JUNE 16-21, 2013 • TAMPA, FLORIDA
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TECHNICAL AREA OVERVIEWS
AREA 5 OVERVIEW
THIN FILM SILICON BASED PV TECHNOLOGIES
Chair
Arno Smets, Delft University of
Technology, The Netherlands
Co-Chairs
Ivan Gordon, IMEC, Belgium
Nikolas Podraza, University of
Toledo, USA
Sub-Areas & Chairs
5.1:
Fundamental Properties of
Thin Film Silicon - Erik Johnson, Ecole Polytechnique,
France
5.2:
Processing Issues for Thin Silicon Films and
Devices - Takuya Matsui, AIST, Japan
5.3:
Light Management Concepts in Thin Film Silicon
Solar Cell Devices - Matthieu Despeisse, EPFL
Neuchatel, Switzerland
5.4:
Novel Concepts for Thin Film Silicon Solar Cell
Devices - Vikram Dalal, Iowa State University, USA
5.5:
Polycrystalline and Epitaxial Silicon Technology -
David Young, NREL, USA)
5.6:
Thin Film Silicon Based Solar Cells, Multijunctions
and PV Modules - Bernd Stannowski, Helmholtz
Zentrum Berlin, Germany
Thin-film photovoltaics based on amorphous, nano/
microcrystalline, polycrystalline and epitaxial silicon on
non Si-substrates have matured through three decades
of advances in the design and processing of high-quality
materials, solar cells and modules. Despite these great
advances, many fundamental and technological issues of
great importance still remain in order to achieve further
progress, like the further increase of the conversion
efficiencies and the reduction of cost price of thin silicon
film based solar cells. Detailed research studies and
visionary papers addressing the entire spectrum of the
subject are welcomed. These topics include, but are
not limited to: material characterization concerning
microstructure, light induced degradation, various silicon
based alloy types such as SiGe:H, SiC:H, SiO:H, film
oxidation, passivation at heterojunction interfaces;
processing issues concerning large throughput, large
area, high deposition rates, contamination issues,
processing routes for polycrystalline and epitaxial silicon;
light trapping using textured interfaces, multi-layers,
intermediate reflective layers and new TCO materials
or concepts; novel concepts for thin silicon solar cells
concerning films with new functionalities, plasmonic
approaches, spectral conversion; and all topics related
to amorphous/microcrystalline/polycrystalline/epitaxial
silicon film solar cells and modules such as multi-junction
structures, high performance and long-term reliability.
