Results
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Plasma chemical etching for c-Si photovoltaics
Structuring of TCO layers for TF-Photovoltaics
Infection control – Process and materials studies
Application demonstrator for infection control
Energy storage – Process and materials R&D
Application demonstrator for energy storage
Interface technologies for durable adhesion
Application demonstrator for interface technologies
Cross-cutting equipment development
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Structuring of TCO layers for TF-Photovoltaics
Surface modification of CVD grown tin oxide films - AFM image of a film with high growth rate
© University of Salford
Surface morphology of a SnO2:F sample (SEM) after HCl plasma treatment
© Fraunhofer IWS
CFD modelling of an atmospheric pressure CVD reactor: tin oxide deposition rate in kg/m²s
© Manchester University
R2R deposition of SnO2:F on 350 mm wide aluminium foil, from two AP-CVD injectors
© Helianthos / Nuon
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Goal
- increase efficiency of thin film solar cells by introducing tailored 3D nano-structured layers with higher light trapping performance
Steps
- structure control by deposition of nano-structured TCO films in a stable reproducible process
- plasma chemical post treatment for TCO surface nano-texture modification
Target
- efficiency improvement of thin film photovoltaics by between 10% and 25% (relative, compared to standard TCO)
Atmospheric pressure AP-CVD of nano-structured SnO2:F films from different precursors and co-reactants
- film characterization: light scattering, transmission, absorption, resistance, free carrier concentration, mobility
- test of solar cell performance: photo-generated current, efficiency
- efficiency up to 9.4% (8% for cells on TEC-8)
Atmospheric pressure plasma post treatment by both DBD plasma and linear DC arc plasma
- surface nano-texture modification successfully demonstrated
Process monitoring and modelling
- aimed at establishing of a stable, reproducible process for in-line AP-CVD of SnO2:F films
- development of in-situ spectroscopic monitoring techniques
- successful demonstration of non-invasive, in-situ spatial monitoring of gaseous chemical species concentrations under the coating head by near-infrared diode laser spectroscopy
- combination with process modelling and simulations using computational fluid dynamic model with kinetics
- improvements in design of coating heads and process control with consequent improvements in process reproducibility
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One of the first reported CFD models of CVD reactors agreeing with experimental observations of gas phase concentrations and growth rates. |
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Demonstrators
Routes to thin-film PV cells with lower manufacturing costs
- development and design of equipment demonstrators for deposition of fluorine-doped tin oxide (SnO2:F) nano-structured TCO films by Atmospheric Pressure Chemical Vapour Deposition (AP-CVD)
- on-line deposition of TCO on glass
- roll-to-roll deposition of TCO on flexible substrates (foil)
- integration of in-situ spectroscopic monitoring techniques for process control
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