GOALI: Thin Film Silicon Solar Cells on Plastic Substrates

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Photovoltaic energy conversion is an important industry for the future of the world?s energy system. The current production volume worldwide is over 2.5 GW/year, growing at over 40% per year. The current industry is based approximately 91% on the use of crystalline Si, and the growth of the industry has been hampered by the high and increasing cost of Si wafers. Intellectual Merit: This GOALI program focuses on developing low cost, high performance solar photovoltaic technology based on thin film Si deposited on polymer substrates, using a transformative device architecture. This proposal addresses an alternative thin film silicon technology that can achieve a level of performance similar to that of thick crystalline silicon , while using only 1-2 micrometer thicknesses. The proposed work focuses on the investigation of novel device architectures including use of amorphous/crystalline superlattices, photonic bandgap structures and new material growth techniques to achieve higher performance in thin film silicon. Broader Impact: The program involves a strong collaboration with PowerFilm Solar, the leading U. S. company working on polymer based solar cells. The program will offer research and educational opportunities to both graduate and undergraduate students.