Flexible photovoltaic technologies

Flexible photovoltaic (PV) devices have attracted enormous attention from academy and industry as a convenient alternative energy source for indoor and outdoor applications. Flexible PV panels can be easily integrated with infrastructures of various shapes and sizes, meanwhile they are light-weight and thus suitable for applications where weight is important. In this review, we will describe the progress that has been made in the field of flexible PV technologies. In addition, a summary will be provided with perspective on the future development of flexible solar cells and new opportunities offered by these devices.

[1]  Zhiyong Fan,et al.  Performance enhancement of thin-film amorphous silicon solar cells with low cost nanodent plasmonic substrates , 2013 .

[2]  Shanhui Fan,et al.  Large-area free-standing ultrathin single-crystal silicon as processable materials. , 2013, Nano letters.

[3]  Shiro Nishiwaki,et al.  Doping of polycrystalline CdTe for high-efficiency solar cells on flexible metal foil , 2013, Nature Communications.

[4]  Zhiyong Fan,et al.  Efficient photon management with nanostructures for photovoltaics. , 2013, Nanoscale.

[5]  C. Ferekides,et al.  Preparation and characterization of ZnTe as an interlayer for CdS/CdTe substrate thin film solar cells on flexible substrates , 2013 .

[6]  Davood Shahrjerdi,et al.  Ultralight High‐Efficiency Flexible InGaP/(In)GaAs Tandem Solar Cells on Plastic , 2013 .

[7]  S. Banerjee,et al.  Single heterojunction solar cells on exfoliated flexible ∼25 μm thick mono-crystalline silicon substrates , 2013 .

[8]  Zhiyong Fan,et al.  Efficient light absorption with integrated nanopillar/nanowell arrays for three-dimensional thin-film photovoltaic applications. , 2013, ACS nano.

[9]  S. Nishiwaki,et al.  Review of progress toward 20% efficiency flexible CIGS solar cells and manufacturing issues of solar modules , 2012, 2012 IEEE 38th Photovoltaic Specialists Conference (PVSC) PART 2.

[10]  Xiaolin Zheng,et al.  Peel-and-Stick: Fabricating Thin Film Solar Cell on Universal Substrates , 2012, Scientific Reports.

[11]  H. Stiebig,et al.  Cross-contamination in single-chamber processes for thin-film silicon solar cells , 2012 .

[12]  John A Rogers,et al.  Stretchable semiconductor technologies with high areal coverages and strain-limiting behavior: demonstration in high-efficiency dual-junction GaInP/GaAs photovoltaics. , 2012, Small.

[13]  Zhiyong Fan,et al.  Efficient photon capturing with ordered three-dimensional nanowell arrays. , 2012, Nano letters.

[14]  L. Kranz,et al.  Electronic properties of Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells on stainless steel foils without diffusion barrier , 2012 .

[15]  A. Eicke,et al.  CIGS thin-film solar cells and modules on enamelled steel substrates , 2012 .

[16]  Yi Cui,et al.  Self-limited plasmonic welding of silver nanowire junctions. , 2012, Nature materials.

[17]  Yi Cui,et al.  Absorption enhancement in ultrathin crystalline silicon solar cells with antireflection and light-trapping nanocone gratings. , 2012, Nano letters.

[18]  Yongfang Li Molecular design of photovoltaic materials for polymer solar cells: toward suitable electronic energy levels and broad absorption. , 2012, Accounts of chemical research.

[19]  M. Kaltenbrunner,et al.  Ultrathin and lightweight organic solar cells with high flexibility , 2012, Nature Communications.

[20]  J. A. Ott,et al.  Kerf-Less Removal of Si, Ge, and III–V Layers by Controlled Spalling to Enable Low-Cost PV Technologies , 2011, IEEE Journal of Photovoltaics.

[21]  M. Free,et al.  CZTS thin films on transparent conducting electrodes by electrochemical technique , 2012 .

[22]  Z. Fan,et al.  Nanomaterials and nanostructures for efficient light absorption and photovoltaics , 2012 .

