National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Thin Film Partnership Program
Publications, Presentations, and News Database
Latest Updates
Below are the ten most recent resources that we have received. They are sorted according to posting date. Author information, full title, a brief description, and other details are also included.
These ten resources are also posted in the appropriate individual technology section.
| Post Date | 10/05/2009 |
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| Technology | General Interest |
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| Title | BY TECHNOLOGY BEST COMMERCIAL MODULE EFFICIENCIES 2004 TO 2009 |
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| Link | (Excel 29 KB) |
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| Author | B. Von Roedern |
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| Description | This Excel spreadsheet averages commercial module efficiencies from the spec sheet tables 2004 - 2009 by technology |
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| Venue | NREL table and figure |
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| Source | National Renewable Energy Laboratory |
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| Document Type | Picture/Table/Figure (Excel spreadsheet) |
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| Resource Date | 09/2009 |
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| Post Date | 10/05/2009 |
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| Technology | General Interest |
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| Title | SPEC SHEET TABLE OF BEST COMMERCIAL MODULES, 09/2009 VERSION |
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| Link | (MS Word 51 KB) |
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| Author | B. Von Roedern |
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| Description | Commercial shec sheet values of best modules, ranked by total area efficiency |
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| Venue | NREL table |
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| Source | National Renewable Energy Laboratory |
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| Document Type | Picture/Table/Figure (Word document) |
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| Resource Date | 09/2009 |
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| Post Date | 10/05/2009 |
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| Technologies | Cadmium Telluride, Copper Indium Diselenide |
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| Title | CHARACTERIZATION OF THE ELECTRONIC AND CHEMICAL STRUCTURE AT THE THIN FILM SOLAR CELL INTERFACES |
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| Link | (PDF 2.1 MB) Download Acrobat Reader. |
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| Author | C. Heske |
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| Description | This project was devoted to deriving the electronic structure of interfaces in Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se)2 and CdTe thin-film solar cells. By using a unique combination of spectroscopic methods (photoelectron spectroscopy, inverse photoemission, and X-ray absorption and emission), a comprehensive picture of the electronic (i.e., band alignment in the valence and conduction band) as well as chemical structure can be painted. The work focused on the following: (1) deriving the benchmark picture for world-record cells, (2) analyzing state-of-the-art cells from industrial processes, and (3) troubleshooting of cells with substandard performance. |
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| Venue | University Nevada, Las Vegas, subcontract XXL-44205-12, Final Report |
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| Source | University of Nevada, Las Vegas |
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| Document Type | Annual Report (Adobe Postscript file) |
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| Resource Date | 09/2009 |
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| Post Date | 05/11/2009 |
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| Technologies | Cadmium Telluride, Copper Indium Diselenide |
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| Title | CHARACTERIZATION AND ANALYSIS OF CIGS AND CDTE SOLAR CELLS |
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| Link | (PDF 2.5 MB) Download Acrobat Reader. |
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| Author | J. R. Sites |
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| Description | The project goals have been to (1) reliably and quantitatively separate individual performance loss mechanisms, (2) expand the tools available for such measurement and analysis, (3) refine the physical explanations for performance losses, and (4) suggest fabrication approaches or modifications that can reduce these losses. A number of studies relating to the fundamental operation of CIGS and CdTe solar cells were performed during the subcontract period. In addition, we have expanded our light-beam-induced-current (LBIC) capabilities and the formalism needed to evaluate spatial nonuniformities, and we have analyzed the effective efficiency to be expected from commercial thin-film modules |
