Thin film PV Technologies Thin film Silicon PV Technology

Thin film PV Technologies Thin film Silicon PV Technology Week 5.2 Arno Smets

Thin film Silicon solar cell

Semiconductor Materials IV semiconductors: Si, Ge Rn Xe Kr Ar Ne He At I Br Cl F Po Te Se S O Bi Sb As P N Pb Sn Ge Si C Tl In Ga Al B Hg Cd Zn Au Ag Cu VlllA VllA VlA VA lva lllva llb lb 2 10 18 36 34 86 9 17 35 53 85 8 16 34 52 84 7 15 33 51 83 6 14 32 50 82 5 13 31 49 81 30 48 80 29 47 97 4.003 20.183 39.948 83.80 131 30 (222) 35.453 79.909 126 904 (210) 18.998 32.064 78.96 127 60 (210) 15.999 30.974 74.922 121.75 208.980 14.007 28.086 72.59 118 69 207.19 12.011 26.982 69.72 204.37 10.811 65.37 112.40 200.59 63.54 107.870 196.967 114 82 1 H

Semiconductor Materials IV semiconductors: Si, Ge Rn Xe Kr Ar Ne He At I Br Cl F Po Te Se S O Bi Sb As P N Pb Sn Ge Si C Tl In Ga Al B Hg Cd Zn Au Ag Cu VlllA VllA VlA VA lva lllva llb lb 2 10 18 36 34 86 9 17 35 53 85 8 16 34 52 84 7 15 33 51 83 6 14 32 50 82 5 13 31 49 81 30 48 80 29 47 97 4.003 20.183 39.948 83.80 131 30 (222) 35.453 79.909 126 904 (210) 18.998 32.064 78.96 127 60 (210) 15.999 30.974 74.922 121.75 208.980 14.007 28.086 72.59 118 69 207.19 12.011 26.982 69.72 204.37 10.811 65.37 112.40 200.59 63.54 107.870 196.967 114 82 1 H

Semiconductor Materials IV semiconductors: Si, Ge Rn Xe Kr Ar Ne He At I Br Cl F Po Te Se S O Bi Sb As P N Pb Sn Ge Si C Tl In Ga Al B Hg Cd Zn Au Ag Cu VlllA VllA VlA VA lva lllva llb lb 2 10 18 36 34 86 9 17 35 53 85 8 16 34 52 84 7 15 33 51 83 6 14 32 50 82 5 13 31 49 81 30 48 80 29 47 97 4.003 20.183 39.948 83.80 131 30 (222) 35.453 79.909 126 904 (210) 18.998 32.064 78.96 127 60 (210) 15.999 30.974 74.922 121.75 208.980 14.007 28.086 72.59 118 69 207.19 12.011 26.982 69.72 204.37 10.811 65.37 112.40 200.59 63.54 107.870 196.967 114 82 1 H

Semiconductor Materials IV semiconductors: Si, Ge Rn Xe Kr Ar Ne He At I Br Cl F Po Te Se S O Bi Sb As P N Pb Sn Ge Si C Tl In Ga Al B Hg Cd Zn Au Ag Cu VlllA VllA VlA VA lva lllva llb lb 2 10 18 36 34 86 9 17 35 53 85 8 16 34 52 84 7 15 33 51 83 6 14 32 50 82 5 13 31 49 81 30 48 80 29 47 97 4.003 20.183 39.948 83.80 131 30 (222) 35.453 79.909 126 904 (210) 18.998 32.064 78.96 127 60 (210) 15.999 30.974 74.922 121.75 208.980 14.007 28.086 72.59 118 69 207.19 12.011 26.982 69.72 204.37 10.811 65.37 112.40 200.59 63.54 107.870 196.967 114 82 1 H

