Could a new technique enable faster production of a-Si solar cells?

A researcher from TU Delft has reportedly demonstrated that the speed at which inexpensive solar cells are produced can be increased by a factor of ten – and that this can be achieved without any detriment to the energy yield of the cells.

According to PhD student Michael Wank's research, which focuses on amorphous silicon thin film, this will almost certainly "result in a further reduction in the price of the a-Si cells".

"Amorphous silicon (a-Si) is an interesting alternative to crystalline silicon," begins Professor Miro Zeman of TU Delft, Michael Wank’s PhD supervisor. "Although this material has a lower energy yield than crystalline silicon, these solar cells can be produced far more cheaply. The nature of the material means that much thinner layers can be used - around 250 nanometres thick, compared with the 200-micrometre thickness in the case of crystalline silicon".

Read more at: Renewable Energy Focus