Reel-to- Reel Cassette Cluster Tool System for Thin Film Transistor and Four Terminal Solar Cell Fabrication

2004 ◽  
Vol 814 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arun Madan
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Flexible Substrate ◽  
Plastic Substrate ◽  
Silicon Thin Film ◽  
Device Structure ◽  
Nano Crystalline ◽  
Cluster Tool

AbstractWe present a new type of system architecture to fabricate thin film silicon devices on flexible substrates, which uses the inherent advantages of a cluster tool normally used in the production of amorphous silicon thin film transistors, solar cells, etc. In this, the flexible substrate material is contained within a cassette which includes a reel to reel operation. As in the current cluster tools used for planar substrates, the cassette is transported to a process chamber using a robotic arm. When the entire roll in the cassette has been processed, it is transported into other chambers for further processing. We also show that a four terminal device structure (e.g. amorphous Si and stable low band gap nano-crystalline Si cells) potentially can lead to high efficiency (>15%), stable, low cost solar cells on a plastic substrate. Lastly we discuss the use of a pulsed PECVD deposition technique, which allows that the structure of the nano-crystalline Si films can be altered from 111 to 220 in a controllable way at a low temperature of <170C.

The Development and Application of High-Efficiency Low-Cost Silicon Thin Film Solar Cell

2015 ◽  
Vol 1771 ◽  
pp. 97-107
Author(s):  
Xueshi Tan ◽  
Bingxue Mao ◽  
Feng Zhang ◽  
Jingjing Yang
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
System Integration ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Silicon Thin Film ◽  
Photovoltaic Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Degradation Effect

ABSTRACTFor the industrial application of silicon thin film solar cells, the current focus is on how to realize high-efficiency low-cost production process and minimize light-induced degradation effect, thus effectively reducing the balance-of-system (BOS) costs of system integration. In this paper, a brief introduction based on our development and application in this area is presented, highlighting in the achievement of some layers in a-Si:H/μc-Si:H tandem solar cell by optimizing the property of single layers, such as amorphous intrinsic layer, intermediate reflective layer and microcrystalline intrinsic layer. After transferring the process achievement to the industrial production line, we obtained the low-cost thin-film silicon solar cells with high photovoltaic conversion efficiency of 10.2%.

scholarly journals Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Perovskites Open a New Era for Low-Cost, High Efficiency Solar Cells

2015 ◽  
Vol 2015 ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guiming Peng ◽  
Xueqing Xu ◽  
Gang Xu
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Energy ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Perovskite Solar Cells ◽  
Device Structure ◽  
New Era ◽  
High Efficiency Solar Cells ◽  
Conversion Efficiencies

The ramping solar energy to electricity conversion efficiencies of hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells during the last five years have opened new doors to low-cost solar energy. The record power conversion efficiency has climbed to 19.3% in August 2014 and then jumped to 20.1% in November. In this review, the main achievements for perovskite solar cells categorized from a viewpoint of device structure are overviewed. The challenges and prospects for future development of this field are also briefly presented.

scholarly journals Solution-Processed CdTe Thin-Film Solar Cells Using ZnSe Nanocrystal as a Buffer Layer

2018 ◽  
Vol 8 (7) ◽  
pp. 1195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanru Chen ◽  
Xianglin Mei ◽  
Xiaolin Liu ◽  
Bin Wu ◽  
Junfeng Yang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Buffer Layer ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Buffer Layers ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Solution Processed ◽  
Cdte Nanocrystal ◽  
First Time

