Novel Inline Deposition System for High Performance CIGS Solar Cells

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CIGS (copper indium gallium sellenide) solar cell structures have been identified as technologically important for the next generation of solar power production. They offer the advantages of being substantially less expensive to produce than crystalline devices and offer higher efficiencies than other non-crystalline photovoltaic materials. Currently, CIGS solar cells are typically produced using three separate deposition systems - two for the electrical contacts and one for the CIGS layer. The project aims to eliminate the requirement for three separate systems by combining all the processes into one system. This offers two important advantages that will ultimately result in the improved competitiveness of the process; the initial capital equipment cost will be lower than for three individual vacuum deposition systems and the inline nature of the system will allow higher throughput than conventional batch systems. The system will also demonstrate the proof of concept for roll-to-roll coating and continuous throughput systems. In addition to the manufacturing advantages described above the system will be used extensively by the experienced CIGS development team at CREST (Centre for Renewable Energy Systems), Loughborough University will develop novel high efficiency CIGS cell structures / further increasing the competitiveness of CIGS technology in comparison to mainstream energy sources. The process developement for high performance CIGS would be established through the available expertise with the PI at Loughborough along with its experienced team in standardising the procedure for commercial CIGS production through an integrated vaccum deposition system approach. The depostion and characterisation of different material layers of the device is another important aspect that will also be done at various stages of its development through the existing materials characterisation facilities at Loughborough. Finally the finished device resulting out of the system will be tested for its performance using the existing faciltities at CREST on small as well as large area (minimodule) CIGS devices, for which laser scribing as well standard large area module testing Solar simulators are available at place.