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| Venue | Colorado State University, subcontract XXL-5-44205-03, Final Report |
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| Source | Colorado State University |
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| Document Type | Final Report (Adobe Postscript file) |
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| Resource Date | 01/2009 |
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| Post Date | 05/11/2009 |
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| Technology | Cadmium Telluride |
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| Title | FABRICATION AND PHYSICS OF CDTE DEVICES BY SPUTTERING |
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| Link | (PDF 3.6 MB) Download Acrobat Reader. |
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| Authors | A. Compaan, R. W. Collins, V. G. Karpov, D. Giolando |
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| Description | The three overall emphases of this subcontract were the following: 1) improving our understanding of key aspects of CdS/CdTe solar cell device physics, 2) improving our understanding of magnetron sputtering and increasing the sputter deposition rate while maintaining high device quality, and 3) reducing the thickness of CdTe layers in the CdS/CdTe cell below 0.5 ?m while maintaining voltage and fill factor. |
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| Venue | University of Toledo, subcontract ZXL-5-44205-01, Final Report |
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| Source | University of Toledo |
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| Document Type | Final Report (Adobe Postscript file) |
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| Resource Date | 04/2009 |
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| Post Date | 05/11/2009 |
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| Technology | General Interest |
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| Title | BEST PRODUCTION-LINE PV MODULE EFFICIENCY VALUES: FROM MANUFACTURERS? WEBSITES
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| Link | (MS Word 56 KB) |
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| Author | B. Von Roedern |
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| Description | Table of commercial module efficioencies, per module manufacturers websites. |
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| Venue | NREL NCPV |
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| Source | National Renewable Energy Laboratory |
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| Document Type | Other Items (Word document) |
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| Resource Date | 03/2009 |
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| Post Date | 04/27/2009 |
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| Technologies | Amorphous and Thin Film Silicon, Cadmium Telluride, Copper Indium Diselenide |
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| Title | PROCESSING MATERIALS DEVICES AND DIAGNOSTICS FOR THIN FILM PHOTOVOLTAICS: FUNDAMENTAL AND MANUFACTURABILITY ISSUES |
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| Link | (PDF 1.6 MB) Download Acrobat Reader. |
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| Authors | R. W. Birkmire, W. N. Shafarman, E. Eser, S. S. Hegedus, B. E. McCandless, K. D. Dobson, S. Bowden |
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| Description | This report describes results achieved under this subcontract to develop and understand thin-film solar cell technology associated to CuInSe2 and related alloys, a-Si and its alloys, and CdTe. This includes application of a-Si to c-Si wafer-type cells, as well. Modules based on all these thin films are promising candidates to meet DOE long-range efficiency, reliability, and manufacturing cost goals. The critical issues being addressed under this program are intended to provide the science and engineering basis for developing viable commercial processes and to improve module performance. The generic research issues addressed are: 1) quantitative analysis of processing steps to provide information for efficient commercial-scale equipment design and operation; 2) device characterization relating the device performance to materials properties and process conditions; 3) development of alloy materials with different bandgaps to allow improved device structures for stability and compatibility with module design; 4) development of improved window/heterojunction layers and contacts to improve device performance and reliability; and 5) evaluation of cell stability with respect to illumination, temperature, and ambient and with respect to device structure and module encapsulation.
