41.5 watt, 10.5% Si:H/CuInSe/sub 2/ tandem thin film modules

Abstract

Thin-film tandem modules using semitransparent Si:H alloy (TFS) and CuInSe/sub 2/ (CIS) component circuits show promise of achieving high photovoltaic performance using low-cost thin-film processing. TFS/CIS (thin-film Si:H/CuInSe/sub 2/) tandem modules with 41.5 W and 10.5% aperture efficiency on 0.4 m/sup 2/ areas have been demonstrated. Film deposition and patterning processes have been successfully extended to 0.4 m/sup 2/ substrates. The larger size is comparable with conventional single-crystal silicon commercial modules and represents a prototype high-efficiency thin-film power product. The performance characteristics of the individual CIS and TFS cells and submodules and of the tandem TFS/CIS cells and modules are described.<>