There is a significant change afoot in the world’s electricity production from solar energy. Major semiconductor equipment companies are seeing an opportunity to use their process and manufacturing expertise in thin film solar applications. For our programs and our students this is an opportunity. In semiconductor manufacturing technology we learn about a variety of processes such as sputtering and thin film growth. This knowledge can be directly applied to the solar photovoltaic production industry.

In conventional crystalline solar cells, a doped silicon wafer is used, often with a sputtered coating of silicon nitride as anti-reflection coatings. The technology is mature and with advances such as multiple layered materials, efficiencies of 20% are obtainable.

In thin film solar cells, the manufacturing technology is different. Here, instead of silicon wafers, thin silicon layers are deposited directly onto glass. The technology takes its cue from the large scale manufacture of liquid crystal display (LCD) panels. The process involves chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with plasma enhancement (PECVD) as well as physical vapor deposition (PVD). Essentially, layers of oxide, silicon, and metal on glass produce the photovoltaic cell.

In September 2007, Applied Materials, the largest supplier of equipment to the semiconductor industry, announced its new line of equipment called the SunFab, using this thin film process to produce panels up to 5.7 square meters. This significantly reduces the dollars per watt figure for large scale collectors.

Encourage your students to become familiar with this technology as it can directly apply to their future job possibilities in this rapidly emerging industry. Search for photovoltaic resources and externships available through NetWorks.

Mike Lesiecki