DIRECTOR’S SPEACH
Presentation
Since its creation in 1988, the CRTSE (ex. UDTS) promotes and develops silicon technologies in Algeria for photovoltaic applications and, optoelectronic systems and detection. With nearly 3650 hours of sun a year for an average of 20 °C, Algeria is a place where photovoltaic and related technologies can have a real impact on the socio-economic situation of the country.
The CRTSE capitalized since nearly a quarter century of R&D undeniable technological know-how in the field of silicon material and semiconductors in general.
In the field of the materials science and technology, the CRTSE is a Algerian main actor in R&D and developed local partnerships with the best universities and research Centers: University of Sciences and Technology Houari Boumediene (USTHB), University M’Hamed Bougara of Boumerdes (UMBB), University of Tlemcen, University of Constantine, Development Centre of Renewable Energies (CDER), Development Centre of Advanced Technologies (CDTA), and international IEMN (Lille-France), LPMC (Palaiseau – France), INRIM (Torino-Italy), Fraunhofer (Halle-Germany).
The research activities in the CRTSE are concentrating on three main axes, namely:
- Materials technology and devices for photovoltaic applications (solar cells and modules). Our projects are in conformity with the priorities and the trends of the international programs of research and development. That understands research in “crystalline silicon” (90% of the worldwide market for the photovoltaic one), “thin films” (with a significant growth on the market), and research on innovating and emergent new materials (CIGS, InSe, CdTe, ZnO, TiO2, etc.).
- The study of surfaces and interfaces for applications in detection devices, optoelectronics and the photonic one. The research is concentrates on the design and the manufacturing of devices with structure and hybrid materials for the fields of telecommunication, environment, health and energy. The range of activities includes the simulation and the modeling of the phenomena which proceed on the structure and compound, the analysis of the macro and nano-scale properties and on the physicochemical basis, the electrochemical, electric and electro-optical techniques.
- The technological crystalline growth, treatment, development and processes.
The CRTSE is implied in the applied research, and the scientific and technological disciplines covered by the center are clearly directed towards industry. To fill the existing gap between research and industry, the center developed a partnership with the commercial actors and reinforced the links with the end-user to adopt an approach bottom-up in their research projects.
In 2013, the CRTSE employed 86 researchers working in 13 research teams, 42 PhD students (coming from 6 partner universities) and 40 supports for research.
Our researchers produced many patents and publications of high level and present each year their results in various scientific journals and international conferences, which is a great success for the Center. We organize regularly conferences and seminars (International conference on Thin Films and Porous Materials (ICTFPM 08), NaSEC14 Conference, and ICM3E 2014, etc.).
The CRTSE contributes actively, with the assistance of various Algerian organizations for the development of knowledge and the translation of technological know-how, for the applications necessary to the economic and societal growth.
I hope that you will appreciate the reading of this introduction and we are impatient to collaborate with you in the near future.
Director of CRTSE
