Development of Large-Area Monolithically Integrated Silicon-Film Photovoltaic Modules, Annual Subcontract Report, 16 November 1991 - 31 December 1992
This report describes work 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 (< 100-{mu}m) 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 2}, 18%-efficient, monolithic array. The short-term objectives are to improve material quality and to fabricate 100 cm{sup 2} monolithically interconnected solar cell arrays. Low minority-carrier diffusion length in the silicon film and series resistance in the interconnected device structure are presently limiting device performance. Material quality is continually improving through reduced impurity contamination. Metallization schemes, such as a solder-dipped interconnection process, have been developed that will allow low-cost production processing and minimize R{sub s} effects. Test data for a nine-cell device (16 cm{sup 2}) indicated a V{sub oc} of 3.72 V. These first-reported monolithically interconnected multicrystalline silicon-on-ceramic devices show low shunt conductance (< 0.1 mA/cm{sup 2}) due to limited conduction through the ceramic and no process-related metallization shunts.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- OSTI ID:
- 10170957
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-413-5581; ON: DE93010037
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Jun 1993
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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