Thin film amorphous silicon (a-Si) is a low cost alternative to crystalline silicon wafers used in solar cells. a-Si is advantageous in that it can be deposited onto low cost substrates such as glass or flexible polymers, is scalable to large areas, and uses low processing temperatures (

We report the fabrication of film c-Si solar cells on Si wafer templates by hot wire chemical vapor deposition. These devices, grown at glass-compatible temperatures 750°C, demonstrate open-circuit voltages 500 mV and efficiencies upward of 5%. Analysis of the device characteristics and quantum efficiency provides important information about the epitaxial c-Si absorber material quality as a function of growth temperature.

Photovoltaic technology has now developed to the extent that it is close to fulfilling the vision of a "solar-energy world," as devices based on this technology are becoming efficient, low-cost and durable. This book provides a comprehensive treatment of thin-film silicon, a prevalent PV material, in terms of its semiconductor nature, starting out with the physical properties, but concentrating on device applications. A special emphasis is given to amorphous silicon and microcrystalline silicon as photovoltaic materials, along with a model that allows these systems to be physically described in the simplest manner possible, thus allowing the student or scientist/engineer entering the field of thin-film electronics to master a few basic concepts that are distinct from those in the field of conventional semiconductors. The main part of the book deals with solar cells and modules by illustrating the basic functioning of these devices, along with their limitations, design optimization, testing and fabrication methods. Among the manufacturing processes discussed are plasma-assisted and hot-wire deposition, sputtering, and structuring techniques.

The authoritative reference on catalytic chemical vapor deposition, written by the inventor of the technology. This comprehensive book covers a wide scope of Cat-CVD and related technologies from the fundamentals to the many applications, including the design of a Cat-CVD apparatus. Featuring contributions from four senior leaders in the field, including the father of catalytic chemical vapor deposition, it also introduces some of the techniques used in the observation of Cat-CVD related phenomena so that readers can understand the concepts of such techniques. Catalytic Chemical Vapor Deposition: Technology and Applications of Cat-CVD begins by reviewing the analytical tools for elucidating the chemical reactions in Cat-CVD, such as laser-induced fluorescence and deep ultra-violet absorption, and explains in detail the underlying physics and chemistry of the Cat-CVD technology. Subsequently it provides an overview of the synthesis and properties of Cat-CVD-prepared inorganic and organic thin films. The last parts of this unique book are devoted to the design and operation of Cat-CVD apparatuses and the applications. Provides coherent coverage of the fundamentals and applications of catalytic chemical vapor deposition (Cat-CVD) Assembles in one place the state of the art of this rapidly growing field, allowing new researchers to get an overview that is difficult to obtain solely from journal articles Presents comparisons of different Cat-CVD methods which are usually not found in research papers Bridges academic and industrial research, showing how CVD can be scaled up from the lab to large-scale industrial utilization in the high-tech industry. Catalytic Chemical Vapor Deposition: Technology and Applications is an excellent one-stop resource for researchers and engineers working on or entering the field of Cat-CVD, Hot-Wire CVD, iCVD, and related technologies.

Photovoltaic technology has now developed to the extent that it is close to fulfilling the vision of a "solar-energy world," as devices based on this technology are becoming efficient, low-cost and durable. This book provides a comprehensive treatment of thin-film silicon, a prevalent PV material, in terms of its semiconductor nature, startin