The CdTe nanocrystal (NC) is an outstanding, low-cost photovoltaic material for highly efficient solution-processed thin-film solar cells. Currently, most CdTe NC thin-film solar cells are based on CdSe, ZnO, or CdS buffer layers. In this study, a wide bandgap and Cd-free ZnSe NC is introduced for the first time as the buffer layer for all solution-processed CdTe/ZnSe NC hetero-junction thin-film solar cells with a configuration of ITO/ZnO/ZnSe/CdTe/MoOx/Au. The dependence of the thickness of the ZnSe NC film, the annealing temperature and the chemical treatment on the performance of NC solar cells are investigated and discussed in detail. We further develop a ligand-exchanging strategy that involves 1,2-ethanedithiol (EDT) during the fabrication of ZnSe NC film. An improved power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 3.58% is obtained, which is increased by 16.6% when compared to a device without the EDT treatment. We believe that using ZnSe NC as the buffer layer holds the potential for developing high-efficiency, low cost, and stable CdTe NC-based solar cells.

High efficiency crystalline silicon thin-film solar cells

1988 ◽  
pp. 157-198
Author(s):  
M. Caymax ◽  
G. Revel ◽  
A. Luque ◽  
G. Sala ◽  
D. Margadonna ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Silicon Thin Film

CdTe Thin-Film Solar Cells

MRS Bulletin ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 18 (10) ◽  
pp. 45-47 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Suntola
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Cadmium Telluride ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Thick Layer ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Cdte Thin Film ◽  
Large Area ◽  
Cell Structures

Cadmium telluride is currently the most promising material for high efficiency, low-cost thin-film solar cells. Cadmium telluride is a compound semiconductor with an ideal 1.45 eV bandgap for direct light-to-electricity conversion. The light absorption coefficient of CdTe is high enough to make a one-micrometer-thick layer of material absorb over 99% of the visible light. Processing homogenous polycrystalline thin films seems to be less critical for CdTe than for many other compound semiconductors. The best small-area CdTe thin-film cells manufactured show more than 15% conversion efficiency. Large-area modules with aperture efficiencies in excess of 10% have also been demonstrated. The long-term stability of CdTe solar cell structures is not known in detail or in the necessary time span. Indication of good stability has been demonstrated. One of the concerns about CdTe solar cells is the presence of cadmium which is an environmentally hazardous material.

High efficiency and high open-circuit voltage quadruple-junction silicon thin film solar cells for future electronic applications

2017 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1134-1141 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bofei Liu ◽  
Lisha Bai ◽  
Tiantian Li ◽  
Changchun Wei ◽  
Baozhang Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cell ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Open Circuit Voltage ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Silicon Thin Film ◽  
Silicon Based

A highly efficient quadruple-junction silicon based thin-film solar cell with a remarkably high open-circuit voltage was demonstrated to inspire functional photoelectrical devices for environmental applications.

Advanced, Thin, Polycrystalline Silicon-Film™ Solar Cells on Low-Cost Substrates

1996 ◽  
Vol 426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert B. Hall ◽  
Allen M. Barnett ◽  
Jeff E. Cotter ◽  
David H. Ford ◽  
Alan E. Ingram ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Polycrystalline Silicon ◽  
Silicon Solar Cell ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Silicon Film ◽  
Silicon Layer ◽  
Thin Polycrystalline

AbstractThin, polycrystalline silicon solar cells have the potential for the realization of a 15%, lowcost photovoltaic product. As a photovoltaic material, polycrystalline material is abundant, benign, and electrically stable. The thin-film polycrystalline silicon solar cell design achieves high efficiency by incorporating techniques to enhance optical absorption, ensure electrical confinement, and minimize bulk recombination currents. AstroPower's approach to a thin-film polycrystalline silicon solar cell technology is based on the Silicon-Film™ process, a continuous sheet manufacturing process for the growth of thin films of polycrystalline silicon on low-cost substrates. A new barrier layer and substrate have been developed for advanced solar cell designs. External gettering with phosphorus has been employed to effect significant improvements leading to effective minority carrier diffusion lengths greater than 250 micrometers in the active silicon layer. Light trapping has been observed in 60-micrometer thick films of silicon grown on the new barrier-coated substrate. An efficiency of 12.2% in a 0.659 cm2 solar cell has been achieved with the advanced structure.

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