On the Rise of Thin-Film Solar Cells
Michael Jin
Ohio Aerospace Institute/NASA Glenn Research Center
Abstract
The development of thin-film solar cells on flexible, lightweight,
space-qualified durable substrates provides an attractive cost solution
to fabricating solar arrays with high specific power (W/kg). The use of
a polycrystalline chalcopyrite absorber layer for thin- film solar cells
is considered as the next generation photovoltaic devices. At NASA Glenn
Research Center, Thin Film Group has developed novel ternary
single-source precursors (SSPs) for the deposition of CuInS2 thin films
using aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (AACVD). The
characterization of film properties was conducted and the fully
integrated CuInS2 solar cells have been fabricated. This project
demonstrated the potential of the AACVD with SSPs as a promising
low-temperature large-area process for thin-film solar cells.