Thin films in photovoltaics: Technologies and perspectives

Thin Film technologies based on physical vapour and plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PVD and PECVD) have been developed for a number of high-tech industries over the last decades. Prominent examples are the semiconductor and display industry as well as large area architectural glass and flexible substrates deposition. Inherently linked with this development was the well known price experience curve for products in the respective industries. Analysing the price experience curves for PV crystalline silicon modules over the last 30 years and those of other Thin Film based industries, it will become evident that cost efficient PV Thin Film technologies or Thin Films in conjunction with wafer based c-Si are a prerequisite to meet the anticipated cost and price goals for the upcoming decade. As PV will demonstrate to become one of the major energy provider in the future by contributing significantly to meet the goal of 100% end energy by only renewable technologies beyond 2050 we will see a huge increase of appropriate Thin Film technologies in the years to come.