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University Staff:
A/Prof. Armin Aberle (Group Leader)
Dr. Alistair Sproul
Technical Staff:
Dr. Bruce Beilby
Mark Griffin
Research Fellows/Associates:
Dr. Patrick Campbell
Nils-Peter Harder
Visiting Research Fellows/Associates:
Dr. Stefan Reber
Research Assistants:
Jens Birkholz
Holger Habenicht
The primary aim of the Centre’s thin-film cell group (or
“second-generation group”) is to develop polycrystalline
silicon (poly-Si) thin-film
solar cells on glass, an approach that is widely recognised
as being a pathway towards substantially lowering the cost of photovoltaic
(PV) solar electricity. Some of the projects that the thin-film
group has been working on are highlighted here.
Novel Glass
Texturing Method for Thin-Film PV
This project looked at a light trapping scheme for thin film solar
cells. The Thin Film Group has developed and patented a promising
new method of texturing glass substrates, called Aluminium-Induced
Texture (AIT).
Optimisation
of Aluminium-Induced Crystallisation (AIC) Poly-Si Seed Layers on
Glass
This work is focused on improving AIC amorphous Si films which
would make good candidates for making a poly-Si seed layer on glass.
The group has developed and patented a method that produces smooth
AIC films on glass.
Aluminium-Induced
Crystallisation, Ion-Assisted (ALICIA) Poly-Si on Glass
PV Technology
The ALICIA solar cell is a novel type of polycrystalline silicon
thin-film solar cell on glass. Combining the techinques of aluminium-induced
crystallisation (AIC) and ion-assisted deposition (IAD) has produced
films with good crystalline quality and large Poly-Si grains.
Aluminium-Induced Crystallisation,
solid-phase Epitaxy (ALICE), a Novel Poly-Si on Glass PV Technology
The ALICE solar cell addresses the problem of maintaining a contamination-free
initial growth surface prior to the start of epitaxy.
Evaporated
Silicon-based (Solid-Phase Crystallisation)SPC Poly-Si on Glass
PV Technology
A poly-Si on glass solar cell technology based on SPC of evaporated
amorphous silicon (a-Si).
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