Fabrication and characterisation of crystalline silicon thin-film materials for solar cells

Photovoltaic (PV) modules based on crystalline silicon (c-Si) wafer solar cells are a robust, proven and long-term stable technology. However, due to its material intensiveness, there are severe doubts as to whether a wafer-based c-Si technology will ever reach the low cost levels (€/kWh) required for a widespread application of PV. Given these cost constraints, the need for a less material intensive c-Si technology – a thin-film technology – exists. In this paper, the most promising thin-film c-Si PV technologies that have emerged during the last 10 years are reviewed. Progress has been excellent and it now seems that half a century after the invention of the Si wafer solar cell the time has come where thin-film c-Si solar cells can be transferred to industrial production. Furthermore, this paper discusses some of the most important characterisation methods used for c-Si thin-film solar cell work.