Semiconductor Materials IV semiconductors: Si, Ge VlllA 1 H 29 lb Cu 63.54 30 llb Zn 65.37 lllva 5 13 31 B 10.811 Al 26.982 Ga 69.72 6 lva 14 32 C 12.011 Si 28.086 Ge 72.59 7 15 33 VA N 14.007 P 30.974 As 74.922 8 VlA 16 34 O 15.999 S 32.064 Se 78.96 9 VllA 17 35 F 18.998 Cl 35.453 Br 79.909 2 10 18 36 He 4.003 Ne 20.183 Ar 39.948 Kr 83.80 a- Si x Ge 1- x :H nc- Si x Ge 1- x :H 47 97 Ag 107.870 Au 196.967 48 80 Cd 112.40 Hg 200.59 49 81 In 114 82 Tl 204.37 50 82 Sn 118 69 Pb 207.19 51 83 Sb 121.75 Bi 208.980 52 84 Te 127 60 Po (210) 53 85 I 126 904 At (210) 34 86 Xe 131 30 Rn (222)

Semiconductor Materials IV semiconductors: Si, Ge VlllA 1 H 29 lb Cu 63.54 30 llb Zn 65.37 lllva 5 13 31 B 10.811 Al 26.982 Ga 69.72 6 lva 14 32 C 12.011 Si 28.086 Ge 72.59 7 15 33 VA N 14.007 P 30.974 As 74.922 8 VlA 16 34 O 15.999 S 32.064 Se 78.96 9 VllA 17 35 F 18.998 Cl 35.453 Br 79.909 2 10 18 36 He 4.003 Ne 20.183 Ar 39.948 Kr 83.80 a- Si x Ge 1- x :H nc- Si x Ge 1- x :H a-si x C 1-x :H 47 97 Ag 107.870 Au 196.967 48 80 Cd 112.40 Hg 200.59 49 81 In 114 82 Tl 204.37 50 82 Sn 118 69 Pb 207.19 51 83 Sb 121.75 Bi 208.980 52 84 Te 127 60 Po (210) 53 85 I 126 904 At (210) 34 86 Xe 131 30 Rn (222)

Semiconductor Materials IV semiconductors: Si, Ge VlllA 1 H 29 47 97 lb Cu 63.54 Ag 107.870 Au 196.967 30 48 80 llb Zn 65.37 Cd 112.40 Hg 200.59 lllva 5 13 31 49 81 B 10.811 Al 26.982 Ga 69.72 In 114 82 Tl 204.37 6 lva 14 32 50 82 C 12.011 Si 28.086 Ge 72.59 Sn 118 69 Pb 207.19 7 15 33 51 83 VA N 14.007 P 30.974 As 74.922 Sb 121.75 Bi 208.980 8 VlA 16 34 52 84 O 15.999 S 32.064 Se 78.96 Te 127 60 Po (210) 9 VllA 17 35 53 85 F 18.998 Cl 35.453 Br 79.909 I 126 904 At (210) 2 10 18 36 34 86 He 4.003 Ne 20.183 Ar 39.948 Kr 83.80 Xe 131 30 Rn (222) a- Si x Ge 1- x :H nc- Si x Ge 1- x :H a- Si x C 1- x :H nc- Si x O 1- x :H

Amorphous Network Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyvumucwhpo

2 Material Phases: amorphous and microcrystalline silicon Several 100nm ~30-50 nm sta[onary columnar growth incuba[on zone substrate

Indirect band gap Energy photon phonon Momentum

10-1 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 Comparison with c- Si: ladce Wavenlength [micrometers] 2.48 1.24 0.83 0.62 0.50 0.41 10 6 Absorp[on coefficient [cm - 1 ] 10 5 10 4 10 3 10 2 10 1 10 0 a- Si Ge:H c- Si Photon [ev]

absorp[on no absorp[on 2.00 alloy Band gap 1.75 1.6-1.9 ev P(λ) (x10 9 W m - 2 m - 1 ) 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 AM 1.5 0.25 0.00 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 Wavenlength (x10-9 m)

absorp[on no absorp[on 2.00 alloy Band gap 1.75 a-si:h 1.6-1.9 ev 1.1-1.3 ev P(λ) (x10 9 W m - 2 m - 1 ) 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 AM 1.5 0.25 0.00 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 Wavenlength (x10-9 m)

