scholarly journals Removal Mechanism and Defect Characterization for Glass-Side Laser Scribing of CdTe/CdS Multilayer in Solar Cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongliang Wang ◽  
Y. Lawrence Yao ◽  
Hongqiang Chen
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Numerical Models ◽  
Removal Mechanism ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Numerical Work ◽  
Solar Module ◽  
Laser Scribing

Laser scribing is an important manufacturing process used to reduce photocurrent and resistance losses and increase solar cell efficiency through the formation of serial interconnections in large-area solar cells. High-quality scribing is crucial since the main impediment to large-scale adoption of solar power is its high-production cost (price-per-watt) compared to competing energy sources such as wind and fossil fuels. In recent years, the use of glass-side laser scribing processes has led to increased scribe quality and solar cell efficiencies; however, defects introduced during the process such as thermal effect, microcracks, film delamination, and removal uncleanliness keep the modules from reaching their theoretical efficiencies. Moreover, limited numerical work has been performed in predicting thin-film laser removal processes. In this study, a nanosecond (ns) laser with a wavelength at 532 nm is employed for pattern 2 (P2) scribing on CdTe (cadmium telluride) based thin-film solar cells. The film removal mechanism and defects caused by laser-induced micro-explosion process are studied. The relationship between those defects, removal geometry, laser fluences, and scribing speeds are also investigated. Thermal and mechanical numerical models are developed to analyze the laser-induced spatiotemporal temperature and pressure responsible for film removal. The simulation can well-predict the film removal geometries, transparent conducting oxide (TCO) layer thermal damage, generation of microcracks, film delamination, and residual materials. The characterization of removal qualities will enable the process optimization and design required to enhance solar module efficiency.

scholarly journals Predictive Modeling for Glass-Side Laser Scribing of Thin Film Photovoltaic Cells

2013 ◽  
Vol 135 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongliang Wang ◽  
Shan-Ting Hsu ◽  
Huade Tan ◽  
Y. Lawrence Yao ◽  
Hongqiang Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Element Model ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Numerical Work ◽  
Glass Substrates ◽  
Laser Scribing ◽  
Spatio Temporal

Laser scribing of multilayer-thin-film solar cells is an important process for producing integrated serial interconnection of mini-modules, used to reduce photocurrent and resistance losses in a large-area solar cell. Quality of such scribing contributes to the overall quality and efficiency of the solar cell, and therefore predictive capabilities of the process are essential. Limited numerical work has been performed in predicting the thin film laser removal processes. In this study, a fully-coupled multilayer thermal and mechanical finite element model is developed to analyze the laser-induced spatio-temporal temperature and thermal stress responsible for SnO2:F film removal. A plasma expansion induced pressure model is also investigated to simulate the nonthermal film removal of CdTe due to the micro-explosion process. Corresponding experiments of SnO2:F films on glass substrates by 1064 nm ns laser irradiation show a similar removal process to that predicted in the simulation. Differences between the model and experimental results are discussed and future model refinements are proposed. Both simulation and experimental results from glass-side laser scribing show clean film removal with minimum thermal effects indicating minimal changes to material electrical properties.

scholarly journals Advances in low-cost and nontoxic materials based solar cell devices

2021 ◽  
Vol 2070 (1) ◽  
pp. 012043
Author(s):  
S S Hegde ◽  
K Ramesh
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Absorption Coefficient ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Tin Sulfide ◽  
Next Generation

Abstract Photovoltaics (PV) have become increasingly popular and reached as the third-largest renewable energy source. Thin-film solar cells made from earth-abundant, inexpensive and environmentally friendly materials are needed to replace the current PV technologies whose large-scale applications are limited by material and/or resource constraints. Near optimum direct optical bandgap of 1.3 eV, high absorption coefficient (>104 cm−1), less toxic, and abundant raw resources along with considerable scalability have made tin sulfide (SnS) as a strategic choice for next-generation PVs. In this review, limitations of leading commercial PV technologies and the status of a few alternate low-cost PV materials are outlined. Recent literature on crucial physical properties of SnS thin-films and the present status of SnS thin-film-based solar cells are discussed. Deficiency and adequacy of some of the key properties of SnS including carrier mobility (μ), minority carrier lifetime (τ), and absorption coefficient (α) are discussed in comparison of existing commercial solar cell materials. Future research trends on SnS based solar cells to enhance their conversion efficiencies towards the theoretical maximum of 24% from present ~5% and its prospectus as next-generation solar cell is also discussed.

