Exploratory development of thin-film polycrystalline-silicon photovoltaic devices. Final technical report
The overall ribbon-to-ribbon (RTR) process sequence may be divided into major steps; progress in each of them has contributed to advancement of the overall technology. The molybdenum sheets on which microcrystalline silicon thin films are deposited must be re-used many times for reasons of economy. Electropolishing was found to be an effective way of resurfacing the molybdenum for continued use. Deposition rate and efficiency of silicon microcrystalline films on molybdenum substrates were shown to be enhanced (over CVD) by utilizing a high pressure plasma (HPP). A microribbon deposition system was designed for continuous operation under microprocessor control. Acid etching to remove surface contamination layers from microcrystalline films before RTR was found to be more reproducible than plasma or hot alkali etching. Laser beam RTR (LB-RTR) growth station improvements have given more reliable operation, very clean ribbons, and larger grains. An electron beam RTR (EB-RTR) system was designed and partially completed. Preliminary results (under partial control) have produced thin films with properties comparable to LB-RTR ribbons. Characterization of RTR solar cell substrates has shown that the main barrier to efficiencies > 10 to 11% is high dislocation density (approx. 10/sup 6//cm/sup 2/).
- Research Organization:
- Motorola, Inc., Phoenix, AZ (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC02-77CH00178
- OSTI ID:
- 6613042
- Report Number(s):
- SERI/TR-9100-1-T4; ON: DE83003859
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Portions of document are illegible. Printed copy available until stock is exhausted
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
RIBBON-TO-RIBBON METHOD
SILICON
PRODUCTION
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
FABRICATION
COMPUTERIZED CONTROL SYSTEMS
CURRENT DENSITY
DESIGN
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTROPOLISHING
ETCHING
FILL FACTORS
LASER-RADIATION HEATING
MOLYBDENUM
PLASMA
SUBSTRATES
BEAMS
CONTROL SYSTEMS
CRYSTAL GROWTH METHODS
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTROLYSIS
ELEMENTS
EQUIPMENT
HEATING
LEPTON BEAMS
LYSIS
METALS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PHOTOELECTRIC CELLS
PHOTOVOLTAIC CELLS
PLASMA HEATING
POLISHING
SEMIMETALS
SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR EQUIPMENT
SURFACE FINISHING
TRANSITION ELEMENTS
140501* - Solar Energy Conversion- Photovoltaic Conversion
360601 - Other Materials- Preparation & Manufacture