High Efficiency Thin-Film Solar Cells
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Schock Hans-Werner
Prof. Dr. Hans-Werner Schock received his diploma in electrical engineering in 1974 and obtained his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stuttgart University, Germany, in 1986. From 1982 to 2004 he was head of the compound semiconductor thin film group of the Institute of Physical Electronics at the University of Stuttgart. Starting in the early 70s, he has taken the development of chalcogenide solar cells from basic investigations to the transfer to pilot production. From 1986 to 2003 he coordinated a series of successful research projects on chalcopyrite based solar cells in the framework of the European photovoltaic R&D programme. He was director of the Institute of Technology in the division “Solar Energy” at the “Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie”from 2004 until his retirement in 2012. He is author or co-author of more than 300 contributions in books, scientific journals and published conference proceedings. For his achievements in the development of chalcopyrite based thin film solar cells he received the “Becquerel Prize” of the European Commission in 2010.
Abstract
Production of photovoltaics is growing worldwide on a gigawatt scale. Among the thin film technologies, Cu(In,Ga)S,Se2 (CIS or CIGS) based solar cells have been the focus of more and more attention. This paper aims to analyze the success of CIGS based solar cells and the potential of this technology for future photovoltaics large-scale production. Specific material properties make CIS unique and allow the preparation of the material with a wide range of processing options. The huge potential lies in the possibility to take advantage of modern thin film processing equipment and combine it with very high efficiencies beyond 20% already achieved on the laboratory scale. A sustainable development of this technology could be realized by modifying the materials and replacing indium by abundant elements.
About the author
Prof. Dr. Hans-Werner Schock received his diploma in electrical engineering in 1974 and obtained his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Stuttgart University, Germany, in 1986. From 1982 to 2004 he was head of the compound semiconductor thin film group of the Institute of Physical Electronics at the University of Stuttgart. Starting in the early 70s, he has taken the development of chalcogenide solar cells from basic investigations to the transfer to pilot production. From 1986 to 2003 he coordinated a series of successful research projects on chalcopyrite based solar cells in the framework of the European photovoltaic R&D programme. He was director of the Institute of Technology in the division “Solar Energy” at the “Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie”from 2004 until his retirement in 2012. He is author or co-author of more than 300 contributions in books, scientific journals and published conference proceedings. For his achievements in the development of chalcopyrite based thin film solar cells he received the “Becquerel Prize” of the European Commission in 2010.
©[2012] by Walter de Gruyter Berlin Boston
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Masthead
- Editorial
- Short Reports
- Prepare(d) for Impact: PV Cost Reduction and Beyond
- Industrial Silicon Wafer Solar Cells – Status and Trends
- High Efficiency Thin-Film Solar Cells
- PV Module Technology and Reliability – Status and Perspectives
- The Path to Industrial Production of Highly Efficient Metal Wrap Through Silicon Solar Cells
- Light Trapping Concepts for Photon Management in Solar Cells
- Asia Pacific Super Grid – Solar electricity generation, storage and distribution
- Notice from the Editorial Office
- Future Conferences on Sustainable Energy Science and Policy 2012/2013
Artikel in diesem Heft
- Masthead
- Editorial
- Short Reports
- Prepare(d) for Impact: PV Cost Reduction and Beyond
- Industrial Silicon Wafer Solar Cells – Status and Trends
- High Efficiency Thin-Film Solar Cells
- PV Module Technology and Reliability – Status and Perspectives
- The Path to Industrial Production of Highly Efficient Metal Wrap Through Silicon Solar Cells
- Light Trapping Concepts for Photon Management in Solar Cells
- Asia Pacific Super Grid – Solar electricity generation, storage and distribution
- Notice from the Editorial Office
- Future Conferences on Sustainable Energy Science and Policy 2012/2013