Recent advances in flexible perovskite solar cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 51 (79) ◽  
pp. 14696-14707 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Susrutha ◽  
Lingamallu Giribabu ◽  
Surya Prakash Singh
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Perovskite Solar Cells ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Roll To Roll ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
Reduced Dimension ◽  
Thin Film Photovoltaics

Flexible thin-film photovoltaics facilitate the implementation of solar devices into portable, reduced dimension, and roll-to-roll modules. In this review, we describe recent developments in the fabrication of flexible perovskite solar cells that are low cost and highly efficient and can be used for the fabrication of large-area and lightweight solar cell devices.

scholarly journals Metallisation and Interconnection of e-Beam Evaporated Polycrystalline Silicon Thin-Film Solar Cells on Glass

2012 ◽  
Vol 2012 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Taekyun Kim ◽  
Peter J. Gress ◽  
Sergey Varlamov
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Polycrystalline Silicon ◽  
Transparent Conducting Oxide ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Metal Contacts ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Polycrystalline Thin Film ◽  
Silicon Thin Film ◽  
Laser Scribing

One inherent advantage of thin-film technology is the possibility of using monolithic integration for series interconnection of individual cells within large-area modules. Polycrystalline silicon thin-film solar cells do not rely on transparent conducting oxide layers as the high sheet conductivity of the emitter and BSF layers enables the lateral flow of current from the film to the metal contacts. This paper presents a new method for the fabrication of e-beam evaporated polycrystalline thin-film photovoltaic minimodules on glass. The method involves electrically isolating minicells, by laser scribing, and then forming an isolation layer on each laser scribe. The main advantage of this metallisation is to have a single aluminium evaporation step for the formation of finger and busbar features, as well as for series interconnection.

Nano-scale Investigation of Light Scattering at Randomly Textured Light Trapping Structures for Thin-film Silicon Solar Cells

2008 ◽  
Vol 1101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karsten Bittkau ◽  
Thomas Beckers ◽  
Carsten Rockstuhl ◽  
Stephan Fahr ◽  
Falk Lederer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Light Trapping ◽  
Near Field ◽  
Silicon Layer ◽  
Theoretical Data ◽  
Nano Scale

AbstractWe report on nano-scale optical effects of amorphous silicon layer conformally deposited on randomly textured zinc oxide layers on glass substrates investigated by near-field scanning microscopy. Such textured layers are used in thin-film photovoltaic devices to enhance light trapping. Experimental results are compared to theoretical data, obtained from large scale finite-difference time-domain simulations. Light localization on the surface of the textured interface and a focusing of light by the structure further away are observed. The measurements are compared with simulations, which provide additional insight into the light intensity distribution inside the solar cell on a nm-scale. It will be shown how this information can be used to optimize light trapping in thin-film solar cells using an amorphous silicon solar cell as an example.

Research Progresses on High Efficiency Amorphous and Microcrystalline Silicon-Based Thin Film Solar Cells

2010 ◽  
Vol 1245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xinhua Geng ◽  
Ying Zhao ◽  
Xiandan Zhang ◽  
Guofu Hou ◽  
Huizhi Ren ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cell Structure ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Chamber System ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Solar Module ◽  
Single Chamber

AbstractThis paper reviews our research progresses of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and microcrystalline (μc-Si:H) based thin film solar cells. It coves the three areas of high efficiency, low cost process, and large-area proto-type multi-chamber system design and solar module deposition. With an innovative VHF power profiling technique, we have effectively controlled the crystalline evolution and made uniform μc-Si:H materials along the growth direction, which was used as the intrinsic layers of pin solar cells. We attained a 9.36% efficiency with a μc-Si:H single-junction cell structure. We have successfully resolved the cross-contamination issue in a single-chamber system and demonstrated the feasibility of using single-chamber process for manufacturing. We designed and built a large-area multi-chamber VHF system, which is used for depositing a-Si:H/μc-Si:H micromorph tandem modules on 0.79-m2 glass substrates. Preliminary module efficiency has exceeded 8%.

scholarly journals The development of thin-film photovoltaic applications based structures on cuinse2 within the triple helix model

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vasiliy Rud ◽  
Yuri Rud
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Research And Development ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Film Deposition ◽  
Diagnostic Methods ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Ioffe Physical Technical Institute ◽  
Large Area

This work concentrates on the rewiew of the study of the photoelectrical phenomena of thin films for solar cells and also show the search of a new physical effects, which may be the basis for the development of new technologies, diagnostic methods, new types of photoconverters, and devices on these multinary semiconductors. Solar cells which based on silicon or binary III–V semiconductor compounds and their solid solutions successfully fulfilled their role as the first energy sources in outer space in the 1950s–1990s. Since 1997, technological development has been carried out for amorphous Si, CdTe thin film polycristal and CuInSe2 (CIS) solar cells in the thin film solar cell family. Thin film solar cells based on CuInSe2 and the related materials heretofore have been studied only for the aims of creating efficiencies. Complex physical and technological studies of the thin film solar cells on the basis chalcogenide chalcopyrite materials have made it possible to create devices with high radiation hardness and efficiencies as high as 18% [1-4]. At the same time, basic studies aimed to speed up film deposition is conducted from the aspect of material and substrate technologies for further cost reductions. For CIS solar cells research and development efforts continue to establish both element technologies necessary for the improvement in product quality and efficiency and large-area film fabrication technologies as essential part of the solar cell production process. This study was supported by the contract “Research and Development of Deposition System for CIGS Solar Cell” signed by the Ioffe Physical Technical Institute (Russian Academy of Sciences).

