Title :
Crystalline thin silicon cells
Author_Institution :
Fraunhofer-Inst. fur Solare Energiesysteme, Freiburg, Germany
fDate :
29 Sep-3 Oct 1997
Abstract :
A review of the history and present state of crystalline thin silicon technology is given. Thin silicon cells are defined as consisting of silicon of a thickness of less than 50 microns, which need a substrate to be self supporting. In the beginning of this technology stood the recognition that optical and electrical confinement is needed to reduce silicon thickness. The most widely used deposition technologies (plasma deposition, liquid phase epitaxy and CVD) and substrate materials are reviewed. Critical parameters are the temperature range of the technology and deposition rate. The highest efficiencies on nonsilicon substrates achieved today are 9 to 11%
Keywords :
elemental semiconductors; liquid phase epitaxial growth; plasma CVD; semiconductor thin films; silicon; solar cells; substrates; 9 to 11 percent; CVD; Si; Si solar cell; crystalline thin silicon cells; deposition technologies; electrical confinement; liquid phase epitaxy; optical confinement; plasma deposition; self supporting substrate; temperature range; Crystallization; Epitaxial growth; History; Optical materials; Plasma confinement; Plasma materials processing; Plasma temperature; Silicon; Substrates; Temperature distribution;
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.1997.653912
