Photovoltaic Manufacturing Technology Monolithic Amorphous Silicon Modules on Continuous Polymer Substrates: Annual Technical Progress Report, 5 July 1996--31 December 1997

    Research output: NRELSubcontract Report

    Abstract

    Iowa Thin Film Technologies, Inc.'s goal is to develop the most cost-effective photovoltaic manufacturing process possible. To this end, we have chosen a roll-based manufacturing process with continuous deposition and monolithic integration. Work under this program is designed to meet this goal by improving manufacturing throughput and performance of the manufactured devices. Progress made duringPhase II of this program includes the following: a new single-pass tandem deposition machine was brought online that allows greatly increased and improved throughput for rolls of tandem material; the TCO deposition process was improved, resulting in an increase in throughput by 20%; a new alignment method was implemented on the printing process that improves throughput six-fold while improvingalignment from 100 mm to 10 mm; a roll-based lamination procedure was developed and implemented on selected products that improves throughput from 20 sq. ft/h to 240 sq. ft/h; and we evaluated a wide range of lower-cost encapsulants and selected a promising material to be introduced in 5-year-lifetime type products. The sum of these improvements brings the cost reduction resulting from thisprogram to 49%.
    Original languageAmerican English
    Number of pages28
    StatePublished - 1998

    Bibliographical note

    Work performed by Iowa Thin Film Technologies, Inc., Ames, Iowa

    NREL Publication Number

    • NREL/SR-520-25236

    Keywords

    • continuous polymer substrates
    • monolithic amorphous silicon
    • photovoltaics (PV)
    • PVMAT
    • roll-based manufacturing

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