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Dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) is a promising photovoltaic technology that still needs further improvement in manufacturing processes for mass production. This paper studies direct deposition method to enhance the manufacturing steps of semiconductor layer on conductive substrate. Electro spun Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanofiber are directly coated on transparent conductive oxide (FTO) glass by electrospinning machine. The variation of electrospinning distances from 4, 6 and 8 cm were applied on this work to examine its effects on ZnO nanofiber morphology. The results showed that at 8 cm electrospinning distance produced small, regular and unbroken ZnO nanofiber structure. Furthermore, it also produced the highest solar cell’s performance under irradiation of AM 1.5 simulated sunlight (1000 mW/cm2) than the other electrospinning distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes the current status of the ALCHEMI project, a European collaborative undertaking under the Solar-Era.Net co-fund scheme. The project's aim is to develop novel, low cost, HCPV modules that operate at ~1000 suns, and demonstrate a DC module efficiency of >37% under Concentrator Standard Test Conditions (CSTC), and a manufacturing process that will achieve costs <€0.9/Wp (<$1/Wp) in large volumes. Novel refractive optics have been designed and manufactured, and a bespoke high concentration solar cell grid design developed and applied to state-of -art commercially available multi junction solar cells. A significant contribution to cost reduction of the modules will be achieved by implementing assembly processes using surface mount technology and pick and place (PnP) tools as in the LED industry. The modules will be characterized on sun for an extended period in Cyprus, and CSOC (Concentrator Standard Operating Conditions) and CSTC (Concentrator Standard Test Conditions) power ratings will be determined, allowing a comparative analysis against conventional PV technologies installed side-by-side in the same location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes the current status of the ALCHEMI project, a European collaborative undertaking under the Solar-Era.Net co-fund scheme. The project's aim is to develop novel, low cost, HCPV modules that operate at ~1000 suns, and demonstrate a DC module efficiency of >37% under Concentrator Standard Test Conditions (CSTC), and a manufacturing process that will achieve costs <€0.9/Wp (<$1/Wp) in large volumes. Novel refractive optics have been designed and manufactured, and a bespoke high concentration solar cell grid design developed and applied to state-of -art commercially available multi junction solar cells. A significant contribution to cost reduction of the modules will be achieved by implementing assembly processes using surface mount technology and pick and place (PnP) tools as in the LED industry. The modules will be characterized on sun for an extended period in Cyprus, and CSOC (Concentrator Standard Operating Conditions) and CSTC (Concentrator Standard Test Conditions) power ratings will be determined, allowing a comparative analysis against conventional PV technologies installed side-by-side in the same location. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report significant progress in development and integration of a plasma-less atmospheric pressure dry texturing (ADE) process, performed on multicrystalline silicon (mc-Si) wafers, into high efficiency PERC solar cell architectures using industrially applied process steps. The mechanism of forming sub-micron features on monocrystalline and multicrystalline silicon wafers with commercial grade fluorine gas (F2) is briefly presented. Low weighted surface reflection (Rw,min < 10%) is achieved for mc-Si substrates regardless of the wafer sawing method. Mc-Si PERC solar cells with average conversion efficiencies of 20% are fabricated in the industrial pilot line of Hanwha Q-Cells in Thalheim. A detailed characterization of ADE-textured solar cells suggest that an enhancement in conversion efficiency of up to +0.8% absolute is possible in comparison to the reference-textured solar cells by narrowing the distribution of reflectivity in the textured wafer surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transfer-printing is an important, commercial technology for manufacturing state of the art CPV modules, and has emerged recently as a key enabling technology for the realization of ultra-high-efficiency, mechanically stacked III-V solar cells with low cost. This paper presents the latest results for microscale CPV cells grown on GaAs, InP and GaSb substrates for ultra-high-efficiency, four-terminal, mechanically stacked architectures. The latest findings from a combination of modeling, growth, processing and characterization of single and multijunction solar cells are described, and the roadmap to the long-term goal of using transfer-printing to produce the first solar cell with 50% conversion efficiency is outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the benefits of using patterned ion implantation to create higher efficiency selective emitter solar cells. This doping approach uses in-situ masking to enable selective doping of the contact and field regions of the emitter in a single step. The cell efficiency benefits of implantation versus current POCl3 diffusion processes are also explained, highlighting the improved junction quality, the ability to perform single side doping and the elimination of a junction isolation step which reduces cell efficiency. The implanted selective emitter solar cell process described reduces cell cost per watt through a combination of higher cell efficiency, improved cell binning and fewer process steps. Alignment between the doped regions of the solar cell and the subsequent downstream metallization process is key to enabling this process for adoption in PV manufacturing. The benefits for process integration of the implanted process will be described including the ability to optically align to the selectively implanted contact regions without additional alignment fiducial marks on the front of the cell. Experimental data yielding cell efficiencies of >19% are shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to complement ISFOC's characterization capabilities, a Helios 3198 CPV Solar Simulator was installed in summer 2010. This Solar Simulator, based on a parabolic mirror and a high-intensity, small area Xenon flash lamp was developed by the Instituto de Energía Solar in Madrid [1] and is manufactured and distributed by Soldaduras Avanzadas [2]. This simulator is used not only for R&D purposes, but as a quality control tool for incoming modules that are to be installed in ISFOC's CPV plants. In this paper we will discuss the results of recent measurements of close to 5000 modules, the entire production of modules corresponding to a small CPV power plant (200 kWp). We scrutinize the resultant data for signs of drift in the measurements, and analyze the light quality before and after, to check for changes in spectrum or spatial uniformity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Performance of III-V multi-junction solar cells depends on spectral conditions according to which junction limits the photocurrent. Specifically, the response of concentrating multi-junction solar cells depends on the illumination at the cell surface. Because the illumination condition depends on alignment, it is important to characterize the CPV performance not only for a mono-module but also for a system or an array. In this paper the spectral effect on the CPV system and the mono-module consisting of III-V multi-junction solar cells from three different manufactures will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]