Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T19:39:16.686Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

On Industrial Production of Thin Film CdTe PV Modules

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Dieter Bonnet
Dieter Bonnet*
Affiliation:
[email protected], SOLARPACT e.V., non, Breslauer Ring 9a, Friedrichsdorf, D-61381, Germany, +49 6172 71302
Get access

Abstract

Due to its basic physical and chemical properties CdTe has become a favored base material for thin film solar cells using robust, high-throughput manu-facturing procedures. The technology shows significant potential for attaining cost levels of <1 $/Wp. Close-Spaced Sublimation (CSS) is the fastest and simplest deposition process for both semiconductors used, CdTe and CdS, permitting in-line production at high linear speed of about 1 m/min.. The individual manufacturing steps for integrated modules are explained in view of their incorporation in the production line. ANTEC Solar GmbH has entered production of CdTe thin film modules on a scale of 100,000 m2 per annum using CSS as the deposition procedure for the semiconductor films and high-rate in-line sputtering for transparent and opaque contacts. Standard module size is 60 × 120 cm2. The production line is operative since 2002, without major problems. This article recounts the efforts to master lab processes for application in production.

Keywords

photovoltaicII-VIphysical vapor deposition (PVD)
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1012: Symposium Y – Thin-Film Compound Semiconductor Photovoltaics-2007 , 2007 , 1012-Y05-01
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Bonnet, D., Rabenhorst, H., Conf. Record of the 9th Photovoltaic Specialists Conf., (1972) 129–131 Google Scholar
2. Mitchell, K., Fahrenbruch, A. L. and Bube, R.H., J. Appl. Phys. 48 (1977) 4365 Google Scholar
3. Chu, T.L., Chu, S.S., Han, K. D. and Mantravadi, M., Conf. Record of the 20th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, (1998) 1422–1425 Google Scholar
4. Sites, J. R. and Liu, X., Progress in Photovoltaics 3 (1995) 307–314 Google Scholar
5. Nunoue, Sh. and Hemmi, T., J. Electrochem. Soc. 137, (1990) 1248–1251 Google Scholar
6. McCandless, B. E. and Birkmire, R.W., Conf. Record of the 26th Photovoltaic Specialists Conf., (1997) 307–312 Google Scholar
7. Edwards, P.R., Halliday, D.P., Durose, K., Richter, H. and Bonnet, D., Proc.14th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conf., (1997) 2083–2086 Google Scholar
8. Levi, D.H., Moutinho, H.R., Hasoon, F.A., Keyes, B.M., Ahrenkiel, R. K. and Kazmerski, L.L. Proc. 1st World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, Hawai 1994) 127–131 Google Scholar
9. Rohatgi, A., Intern. J. of Solar Energy, 12 (1992) 37–49 Google Scholar
10. Mouthino, H.R., Al-Jassim, M. M., Abulfotuh, F.A., Levi, D.H., Dippo, P.C., Dhere, R. G. and Kazmerski, L.L., Conf. Record of the 26th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, (1997)Google Scholar
11. Zhou, T.X., Reiter, N., Powell, R. C. and Sasala, R., P.Meyers, V., Proc. 1st World Conference on Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, (1994) 103–106 Google Scholar
12. Sasala, R.A., Powell, R.C., Dorer, G. L. and Reiter, N., NREL/SNL Photovoltaics Program Review Meeting, Nov. 18-22, Lakewood CO, USA, APS Conference Proceedings No. 394, (1996), 171–188 Google Scholar
13. McCandless, B.E., Qu, Y., Birkmire, R. W. Proc.1st World Conf. Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, (1995) 107–110 Google Scholar
14. Chou, H.C., Rohatgi, A., Thomas, E.W., Kamra, S. and Bhat, A.K., J. Electrochem Soc. 142 (1995) 254–259 Google Scholar
15. Meyers, P.V., Liu, C.H. and T.Frey, J., U.S. Patent 4,977,097 (1990)Google Scholar
16. Tyan, Y.S., U.S. Patent 4,319,069 (1980)Google Scholar
17. Ferekides, C.S., Viswanathan, V. and Morel, D.L., Conf. Record of the 26th Photovoltaic Specialists Conf., (1997) 423–426 Google Scholar
18. Levi, D.H., Woods, L.M., Albin, D.S., Gessert, T.A., Niles, D.W., Swartzlander, A., Rose, D. H., Ahrenkiel, R. K. and Sheldon, P., Conf. Record of the 26th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference, (1997) 352–354 Google Scholar
20. Woodcock, J.M., Schade, H., Maurus, H., Dimmler, B., Springer, J. and Ricaud, H., Proc. 14th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conf. 1997, 857–860 Google Scholar