scholarly journals Growth and Fabrication of GaAs Thin-Film Solar Cells on a Si Substrate via Hetero Epitaxial Lift-Off

2022 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 820
Author(s):  
Seungwan Woo ◽  
Geunhwan Ryu ◽  
Taesoo Kim ◽  
Namgi Hong ◽  
Jae-Hoon Han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Cell Structure ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Threading Dislocation ◽  
Si Substrate ◽  
Lift Off

We demonstrate, for the first time, GaAs thin film solar cells epitaxially grown on a Si substrate using a metal wafer bonding and epitaxial lift-off process. A relatively thin 2.1 μm GaAs buffer layer was first grown on Si as a virtual substrate, and a threading dislocation density of 1.8 × 107 cm−2 was achieved via two In0.1Ga0.9As strained insertion layers and 6× thermal cycle annealing. An inverted p-on-n GaAs solar cell structure grown on the GaAs/Si virtual substrate showed homogenous photoluminescence peak intensities throughout the 2″ wafer. We show a 10.6% efficient GaAs thin film solar cell without anti-reflection coatings and compare it to nominally identical upright structure solar cells grown on GaAs and Si. This work paves the way for large-scale and low-cost wafer-bonded III-V multi-junction solar cells.

Influence of Laser Scribing System in the Electrical Properties for a-Si Thin Film Solar Cell Preparation

2013 ◽  
Vol 552 ◽  
pp. 356-360
Author(s):  
Xue Song Chen ◽  
Xin Chen ◽  
Xin Du Chen ◽  
Ming Sheng Yang
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Electrical Properties ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cell ◽  
High Speed ◽  
Focal Depth ◽  
Cell Preparation ◽  
Laser Scribing ◽  
Si Thin Film

Laser scribing of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si) is a crucial step in the fabrication of thin film photovoltaic modules. The required line width of the laser scribing process for a-Si thin film solar cell preparation is 30 m~50 m, the dead zone is less than 300 m in size, and the line depth should be compliant with the process requirements. Thus, the high imaging quality and focal depth of the optical system is required in the laser scribing system. Three crucial laser patterning steps (known as P1, P2 and P3 in the photovoltaic literature) are integrated in the thin film silicon module manufacturing sequence. Therefore, efforts to optimize these laser processes are demanded by the photovoltaic industry. In particular, the state of the remaining material after laser treatment is known to have a critical influence on the electrical properties of the final devices. This paper focuses on the P3 laser scribing process with the peculiarity that it has been done in single solar cells. By evaluating it in single solar cells rather than in finished module, it is possible to isolate its effect on the device characteristics since the P1 and P2 scribings are omitted. To study the effect of the P3 scribing length, several scribings can be done in the same cell. As it will be shown, the high speed motion systems needed for precision laser scribing plays an important role in this experiment. They can be responsible for the electrical losses after the scribing of the solar cells. If this is dealt with properly, it can be seen that the P3 scribings have very little effect on the electrical characteristics of the processed solar cells.

scholarly journals Plasmon-Enhanced Sunlight Harvesting in Thin-Film Solar Cell by Randomly Distributed Nanoparticle Array

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 1380
Author(s):  
Marwa M. Tharwat ◽  
Ashwag Almalki ◽  
Amr M. Mahros
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Near Infrared ◽  
Structural Parameters ◽  
Visible Region ◽  
Nanoparticle Array ◽  
Solar Energy Harvesting ◽  
Infra Red ◽  
Crucial Parameter

In this paper, a randomly distributed plasmonic aluminum nanoparticle array is introduced on the top surface of conventional GaAs thin-film solar cells to improve sunlight harvesting. The performance of such photovoltaic structures is determined through monitoring the modification of its absorbance due to changing its structural parameters. A single Al nanoparticle array is integrated over the antireflective layer to boost the absorption spectra in both visible and near-infra-red regimes. Furthermore, the planar density of the plasmonic layer is presented as a crucial parameter in studying and investigating the performance of the solar cells. Then, we have introduced a double Al nanoparticle array as an imperfection from the regular uniform single array as it has different size particles and various spatial distributions. The comparison of performances was established using the enhancement percentage in the absorption. The findings illustrate that the structural parameters of the reported solar cell, especially the planar density of the plasmonic layer, have significant impacts on tuning solar energy harvesting. Additionally, increasing the plasmonic planar density enhances the absorption in the visible region. On the other hand, the absorption in the near-infrared regime becomes worse, and vice versa.

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