Development of large-area monolithically integrated Silicon-Film{trademark} photovoltaic modules. Annual subcontract report, 1 January 1993--31 December 1993
- AstroPower, Inc., Newark, DE (United States)
This report describes work performed under a program to develop Silicon-Film{trademark} Product III into a low-cost, stable solar cell for large-scale terrestrial power applications. The Product III structure is a thin polycrystalline layer of silicon on a durable, insulating, ceramic) substrate. The insulating substrate allows the silicon layer to be isolated and metallized to form a monolithically interconnected array of solar cells. High efficiency is achievable with the use of light trapping and a passivated back surface. The long-term goal for the product is a 1200-cm{sup {minus}2}, 18%-efficient solar module. This report discusses material quality improvements due to the use of new metallurgical barrier technologies. The barrier is essential in preventing impurity interaction between the silicon film and the low-cost substate. Also, a new filament-based fabric substate material was investigated. Efficiencies greater than 10% were achieved on 1.0-cm{sup 2} devices made on these substrates. We also demonstrated the monolithic fabrication sequence by the fabrication of a prototype array using the device processing sequences developed during Phase 11 of this program.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); AstroPower, Inc., Newark, DE (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-83CH10093
- OSTI ID:
- 10170466
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-413-6853; ON: DE94011830; BR: WM1020000
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Jun 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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