Large Area, Low Cost Processing for CIS Photovoltaics

40209 International Solar Electric Technology (ISET) Copper indium diselenide and related compound semiconductors are important photovoltaic materials. Although copper indium diselenide type devices are the highest efficiency thin film solar cells ever produced, they are not yet commercially available because of difficulties associated with the costly processing schemes employed in the fabrication of these devices. This project will develop and demonstrate a lower cost, more robust, large area processing technique for copper indium diselenide photovoltaics. In Phase I, absorber layers with controlled composition will be deposited on metal coated glass substrates, and efficient solar cells will be fabricated on these absorbers. In Phase II, the processing technique will be further refined to fabricate large area photovoltaic modules. Anticipated Results/Potential Commercial Applications as described by the awardee: Successful completion of this project will provide a new low-cost processing option for the manufacture of copper indium diselenide type solar cells and accelerate the commercialization of this very important photovoltaic technology. Thin film solar cells and modules have a wide range of terrestrial and space power generation applications.