AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH FOR LARGE AREA PHOTOVOLTAIC MATERIAL PROCESSING

SEMICONDUCTORS OF COPPER INDIUM DISELENIDE AND RELATED COMPOUNDS ARE IMPORTANT SOLAR CELL MATERIALS. DEVICES WITH OVER 15% SOLAR-TO-ELECTRIC CONVERSION EFFICIENCY HAVE ALREADY BEEN DEMONSTRATED ON THE POLYCRYSTALLINE THIN FILMS OF THESE MATERIALS IN THE LABORATORY. THE AIM OF THIS PHASE I PROJECT IS TO DEVELOP NEW AND INNOVATIVE PROCESSING APPROACHES THAT CAN BE SCALED UP FOR THE PRODUCTION OF LARGE AREA, HIGH EFFICIENCY, PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES. THE APPROACH INVOLVES REACTION OF INDIUM-RICH AND COPPER-RICH PRECURSORS TO FORM A COPPER INDIUM SELENIDE FILM WITH THE RIGHT COMPOSITION AND MICROSTRUCTURE THAT CAN EVENTUALLY BE USED TO FABRICATE PHOTOVOLTAIC MODULES WITH EFFICIENCIES GREATER THAN 15%. THE SPECIFIC PROCESSING STEPS NECESSARY FOR HIGH EFFICIENCY SOLAR CELL FABRICATION WILL BE DETERMINED, AND PLANS MADE FOR THE ADAPTATION OF THESE STEPS TO A LARGE AREA SPUTTERING FACILITY. ACTUAL LARGE AREA DEPOSITINS WOULD BE CARRIED OUT IN PHASE II.