absorp[on no absorp[on 2.00 alloy Band gap 1.75 a-si:h a-sige:h 1.6-1.9 ev 1.1-1.3 ev 1.4-1.6 ev P(λ) (x10 9 W m - 2 m - 1 ) 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 AM 1.5 0.25 0.00 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 Wavenlength (x10-9 m)

absorp[on no absorp[on 2.00 alloy Band gap 1.75 a-si:h a-sige:h a-sic:h 1.6-1.9 ev 1.1-1.3 ev 1.4-1.6 ev >1.9 ev P(λ) (x10 9 W m - 2 m - 1 ) 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 AM 1.5 0.25 0.00 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 Wavenlength (x10-9 m)

absorp[on no absorp[on 2.00 alloy Band gap 1.75 a-si:h a-sige:h a-sic:h nc-sio:h 1.6-1.9 ev 1.1-1.3 ev 1.4-1.6 ev >1.9 ev >2.0 ev P(λ) (x10 9 W m - 2 m - 1 ) 1.50 1.25 1.00 0.75 0.50 AM 1.5 0.25 0.00 0 500 1000 1500 2000 2500 Wavenlength (x10-9 m)

Defects in the ladce

An p- i- n juncion Back Reflector TCO Glass

: drij mechanism required for transport p- a- SiC:H Intrinsic n- E Fermi

Principle of p- i- n juncion p- a- SiC:H Intrinsic n- Conduc[on band E Fermi Valence band

A typical p- i- n juncion Back Reflector n i p TCO TCO Glass

Spectral Irradiance (W/m 2 /nm) 2.5 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 UV O 3 AbsorpIon Visible Solar RadiaIon Spectrum O 2 Infrared Sunlight Top of the Atmosphere H 2 O 5800 K Blackbody Spectrum H 2 O H 2 O Radia[on at Sea Level H 2 O AbsorpIon Bands CO 2 H 2 O 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000 2250 2500 Wavelength (nm) Does not cover en[re spectrum! Back Reflector TCO Glass

Spectral Irradiance (W/m 2 /nm) Solar RadiaIon Spectrum 2.5 UV Visible Infrared 2 Sunlight Top of the Atmosphere 5800 K Blackbody Spectrum 1.5 1 H 2 O Radia[on at Sea Level 0.5 H 2 O AbsorpIon Bands O 2 H 2 O CO O 2 H 2 O 3 H 0 2 O 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000 2250 2500 Wavelength (nm) AbsorpIon Does not cover en[re spectrum! Back Reflector TCO Glass

Back Reflector Solar RadiaIon Spectrum 2.5 UV Visible Infrared Spectral Irradiance (W/m 2 /nm) 2 1.5 1 0.5 0 O 3 AbsorpIon A- Si:H O 2 Sunlight Top of the Atmosphere H 2 O 5800 K Blackbody Spectrum H 2 O H 2 O Radia[on at Sea Level H 2 O AbsorpIon Bands CO 2 H 2 O 250 500 750 1000 1250 1500 1750 2000 2250 2500 Wavelength (nm) AbsorpIon Beler spectrum coverage! µc- Si:H TCO Glass

The / tandem E Fermi 150-300 nm 1000-2000 nm

p- a- SiC:H Intrinsic n- p- n- Conduc[on band E Fermi Valence band 150-300 nm 1000-2000 nm

Double- juncion approach 30 Single pin 30 Tandem 30 25 Back Reflector 25 The / Back Reflector 25 J (ma/cm 2 ) 20 15 10 5 TCO Glass flexible substrate J (ma/cm 2 ) 20 15 10 5? µc- Si:H TCO Glass 20 15 10 5 0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.4 1.6 0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.4 1.6 0 Voltage (V) Voltage (V)

Double- juncion approach 30 Single pin 30 Tandem 30 25 Back Reflector 25 The / Back Reflector 25 J (ma/cm 2 ) 20 15 10 5 TCO Glass flexible substrate J (ma/cm 2 ) 20 15 10 5 µc- Si:H TCO Glass 20 15 10 5 0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.4 1.6 0 0.0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1.0 1.4 1.6 0 Voltage (V) Voltage (V)

