Initial results for the silicon monolithically interconnected solar cell product

Author

Shreve, K.P. ; DiNetta, L.C. ; Cotter, J.E. ; Bower, J.R. ; Ruffins, T.R. ; Barnett, A.M.

Author_Institution

AstroPower Inc., Newark, DE, USA

fYear

1996

fDate

13-17 May 1996

Firstpage

665

Lastpage

668

Abstract

This technology is based on AstroPower´s electrostatic bonding and silicon solar cell processing techniques. Electrostatic bonding allows silicon wafers to be permanently attached to a thermally matched glass superstrate and processed to form the monolithically interconnected devices. These devices can be tailored for space and terrestrial applications. The costs of the monolithic interconnection compare favorably to labor intensive, conventionally strung solar cell arrays. Voltage and current outputs can be varied without varying the number of fabrication steps. Prototypes have demonstrated efficiencies greater than 11%. The monolithic approach has a number of inherent advantages for space and terrestrial photovoltaic products

Keywords

electrostatics; elemental semiconductors; semiconductor materials; silicon; solar cell arrays; solar cells; wafer bonding; AstroPower; Si; current outputs; electrostatic bonding; monolithically interconnected solar cells; silicon wafers; space applications; terrestrial applications; thermally matched glass superstrate; voltage outputs; Costs; Electrostatics; Fabrication; Glass; Photovoltaic cells; Prototypes; Silicon; Space technology; Voltage; Wafer bonding;

fLanguage

English

Publisher

ieee

Conference_Titel

Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, 1996., Conference Record of the Twenty Fifth IEEE

Conference_Location

Washington, DC

ISSN

0160-8371

Print_ISBN

0-7803-3166-4

Type

conf

DOI

10.1109/PVSC.1996.564216

Filename

564216