What Is Thin-Film Silicon?

Amorphous silicon thin film is one of the core raw materials of solar cells, also called microcrystalline silicon.

Amorphous silicon film

Right!

Amorphous silicon thin film is one of the core raw materials of solar cells, also called microcrystalline silicon.

Chinese name

Amorphous silicon film

Brief introduction

One of the core raw materials of solar cells

Also called

Microcrystalline silicon

Advantages

Wide range of sources and low production costs

According to different materials, the current silicon solar cells can be divided into three categories: monocrystalline silicon solar cells, polycrystalline silicon solar cells, and thin-film solar cells. Amorphous silicon thin film is relative to single crystal silicon and polysilicon. Of course, in addition to the use of silicon materials, non-silicon-based thin-film technologies have also been developed at home and abroad, such as using CIGS, CdTe and other substrates.

Amorphous silicon (amorphous silicon -Si)

As a new type of solar cell, thin-film solar cells have broad market prospects due to their extensive raw material sources, low production costs, and ease of large-scale production. Thin film batteries are basically divided into three types: non- / microcrystalline silicon thin film batteries, CIGS thin film batteries, and CdTe thin film batteries. Among them, the conversion efficiency of GIGS is the highest, about 10% to 12%, the conversion efficiency of CdTe is the second, about 8.5% to 10.5%, and the non-microcrystalline battery is the lowest, generally 6% to 8%; In terms of availability, the raw material for non- / microcrystalline batteries is silane, which is the most common. The raw materials for the other two types of batteries contain rare element compounds and their availability is low.

In recent years, amorphous silicon thin film solar cells have gradually emerged from various types of solar cells, setting off a wave of investment worldwide. The introduction of large-sized glass substrate thin-film solar cells into the market will definitely greatly accelerate the promotion and popularization of photovoltaic building integration, rooftop grid-connected power generation systems, and photovoltaic power stations. At the same time, the amorphous silicon thin film battery has weak attenuation under high temperature conditions, so it is also suitable for building power stations in high temperature and desert areas.

In addition, it is not difficult to see that the entire chain of the crystalline silicon battery industry chain from upstream polysilicon to silicon rods, silicon wafers, batteries, and components is very clear. Each upstream link product is the raw material of the downstream link. The thin film battery industry chain is not as deep as the crystalline silicon battery. After the purchase of equipment and raw materials is completed, it will be processed and manufactured in a thin film battery factory.

At present, although thin film batteries have the disadvantage of low conversion efficiency, they also have the advantage of low cost. The amount of silicon in the amorphous silicon thin film battery is only 1/100 of the amount of ordinary polysilicon. According to AMAT's forecast, the cost of thin-film batteries can continue to drop by 40% in the next two years. While costs have fallen, so has efficiency. We expect that by 2015, the conversion efficiency of non-microcrystalline batteries will reach 15%, the cost will reach $ 1.28 / W, the conversion efficiency of CIGS batteries will reach 15%, the cost will reach $ 1 / W, and the conversion of CdTe batteries The efficiency will reach 13% and the cost will reach $ 0.7 / W.

The reduction in costs will inevitably lead to an increase in demand. The market generally predicts that the market share of thin film batteries will reach 30% in 2012. In fact, thin-film batteries and crystalline silicon batteries do not have the problem of who completely replaces them, and whose cost drops faster, and it is possible to gain more market share in the future. In the short term, thin-film batteries have more potential. Once thin-film batteries can achieve parity on the Internet, demand will grow exponentially.