Wide-Band-Gap Solar Cells with High Stabilized Performance: Annual Subcontract Report, 15 July 1994 - 14 July 1995

This report describes work performed by Pennsylvania State University in collaboration with the NREL Wide-Band-Gap Team. The goal of this team is to develop a single-junction, wide-gap solar cell with good stabilized parameters. The objectives of the subcontract are to (1) develop a cost-effective amorphous silicon PV technology to foster a viable amorphous silicon PV industry in the U.S.,ensuring that this industry remains a world leader in the a-Si technology; (2) help the U.S. a-Si PV industry achieve the U.S.DOE PV Program FY 1995 milestone of 10% stable efficiency commercial thin-film modules; (3) help the U.S. a-Si PV industry achieve 12% stable efficiency multi-junction a-Si:H modules for large-scale utility use by the year 2005. Issues covered in this report include (1)improved understanding of stability in materials and solar cells, (2) intrinsic materials optimization, (3) solar cells optimized for intrinsic layer performance, (4) p-type layer optimization, (5) top cell interfaces, and (6) solar cell grading.