[23]  D. Hariskos,et al.  New world record efficiency for Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin‐film solar cells beyond 20% , 2011 .

[24]  Shirou Kawakita,et al.  First flight demonstration of film‐laminated InGaP/GaAs and CIGS thin‐film solar cells by JAXA's small satellite in LEO , 2011 .

[25]  Shiro Nishiwaki,et al.  Highly efficient Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cells grown on flexible polymer films. , 2011, Nature materials.

[26]  Zhiyong Fan,et al.  Strong light absorption of self-organized 3-D nanospike arrays for photovoltaic applications. , 2011, ACS nano.

[27]  Jianhui Hou,et al.  Benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b′]dithiophene-based conjugated polymers: band gap and energy level control and their application in polymer solar cells , 2011 .

[28]  Zhenan Bao,et al.  Stretchable, elastic materials and devices for solar energy conversion , 2011 .

[29]  L. Kranz,et al.  Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cell grown on flexible polymer substrate with efficiency exceeding 17% , 2011 .

[30]  M. Faraj,et al.  Investigation of CIGS Solar Cells on Polyethylene Terephthalate Substrates , 2011 .

[31]  Tae Joon Seok,et al.  Roll-to-roll anodization and etching of aluminum foils for high-throughput surface nanotexturing. , 2011, Nano letters.

[32]  Peter Peumans,et al.  Smooth Nanowire/Polymer Composite Transparent Electrodes , 2011, Advanced materials.

[33]  K. Müllen,et al.  Graphene as Transparent Electrode Material for Organic Electronics , 2011, Advanced materials.

[34]  Ronn Andriessen,et al.  ITO-free flexible organic solar cells with printed current collecting grids , 2011 .

[35]  Lukas Schmidt-Mende,et al.  Nanostructured Organic and Hybrid Solar Cells , 2011, Advanced materials.

[36]  Benjamin C. K. Tee,et al.  Stretchable Organic Solar Cells , 2011, Advanced materials.

[37]  Y. Kim,et al.  Highly Conductive PEDOT:PSS Electrode with Optimized Solvent and Thermal Post‐Treatment for ITO‐Free Organic Solar Cells , 2011 .

[38]  Yonggang Huang,et al.  Stretchable GaAs Photovoltaics with Designs That Enable High Areal Coverage , 2011, Advanced materials.

[39]  Murat Okandan,et al.  Microsystems enabled photovoltaics: 14.9% efficient 14 μm thick crystalline silicon solar cell , 2011 .

[40]  Dongdong Li,et al.  Flexible Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell Based on Vertical ZnO Nanowire Arrays , 2010, Nanoscale research letters.

[41]  Shigeru Niki,et al.  Monolithically integrated flexible Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cell submodules , 2010 .

[42]  Rakesh Agrawal,et al.  Fabrication of 7.2% efficient CZTSSe solar cells using CZTS nanocrystals. , 2010, Journal of the American Chemical Society.

[43]  Ingrid Repins,et al.  CIGS absorbers and processes , 2010 .

[44]  Yi Cui,et al.  Electrospun metal nanofiber webs as high-performance transparent electrode. , 2010, Nano letters.

[45]  Zhiyong Fan,et al.  Ordered arrays of dual-diameter nanopillars for maximized optical absorption. , 2010, Nano letters.

[46]  J. Rogers,et al.  GaAs photovoltaics and optoelectronics using releasable multilayer epitaxial assemblies , 2010, Nature.

[47]  Yi Cui,et al.  Scalable coating and properties of transparent, flexible, silver nanowire electrodes. , 2010, ACS nano.

[48]  Jccm Boukje Huijben,et al.  26.1% thin-film GaAs solar cell using epitaxial lift-off , 2009 .

[49]  Yu Wang,et al.  Large area, continuous, few-layered graphene as anodes in organic photovoltaic devices , 2009 .

[50]  T. Nakada,et al.  Cd-Free Flexible Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Thin Film Solar Cells with ZnS(O,OH) Buffer Layers on Ti Foils , 2009 .

