National Center for Photovoltaics Process Integration Project: Preprint
The research staff of the National Center for Photovoltaics (NCPV) has excelled in increasing solar cell efficiencies and advancing the understanding of photovoltaic-related materials and devices using their existing deposition, processing, and characterization tool base. However, using our existing equipment, it is becoming increasingly difficult to gain new knowledge about important issues related to process sequencing, growth chemistry and kinetics, interface characteristics, and the understanding of how these interfaces affect device performance. This is due in part to the state of our existing tool set, which lacks sufficient in-situ or real-time measurement capabilities, or lacks access to analytical tools where the sample remains in a controlled environment between deposition or processing and measurement. The existing tool set is difficult to upgrade with these capabilities because they are mostly ''standalone,'' which means that they operate independently of each other and without a common substrate size or type. As a result, the NCPV has embarked on a project to provide the infrastructure to allow researchers to gain new knowledge that is difficult--if not impossible--to obtain with existing equipment. This infrastructure consists of providing flexible and robust integration of deposition, processing, and characterization tools via a standardized transfer interface such that samples move between tools in a controlled ambient. Standardization of control and data management software will enhance the utility of the integrated tools. This concept will also requires the cooperation of experts from various material technologies and characterization disciplines to work directly with each other to obtain answers to key scientific and technological questions. Ultimately, it will be this synergistic effort between NREL staff, universities, and the photovoltaic (PV) industry around an integrated tool base that will add to the knowledge base, helping move many PV technologies forward.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- US Department of Energy (US)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-99-GO10337
- OSTI ID:
- 15009886
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/CP-520-36595; TRN: US200430%%1569
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: Prepared for the 14th Workshop on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells and Materials, Winter Park, CO (US), 08/08/2004--08/11/2004; Other Information: PBD: 1 Aug 2004
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
CHEMISTRY
DEPOSITION
KINETICS
KNOWLEDGE BASE
MANAGEMENT
PERFORMANCE
PROCESSING
SILICON SOLAR CELLS
SOLAR CELLS
STANDARDIZATION
SUBSTRATES
SOLAR ENERGY
PV
PHOTOVOLTAICS
CRYSTALLINE SILICON
MATERIALS AND PROCESSES
MODULE
IMPURITIES
DEFECT
PASSIVATION
MICROELECTRONICS
SOLAR ENERGY - PHOTOVOLTAICS