Copper-steel-selenium thin-film solar cells have the remarkable characteristics of low production cost, low pollution, no decay, and good low-light performance. The photoelectric conversion efficiency ranks first among various thin-film solar cells, and is close to crystalline silicon solar cells, but its cost is only 1%. /3, known as the next generation of very promising new thin-film solar cells, is a research hotspot in recent years. In addition, the battery has a soft, uniform black appearance. If you would like to know more about batteries, please click here to open.

Because copper-steel-inlaid selenium (CIGS) thin-film solar cells have sensitive element ratios and complex multi-layer structures, their process and preparation conditions are extremely harsh, and the industrialization process is not very fast. Over the years, Deyuan, Japan and the United States have invested heavily in development. Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory announced in late March 2008 that the developed non-silicon-based thin-film solar cells had efficiencies comparable to those of commonly used silicon-based solar cells. The developed copper-steel heald diselenide thin-film solar cell achieved an efficiency of 19.9%, setting a new world record for this type of cell, an important milestone.

California Na no solar company announced in late June 2008 that it has developed a new method for the production of CIGS thin film solar cell deposition. After adopting this production process, the annual production capacity has reached 1GW. Some nanoparticle inks can achieve solar cell efficiencies approaching 14% using a simple printing method that avoids the use of high-vacuum chambers and high-vacuum-based deposition techniques.

Japan’s Advanced Institute of Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) announced on July 25, 2008 that the efficiency of CIGS thin-film solar cells using flexible substrates reached 17.7%. The solar cell efficiency is said to be one of the highest among flexible CIGS solar cells in the world. The Japan Institute of Industrial Technology announced on July 16, 2008 that the institute and a company have jointly developed a new technology that can improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency of non-silicon-based, flexible solar cells using copper-steel-inlaid selenium films. From 17.5% to 17.7%, the solar cells produced by CIGS thin film, which is a semiconductor material made of copper, indium, image and selenium, have the advantages of being not easy to age and resistant to radiation. At the same time, the thickness of the photoelectric conversion layer of this solar cell can be made only a few microns, the mass is small, and the consumption of raw materials is low. There are several necessary technical problems to improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency of such solar cells, one of which is to add alkaline substances to the light absorption layer of the CIGS thin film, but many alkaline compounds are deliquescence, unstable in physical properties, and difficult to handle. . The new technology developed by the Institute of Industrial Technology is to form a thin layer of stable compound silicate glass on the substrate before the formation of the inner electrode layer of the solar cell, and to control the conditions for forming the thin layer. The amount of alkaline substances that pass through the inner electrode layer to the light absorbing layer above it. Using a smooth-surfaced ceramic as a substrate, coupled with new technologies, the institute succeeded in increasing the photoelectric conversion efficiency of this small-area bendable solar cell to 17.7%. The institute’s next research goal is to make this The technology of improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency is applied to a solar cell module equivalent to a practical size.

The national “863” copper-steel-selenium thin-film solar cell pilot base in Tianjin Binhai New Area, China, successfully developed a glass-substrate copper-steel inlaid solar cell module with an effective area of ​​804cm2 in early January 2009, with a photoelectric conversion efficiency of 7%. This achievement shows that China has basically mastered the main core technologies for manufacturing copper-steel-selenium thin-film solar cell equipment, processes, and battery module manufacturing, and has completed the leap from small-area solar cell technology in the laboratory to large-area pilot-scale technology. The development of intellectual property production line has laid a good foundation. After years of hard work, the Tonggangli solar thin-film cell research group has independently developed a series of thin-film deposition equipment, overcame a number of technical difficulties, established an international-level test platform, and completed the copper-steel-nickel-selenium thin-film solar cell with multi-party funding. The construction of the pilot plant and various supporting facilities has broken through a number of key technical bottlenecks, completed a complete set of technological processes, and accumulated a large amount of scientific data and experience.

The solar energy business unit of Dow Chemical Company of the United States said on October 6, 2009 that the company’s new solar energy sales potential in 2015 will reach 5 billion US dollars, and in 2020 will reach 10 billion to 11 billion US dollars. Dow Solar Solutions (DSS) combines low-cost, thin-film CIGS photovoltaic cells into roof tiles. In 2007, Dow Chemical received a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to develop building-integrated solar arrays for residential and commercial markets. The cost ratio of Dow’s solar tile systems has been applied and bolted to the roof. The cost of solar panels is 10% lower on average and 40% lower than comparable building-integrated PV systems. In addition, the shape of the solar tile system is also more beautiful.

The Dow Chemical Company announced at the end of November 2009 that its near-term development strategy is to cooperate with Ca1tech to develop thin-film photovoltaics, especially dedicated to the development of thin-film photovoltaics that are rich in copper-steel whale-selenium on the earth.

Learn more: Definition of silicon-based thin-film solar cells