Quick Jump

Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 50 (2011) 030001 (12 pages)  |Next Article|  |Table of Contents|
|Full Text PDF: FREE (1710K)|

Comprehensive Review

Present Status and Future Prospects of Silicon Thin-Film Solar Cells

Makoto Konagai

Department of Physical Electronics, Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-S9-9 O-okayama, Meguro, Tokyo 152-8552, Japan

(Received October 19, 2010; accepted December 9, 2010; published online March 22, 2011)

In this report, an overview of the recent status of photovoltaic (PV) power generation is first presented from the viewpoint of reducing CO₂ emission. Next, the Japanese roadmap for the research and development (R&D) of PV power generation and the progress in the development of various solar cells are explained. In addition, the present status and future prospects of amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film solar cells, which are expected to enter the stage of full-scale practical application in the near future, are described. For a-Si single-junction solar cells, the conversion efficiency of their large-area modules has now reached 6–8%, and their practical application to megawatt solar systems has started. Meanwhile, the focus of R&D has been shifting to a-Si and microcrystalline silicon (µc-Si) tandem solar cells. Thus far, a-Si/µc-Si tandem solar cell modules with conversion efficiency exceeding 13% have been reported. In addition, triple-junction solar cells, whose target year for practical application is 2025 or later, are introduced, as well as innovative thin-film full-spectrum solar cells, whose target year of realization is 2050.

URL: http://jjap.jsap.jp/link?JJAP/50/030001/
DOI: 10.1143/JJAP.50.030001
PACS: 88.40.jj, 88.40.hj, 73.50.Pz, 84.60.Jt

|Full Text PDF: FREE (1710K)|  Citation: Plain Text BiBTeX EndNote(RIS) RSS

---

References | Citing Articles (5)

1. Action Plan for Achieving a Low-Carbon Society, Agreed by the Cabinet on 29 July 2008 [http://www.gov-online.go.jp/useful/article/200811/images/a_03b.gif].
2. Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry: Cool Earth–Innovative Energy Technology Program (Summary) (2008) [http://www.meti.go.jp/press/20080305001/02cool-earth-p.r.pdf].
3. NEDO website [http://www.j-pec.or.jp/].
4. Website of Japan Photovoltaic Expansion Center: [http://www.j-pec.or.jp/f21_0901info_data.html].
5. EU Commission, and JRC:PV Status Report 2009 [http://re.jrc.ec.europa.eu/refsys/pdf/PV-Report2009.pdf].
6. Japan Photovoltaic Energy Association (JPEA) material [http://www.jpea.gr.jp/04doc01.html].
7. M. Konagai, S. Miyajima, and A. Yamada: Oyo Buturi 73 (2004) 898 [in Japanese].
8. D. L. Staebler and C. R. Wronski: Appl. Phys. Lett. 31 (1977) 292[AIP Scitation].
9. D. Fischer, S. Dubail, J. A. A. Selvan, N. P. Vaucher, R. Platz, C. Hof, U. Kroll, J. Meier, P. Torres, H. Keppner, N. Wyrsch, M. Goetz, A. Shah, and K. D. Ufert: Proc. 25th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conf., 1996, p. 1053.
10. K. Yamamoto, M. Yoshimi, T. Suzuki, Y. Tawada, Y. Okamoto, and A. Nakajima: Proc. 2nd World Conf. Exhib. Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conversion, 1998.
11. M. Kondo, H. Fujiwara, and A. Matsuda: Oyo Buturi 71 (2002) 823 [in Japanese].
12. S. Goya, Y. Nakano, and N. Yamashita: Proc. 3rd World Conf. Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003, 5O-A6-02.
13. T. Matsui, M. Kondo, and A. Matsuda: Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 42 (2003) L901[JSAP].
14. K. Yamamoto, A. Nakajima, M. Yoshimi, T. Sawada, S. Fukuda, T. Suezaki, M. Ichikawa, Y. Koi, M. Goto, H. Takata, T. Sasaki, and Y. Tawada: Proc. 3rd World Conf. Photovoltaic Energy Conversion, 2003, S2O-B9-03.
15. C. Ballif et al.: 3rd Workshop Future Direction of Photovoltaics, 2007, p. 59.
16. M. Kambe, N. Taneda, K. Masumo, S. Higashi, A. Takahashi, W. Nishida, T. Ikeda, T. Oyama, K. Sato, T. Matsui, H. Sai, and M. Kondo: 24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conf. Exhib., 2009.
17. W. Stein: Proc. 24th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conf. Exhib., 2009.
18. H. Zu, A. K. Kalkan, J. Hou, and S. J. Fonash: AIP Conf. Proc. 462 (1999) 309.
19. R. Stangl, M. Kriegel, and M. Schmidt: Conf. Rec. 4th IEEE WCPEC, 2006, p. 1350.
20. B. E. Pieters, J. Krc, and M. Zeman: Conf. Rec. 4th IEEE WCPEC, 2006, p. 1513.
21. I. A. Yunaz, A. Yamada, and M. Konagai: Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 46 (2007) L1152[JSAP].
22. B. Yan, G. Yue, J. Yang, and S. Guha: 33rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conf., 2008.
23. M. Konagai: Abstr. Int. Symp. Innovative Solar Cells, 2009, p. 12.
24. S. Nonomura, T. Kume, T. Narita, T. Ban, and H. Natsuhara: Proc. 5th Workshop Future Direction of Photovoltaics, 2009, p. 59.
25. M. Zacharias, J. Heitmann, R. Scholz, U. Kahler, M. Schmidt, and J. Blasing: Appl. Phys. Lett. 80 (2002) 661[AIP Scitation].
26. M. A. Green, E. C. Cho, Y. Huang, E. Pink, T. Trupke, and A. Lin: Proc. 20th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conf., 2005, p. 3.
27. Y. H. Cho, M. A. Green, E.-C. Cho, Y. Huang, T. Trupke, and G. Conibeer: Proc. 20th European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conf., 2005, p. 47.
28. E. C. Cho, S. Park, X. Hao, D. Song, G. Conibeer, S. C. Park, and M. A. Green: Nanotechnology 19 (2008) 245201[IoP STACKS].
29. Y. Kurokawa, S. Miyajima, A. Yamada, and M. Konagai: Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 45 (2006) L1064[JSAP].
30. Y. Kurokawa, S. Tomita, S. Miyajima, A. Yamada, and M. Konagai: Proc. 33rd IEEE Photovoltaic Specialists Conf., 2008.
31. G. Conibeer, M. Green, E.-C. Cho, D. Konig, S. Huang, D. Song, X. Hao, I. Perez-Wurfl, A. Gentle, F. Gao, S. Park, C. Flynn, Y. So, B. Zhang, D. Di, P. Campbell, Y. Huang, and T. Puzzer: Proc. European Materials Research Society Spring Meet., 2009, BP2-10.
32. R. S. Wagner and W. C. Ellis: Appl. Phys. Lett. 4 (1964) 89[AIP Scitation].
33. Y. Cui, L. J. Lauhon, M. S. Gudiksen, J. F. Wang, and C. M. Lieber: Appl. Phys. Lett. 78 (2001) 2214[AIP Scitation].
34. B. Z. Tian, X. L. Zheng, T. J. Kempa, Y. Fang, N. F. Yu, G. H. Yu, J. L. Huang, and C. M. Lieber: Nature 449 (2007) 885[CrossRef].
35. D. D. D. Ma, C. S. Lee, F. C. K. Au, S. Y. Tong, and S. T. Lee: Science 299 (2003) 1874[Science].

---