Production Equipment for Large Area Deposition of Amorphous and Microcrystalline Silicon Thin-Film Solar Cells

This work addresses Applied Films (AF) work on the development of production equipment for silicon thin-film solar cells based on a tandem structure of amorphous silicon top and microcrystalline silicon bottom cells (a-Si:H/muc-Si:H) on glass substrates. Preceding work at the Institute of Photovoltaics (IPV) has demonstrated efficiencies >10% for a-Si:H/muc-Si:H modules on 30times30 cm² substrate size. Recently, AF in close cooperation with the IPV succeeded to transfer the PECVD processes to a large area lab coater at AF and yielded initial efficiencies >10% for a-Si:H/muc-Si:H modules. Based on these results AF worked out a concept for mass production equipment for amorphous and microcrystalline silicon solar cells