MulI- juncion based solar cells Ag Ag Ag Ag 180 Ito Ito 160 ΖnΟ Ag Flexible SS / / n- i- p / n- i- p / n- i- p a- Si:Ge:H a- Si:Ge:H ΖnΟ Ag Flexible SS a- Si:Ge:H / a- Si:Ge:H / n- i- p / n- i- p / n- i- p AM 1.5 spectum (mw/(cm 2 μm)) 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 Wavelength (nm)

/a- SiGe:H/ mul5- junc5ons United Solar: IniIal efficiency: 16.3 % B. Yan, Appl. Phys. Le1. 99, 113512 (2011).

MulI- juncion approach 10.1% 12.3% Ag 13.4% 16.3% (ini[al) Ag lto Ito Ito Back Reflector Ag Ag Ag Ag Back Reflector a- Si:Ge:H a- Si:Ge:H a- Si:Ge:H TCO TCO ΖnΟ ΖnΟ ΖnΟ Glass Flexible substrate Glass Ag Flexible SS Ag Flexible SS Ag Flexible SS p- i- n / p- i- n / p- i- n / p- i- n / / n- i- p / n- i- p / n- i- p a- Si:Ge:H / a- Si:Ge:H / n- i- p / n- i- p / n- i- p / a- Si:Ge:H / n- i- p / n- i- p / n- i- p

MulI- juncion approach 12.3% Ag 13.4% lto Back Reflector Ag TCO Glass / p- i- n / p- i- n ΖnΟ Ag Flexible SS / / n- i- p / n- i- p / n- i- p

MulI- juncion approach 12.3% Ag 13.4% lto Back Reflector Ag TCO Glass / p- i- n / p- i- n ΖnΟ Ag Flexible SS / / n- i- p / n- i- p / n- i- p

Glass Front TCO A- Si:H Black metal Encapsulant

TF silicon modules manufacturing Glass Front TCO Black metal Encapsulant

TF silicon modules manufacturing 1. Glass plates used as substrate carrier Glass

TF silicon modules manufacturing 1. Glass plates used as substrate carrier 2. Front TCO deposition Glass Front TCO

TF silicon modules manufacturing 1. Glass plates used as substrate carrier 2. Front TCO deposition 3. Laser scribing: L1 Glass Front TCO

TF silicon modules manufacturing 1. Glass plates used as substrate carrier 2. Front TCO deposition 3. Laser scribing: L1 4. Si:H layers deposition Glass Front TCO

TF silicon modules manufacturing 1. Glass plates used as substrate carrier 2. Front TCO deposition 3. Laser scribing: L1 4. Si:H layers deposition 5. Laser scribing: L2 Glass Front TCO

TF silicon modules manufacturing 1. Glass plates used as substrate carrier 2. Front TCO deposition 3. Laser scribing: L1 4. Si:H layers deposition 5. Laser scribing: L2 Glass Front TCO Black metal 6. Back metal deposition

TF silicon modules manufacturing 1. Glass plates used as substrate carrier 2. Front TCO deposition 3. Laser scribing: L1 4. Si:H layers deposition 5. Laser scribing: L2 Glass Front TCO Black metal 6. Back metal deposition 7. Laser scribing: L3

TF silicon modules manufacturing 1. Glass plates used as substrate carrier 2. Front TCO deposition 3. Laser scribing: L1 4. Si:H layers deposition 5. Laser scribing: L2 6. Back metal deposition Glass Front TCO Black metal Encapsulant 7. Laser scribing: L3 8. Encapsulant

TF silicon modules manufacturing 1. Glass plates used as substrate carrier 2. Front TCO deposition 3. Laser scribing: L1 4. Si:H layers deposition 5. Laser scribing: L2 6. Back metal deposition Glass Front TCO Black metal Encapsulant 7. Laser scribing: L3 8. Encapsulant

Micromorph Tandem Module

HyET Solar Manufacturing sequence: Al foil + TCO + + back contact + carrier foil Al foil + series connect + contact wires + curng + encapsulant

Flexible Products

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