Flexible amorphous silicon solar cells on glass-fabric reinforced composite films in the superstrate configuration

Flexible and lightweight amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) based thin-film solar cells on glass-fabric reinforced inorganic-organic hybrid materials (hybrimer) composite films are newly proposed in the paper. They were developed in a superstrate configuration where light is absorbed in a-Si:H layers after passing through the transparent film. The flexible and transparent film for the substrate was fabricated using glass-fabric placement and a hybrimer coating on glass used as a temporary substrate. It was cured under a high pressure. The flexible film on the glass showed optical transmittances of more than ~87% for wavelengths above 550nm and moderate light-scattering properties. Flexible p-i-n a-Si:H solar cells were developed on glass-fiber reinforced hybrimer composite film in the superstrate configuration using the glass as a temporary substrate during the deposition process. The flexible a-Si:H single junction solar cells show an efficiency of 5.3% with V_oc=0.86 V, J_sc=10.6 mA/cm² and FF=58%.