Development of light-trapped, interconnected, Silicon-Film modules

AstroPower is employing Silicon-Film/sup TM/ technology toward the development of an advanced thin-silicon-based, photovoltaic module product. This module combines the design and process features of advanced thin-silicon solar cells, is light trapped, and integrated in a low-cost monolithic interconnected array. This advanced product includes the following features: (a) silicon layer grown on a low-cost substrate; (b) a nominally 50-micron thick silicon layer with minority carrier diffusion lengths exceeding 100 microns; (c) light trapping due to back-surface reflection; and (d) back surface passivation. The thin silicon layer achieves high solar cell performance and can lead to a module conversion efficiency as high as 19%. These performance design features, combined with low-cost manufacturing using relatively low-cost capital equipment, continuous processing and a low-cost substrate, will lead to high performance, low cost photovoltaic panels.