Title :
Improved thermal control for a-Si:H photovoltaic cells fabricated on polymeric substrates
Author :
Huang, J.R. ; Lee, Y. ; Toporow, C.M.C. ; Vendura, G.J., Jr. ; Jackson, T.N. ; Wronski, C.R.
Author_Institution :
Center for Thin Film Devices, Pennsylvania State Univ., University Park, PA, USA
fDate :
29 Sep-3 Oct 1997
Abstract :
The fabrication of a-Si:H photovoltaic (PV) cells on polyimide or other flexible polymeric substrates presents significant challenges compared to cells fabricated on metallized glass or metal substrates. In particular, the low thermal conductivity of polyimide materials, and the difficulty of maintaining flatness, make substrate thermal control problematic. The authors report here a cell fabrication process on a 2 mil thick polyimide substrate using a pressure-sensitive silicone adhesive to provide thermal contact and to control substrate warping. Results are directly compared with cells similarly fabricated but on conventional substrates
Keywords :
amorphous semiconductors; elemental semiconductors; hydrogen; polymers; semiconductor device manufacture; semiconductor device testing; semiconductor doping; silicon; solar cells; substrates; thermal analysis; thermal conductivity; 2 mm; Si:H; a-Si:H photovoltaic cells; polyimide materials; polymeric substrates; pressure-sensitive silicone adhesive; solar cell fabrication process; substrate warping; thermal conductivity; thermal contact; thermal control improvement; Conducting materials; Fabrication; Glass; Metallization; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaic systems; Polyimides; Polymers; Solar power generation; Thermal conductivity;
Conference_Titel :
Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1997., Conference Record of the Twenty-Sixth IEEE
Conference_Location :
Anaheim, CA
Print_ISBN :
0-7803-3767-0
DOI :
10.1109/PVSC.1997.654185