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| Venue | Institute of Energy Conversion (IEC), University of Delaware, subcontract ADJ-1-30630-12, Final Report |
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| Source | University of Delaware |
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| Document Type | Final Report (Adobe Postscript file) |
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| Resource Date | 04/2009 |
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| Post Date | 04/22/2009 |
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| Technology | Copper Indium Diselenide |
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| Title | HIGH THROUGHPUT, LOW TOXIC PROCESSING OF VERY THIN, HIGH EFFICIENCY CIGSS SOLAR CELLS |
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| Link | (PDF 571 KB) Download Acrobat Reader. |
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| Author | N. G. Dhere |
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| Description | During this project CuIn1-xGaxSe2-ySy (CIGSeS)/CdS thin-film solar cells were prepared on molybdenum-coated soda lime glass substrates. Low-toxicity selenium precursors, diethylselenium (DESe) or other organometallic precursors, were used for selenization of metallic precursors. Rapid thermal processing (RTP) was developed as an alternative to conventional selenization and sulfurization to reduce the process time and thermal budget, thus enhancing throughput. CuIn1-xGaxS2 (CIGS2) thin-film solar cells were also developed. As easily scaleable magnetron sputtering technique was used for deposition of back contact, metallic precursors, and transparent and conducting oxides. Compact, large-grain, 0.9-2.75-?m-thick absorber layers were prepared by selenization/sulfurization of elemental precursors at 475º-515ºC in diluted DESe or other organometallic precursors and diluted H2S. Experiments were performed to reduce absorber thickness so as to minimize the indium consumption using both conventional, as well as the RTP, approach. Experiments were carried out on thinner (i.e., 1.2 - 1.5 ?m) CIGS2 absorbers. The effect of sodium addition on copper-poor CIGS2 absorbers and thin-film solar cells was studied. Alternate heterojunction partner layers were developed for CIGS2 thin-film solar cells. |
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| Venue | Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC), subcontract XXL-5-44205-08, Final Report |
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| Source | FLorida Solar Energy Center |
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| Document Type | Annual Report (Adobe Postscript file) |
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| Resource Date | 04/2009 |
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| Post Date | 03/13/2009 |
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| Technologies | Amorphous and Thin Film Silicon, Copper Indium Diselenide |
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| Title | INNOVATIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF AMORPHOUS AND THIN-FILM SILICON FOR IMPROVED MODULE PERFORMANCE |
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| Link | (PDF 282 KB) Download Acrobat Reader. |
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| Author | J. D. Cohen |
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| Description | We have been applying junction capacitance methods to investigate the effects of Ga grading on a set of four CuIn1-xGaxSe2 (CIGS) sample devices at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
One device was deposited with a uniform Ga depth profile (x=0.30), two were deposited so that the Ga fraction varied monotonically from near x=0.9 at the Mo back contact to either x=0.15 or x=0.25 at the junction interface, and the last device utilized a compositional variation close to NREL's optimal ?v-shaped? bandgap grading scheme. Following deposition, SIMS measurements were carried out at NREL to provide a detailed spatial map of the Ga/(Ga+In) ratios in the CIGS absorbers.
One of the most revealing effects of Ga grading were obtained from our transient photocapacitance (TPC) and photocurrent (TPI) spectra. These measurements provided a spectral map of the optically induced release of carriers for photon energies from 0.6eV to 2eV.
Comparing the two types of spectra enables one to distinguish majority from minority carrier processes. We also attempted to obtain additional spatial information by varying the applied DC bias to weight the spectral response to different regions relative to the barrier junction. The edge
of the depletion region under different (steady-state) DC biases were estimated by the high frequency junction capacitance values.
We concluded that we are really sampling regions farther from the junction. |
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| Venue | University of Oregon, subcontract ZXL-5-44205-11, quarterly report |
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| Source | University of Oregon |
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| Document Type | Quarterly Report (Adobe Postscript file) |
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| Resource Date | 11/2008 |
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| Post Date | 03/11/2009 |
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| Technology | Cadmium Telluride |
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| Title | FABRICATION AND PHYSICS OF CDTE DEVICES BY SPUTTERING |
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| Link | (PDF 471 KB) Download Acrobat Reader. |
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| Authors | A. Compaan, R. W. Collins, V. G. Karpov, D. Giolando |
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| Description | RTSE has been applied to investigate the dielectric functions of CdTe and CdS thin films sputtered at different temperatures. These dielectric functions are modeled using the critical point (CP) parabolic band approximation. Key characteristics can be deduced including grain size, excitation group speeds, stress, and temperature from the CP parameters. Capabilities for on-line optical monitoring are sought to provide information, not only on layer thicknesses and compositions, but also on grain size, stress, and temperature. As a first application, the parameterization was used to analyze the ellipsometric spectra of a stepwise etched CdTe solar cell. In this study, depth profiles in the void and grain size near the CdTe/CdS interface have been obtained. |
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| Venue | university of Toledo, subcontract ZXL-5-44205-01, quarterly report |
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| Source | University of Toledo |
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| Document Type | Quarterly Report (Adobe Postscript file) |
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| Resource Date | 11/19/2008 |
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