boosts power conversion efficiency and resistance to degradation caused by factors like intense sunlight and heat.

De Wolf emphasized the team's commitment to further enhancing the technology's performance and reducing costs through ongoing research. While the potential for commercialization is substantial, partnerships are essential to scale production and bring this innovative technology to market, he said.

This groundbreaking research represents a major step forward in developing affordable and sustainable solar energy solutions.



AMD to Acquire Server Builder ZT Systems for $4.9 Billion in Cash and Stock 

A smartphone with a displayed AMD logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. (Reuters)
A smartphone with a displayed AMD logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. (Reuters)
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AMD to Acquire Server Builder ZT Systems for $4.9 Billion in Cash and Stock 

A smartphone with a displayed AMD logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. (Reuters)
A smartphone with a displayed AMD logo is placed on a computer motherboard in this illustration taken March 6, 2023. (Reuters)

AMD on Monday said it plans to acquire server maker ZT Systems for $4.9 billion as the company seeks to expand its portfolio of artificial intelligence chips and hardware and battle Nvidia.

AMD plans to pay for 75% of the ZT Systems acquisition with cash and the remainder in stock. The company had $5.34 billion in cash and short-term investments as of the second quarter.

The computing requirements for AI have dictated that tech companies string together thousands of chips in clusters to achieve the necessary amount of data crunching horsepower. Stringing together the vast numbers of chips has meant the makeup of whole server systems has become increasingly important, which is why AMD is acquiring ZT Systems.

AMD's shares climbed nearly 3% in premarket trading.

"AI systems are our number one strategic priority," AMD CEO Lisa Su said in an interview with Reuters.

The addition of ZT Systems engineers will allow AMD to more quickly test and roll out its latest AI graphics processing units (GPUs) at the scale cloud computing giants such as Microsoft require, Su said.

"The main way (ZT Systems) is additive to the company is we sell more GPUs," Su said.

AMD plans to break off its server manufacturing business and sell it once the deal closes, as it has no plans to compete with companies such as Super Micro Computer, Su said.

AMD has not yet held talks with potential buyers.

ZT Systems Chief Executive Frank Zhang will join AMD and report to AMD's data center chief, Forrest Norrod.

The closely held ZT Systems has roughly 2,500 employees of which AMD plans to retain about 1,000 engineers. Currently ZT Systems generates annual revenue of roughly $10 billion, Su said.

Executives expect the deal to close in the first half of 2025 and expect an additional 12 to 18 months to sell the manufacturing business.

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said at the company's developer conference in March that the one-time chip designer now creates and sells entire data centers, or the individual components needed to build one.

This year analysts expect the company to generate $105.9 billion from its data center segment, which includes chips and other AI hardware.

Su said last month the company expects to collect roughly $4.5 billion worth of AI chip revenue this year. The company's customers include Microsoft and Meta Platforms.

AMD expects ZT Systems to contribute to the company's adjusted financial performance by the end of 2025.