National Technical Reports Library

The National Technical Information Service acquires, indexes, abstracts, and archives the largest collection of U.S. government-sponsored technical reports in existence. The NTRL offers online, free and open access to these authenticated government technical reports. Technical reports and documents in its repository may be available online for free either from the issuing federal agency, the U.S. Government Publishing Office’s Federal Digital System website, or through search engines.

Details

Polycrystalline Thin-Film Photovoltaic Technologies: Progress and Technical Issues.

DE200415009701

Publication Date	2004
Personal Author	Ullal, H. S.
Page Count	12
Abstract	Polycrystalline thin-film materials based on copper indium diselenide (CuInSe2, CIS) and cadmium telluride (CdTe) are promising thin-film solar cells for various power and specialty applications. Impressive results have been obtained in the past few years for both thin-film copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells and thin-film CdTe solar cells. NCPV/NREL scientists have achieved world-record, total-area efficiencies of 19.3% for a thin-film CIGS solar cell and 16.5% for thin-film CdTe solar cell. A number of technical R&D issues related to CIS and CdTe have been identified. Thin-film power module efficiencies up to 13.4% has been achieved thus far. Tremendous progress has been made in the technology development for module fabrication, and multi-megawatt manufacturing facilities are coming on line with expansion plans in the next few years. Several 40-480 kW polycrystalline thin-film, grid-connected PV arrays have been deployed worldwide. Hot and humid testing is also under way to validate the long-term reliability of these emerging thin-film power products. The U.S. thin-film production (amorphous silicon(a-Si), CIS, CdTe) is expected to exceed 50 MW by the end of 2005.
Keywords	Solar cells Thin films Cadmium tellurides Copper Reliability Fabrication Gallium Indium Industrial plants Production
Source Agency	Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee
Corporate Authors	National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO.; Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200516

Polycrystalline Thin-Film Photovoltaic Technologies: Progress and Technical Issues.

Polycrystalline Thin-Film Photovoltaic Technologies: Progress and Technical Issues.
DE200415009701

Publication Date	2004
Personal Author	Ullal, H. S.
Page Count	12
Abstract	Polycrystalline thin-film materials based on copper indium diselenide (CuInSe2, CIS) and cadmium telluride (CdTe) are promising thin-film solar cells for various power and specialty applications. Impressive results have been obtained in the past few years for both thin-film copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells and thin-film CdTe solar cells. NCPV/NREL scientists have achieved world-record, total-area efficiencies of 19.3% for a thin-film CIGS solar cell and 16.5% for thin-film CdTe solar cell. A number of technical R&D issues related to CIS and CdTe have been identified. Thin-film power module efficiencies up to 13.4% has been achieved thus far. Tremendous progress has been made in the technology development for module fabrication, and multi-megawatt manufacturing facilities are coming on line with expansion plans in the next few years. Several 40-480 kW polycrystalline thin-film, grid-connected PV arrays have been deployed worldwide. Hot and humid testing is also under way to validate the long-term reliability of these emerging thin-film power products. The U.S. thin-film production (amorphous silicon(a-Si), CIS, CdTe) is expected to exceed 50 MW by the end of 2005.
Keywords	Solar cells Thin films Cadmium tellurides Copper Reliability Fabrication Gallium Indium Industrial plants Production
Source Agency	Technical Information Center Oak Ridge Tennessee
Corporate Authors	National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO.; Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Supplemental Notes	Sponsored by Department of Energy, Washington, DC.
Document Type	Technical Report
NTIS Issue Number	200516