Improved thermal control for a-Si:H photovoltaic cells fabricated on polymeric substrates

The fabrication of a-Si:H photovoltaic (PV) cells on polyimide or other flexible polymeric substrates presents significant challenges compared to cells fabricated on metallized glass or metal substrates. In particular, the low thermal conductivity of polyimide materials, and the difficulty of maintaining flatness, make substrate thermal control problematic. The authors report here a cell fabrication process on a 2 mil thick polyimide substrate using a pressure-sensitive silicone adhesive to provide thermal contact and to control substrate warping. Results are directly compared with cells similarly fabricated but on conventional substrates.