Current status and opportunities in chalcopyrite solar cells

The chalcopyrite semiconductors, and most commonly Cu(In,Ga)Se2, are the active layers in the highest-efficiency thin film photovoltaics, both in small cells and modules. The modules show excellent stability and can be produced by a wide range of techniques. The manufacturing community is scaling up their facilities with the potential to produce large areas at competitive costs in the near future. The devices can be produced without toxic constituents and by non-vacuum processes. Ultimately the materials could yield very high efficiency multijunction devices in thin film one-sun modules with levellized costs of energy competitive with any current technology.