Polycrystalline thin-film technology: Recent progress in photovoltaics

Conference · Sun Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:10108361

Mitchell, R L; Zweibel, K; Ullal, H S

Polycrystalline thin films have made significant technical progress in the past year. Three of these materials that have been studied extensively for photovoltaic (PV) power applications are copper indium diselenide (CuInSe{sub 2}), cadmium telluride (CdTe), and thin-film polycrystalline silicon (x-Si) deposited on ceramic substrates. The first of these materials, polycrystalline thin-film CuInSe{sub 2}, has made some rapid advances in terms of high efficiency and long-term reliability. For CuInSe{sub 2} power modules, a world record has been reported on a 0.4-m{sup 2} module with an aperture-area efficiency of 10.4% and a power output of 40.4 W. Additionally, outdoor reliability testing of CuInSe{sub 2} modules, under both loaded and open-circuit conditions, has resulted in only minor changes in module performance after more than 1000 days of continuous exposure to natural sunlight. CdTe module research has also resulted in several recent improvements. Module performance has been increased with device areas reaching nearly 900 cm{sup 2}. Deposition has been demonstrated by several different techniques, including electrodeposition, spraying, and screen printing. Outdoor reliability testing of CdTe modules was also carried out under both loaded and open-circuit conditions, with more than 600 days of continuous exposure to natural sunlight. These tests were also encouraging and indicated that the modules were stable within measurement error. The highest reported aperture-area module efficiency for CdTe modules is 10%; the semiconductor material was deposited by electrodeposition. A thin-film CdTe photovoltaic system with a power output of 54 W has been deployed in Saudi Arabia for water pumping. The Module Development Initiative has made significant progress in support of the Polycrystalline Thin-Film Program in the past year, and results are presented in this paper.

• Research Organization: National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-83CH10093
• OSTI ID: 10108361
• Report Number(s): NREL/TP--214-4589; CONF-920436--16; ON: DE92001195
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

14 SOLAR ENERGY
140501
CADMIUM TELLURIDE SOLAR CELLS
COPPER SELENIDE SOLAR CELLS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRODEPOSITION
FABRICATION
INDIUM SELENIDE SOLAR CELLS
MATERIALS
PERFORMANCE
PHOTOVOLTAIC CONVERSION
POLYCRYSTALS
PRODUCTION
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
SPUTTERING
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
TESTING