Solar Photovoltaic
Improved Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
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Technology Marketing SummaryAlex Zettl, Jeffrey Grossman and Lucas Wagner of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have invented hydrogenated amorphous silicon solar cells with 30% improved performance compared to solar cells previously made with this material.
DescriptionAmorphous silicon offers the flexibility to make thinner, lighter solar panels at a lower cost than crystalline silicon. Until now, however, other features of amorphous silicon have made it impractical for use in solar cells. First, the electronic performance of amorphous silicon is typically inferior to that of crystalline silicon. In addition, when hydrogenated to reduce material defects with the goal of improving its electronic performance, amorphous silicon degrades with exposure to light due to an atomic-scale mechanism called the Staebler-Wronski Effect.
By achieving a more accurate and thorough understanding of the Staebler-Wronski Effect, the Berkeley Lab team developed amorphous silicon solar cell compositions that alleviate the effect and improve performance. The new solar cells incorporate alloys that mitigate the local bond strain of silicon atoms found to contribute to the Staebler-Wronski Effect. The solar cells may also integrate nanoscale features and specific manufacturing processes designed to either relieve stress in the material or increase the rigidity of the amorphous silicon bond network. As a result, the solar cells in this invention perform significantly better than earlier amorphous silicon solar cells, and they open the door to the production of lighter, lower cost solar cells compared to current crystalline silicon solar cell technology. Benefits
By achieving a more accurate and thorough understanding of the Staebler-Wronski Effect, the Berkeley Lab team developed amorphous silicon solar cell compositions that alleviate the effect and improve performance. The new solar cells incorporate alloys that mitigate the local bond strain of silicon atoms found to contribute to the Staebler-Wronski Effect. The solar cells may also integrate nanoscale features and specific manufacturing processes designed to either relieve stress in the material or increase the rigidity of the amorphous silicon bond network. As a result, the solar cells in this invention perform significantly better than earlier amorphous silicon solar cells, and they open the door to the production of lighter, lower cost solar cells compared to current crystalline silicon solar cell technology. Benefits
- Increased performance
- Less expensive than crystalline silicon solar cells
- Enables thinner, lighter solar panels
- Conducive to roll-to-roll deposition
- Solar cells
- Large solar panels
| Technology ID | Development Stage | Availability | Published | Last Updated |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IB-2582 | Development - early research | Available | 01/25/2010 | 02/02/2010 |