[51]  X. Deng,et al.  Damage mechanisms in thin film solar cells during sputtering deposition of transparent conductive coatings , 2009 .

[52]  Kwang S. Kim,et al.  Large-scale pattern growth of graphene films for stretchable transparent electrodes , 2009, Nature.

[53]  Hideaki Araki,et al.  Development of CZTS-based thin film solar cells , 2009 .

[54]  Seok‐In Na,et al.  Efficient and Flexible ITO‐Free Organic Solar Cells Using Highly Conductive Polymer Anodes , 2008 .

[55]  John A Rogers,et al.  Ultrathin silicon solar microcells for semitransparent, mechanically flexible and microconcentrator module designs. , 2008, Nature materials.

[56]  Zhiyong Fan,et al.  Photovoltaics: solar cells on curtains. , 2008, Nature materials.

[57]  Keiichiro Sakurai,et al.  Alkali incorporation control in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin films using silicate thin layers and applications in enhancing flexible solar cell efficiency , 2008 .

[58]  Zhenan Bao,et al.  Organic solar cells with solution-processed graphene transparent electrodes , 2008 .

[59]  Yi Cui,et al.  Solution-processed metal nanowire mesh transparent electrodes. , 2008, Nano letters.

[60]  K. Henkel,et al.  Film adhesion in amorphous silicon solar cells , 2007 .

[61]  Olle Inganäs,et al.  Electrode Grids for ITO Free Organic Photovoltaic Devices , 2007 .

[62]  N. Lewis Toward Cost-Effective Solar Energy Use , 2007, Science.

[63]  M. Schubert,et al.  150-mm layer transfer for monocrystalline silicon solar cells , 2006 .

[64]  Hans Zogg,et al.  High-efficiency flexible CdTe solar cells on polymer substrates , 2006 .

[65]  Daihua Zhang,et al.  Transparent, conductive, and flexible carbon nanotube films and their application in organic light-emitting diodes. , 2006, Nano letters.

[66]  Richard M. Swanson,et al.  A vision for crystalline silicon photovoltaics , 2006 .

[67]  Steve Hegedus,et al.  Thin film solar modules: the low cost, high throughput and versatile alternative to Si wafers , 2006 .

[68]  Liangbing Hu,et al.  Organic solar cells with carbon nanotube network electrodes , 2006 .

[69]  Garry Rumbles,et al.  Organic solar cells with carbon nanotubes replacing In2O3:Sn as the transparent electrode , 2006 .

[70]  Jürgen H. Werner,et al.  Flexible solar cells for clothing , 2006 .

[71]  Yang Yang,et al.  High-efficiency solution processable polymer photovoltaic cells by self-organization of polymer blends , 2005 .

[72]  Masafumi Yamaguchi,et al.  InGaP/GaAs‐based multijunction solar cells , 2005 .

[73]  J. Schermer,et al.  Epitaxial Lift‐Off for large area thin film III/V devices , 2005 .

[74]  R. Scheer,et al.  Design of a window layer for flexible Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 thin film solar cell devices , 2005 .

[75]  R. Mertens,et al.  Porous silicon layer transfer processes for solar cells , 2004 .

[76]  Xavier Mathew,et al.  CdTe/CdS Solar cells on flexible molybdenum substrates $ , 2004 .

[77]  Stephen R. Forrest,et al.  The path to ubiquitous and low-cost organic electronic appliances on plastic , 2004, Nature.

[78]  Ronn Andriessen,et al.  Printable anodes for flexible organic solar cell modules , 2004 .

[79]  A. Shah,et al.  Thin‐film silicon solar cell technology , 2004 .

[80]  Masat Izu,et al.  Roll-to-roll manufacturing of amorphous silicon alloy solar cells with in situ cell performance diagnostics , 2003 .

[81]  Joshua M. Pearce,et al.  Evolution of microstructure and phase in amorphous, protocrystalline, and microcrystalline silicon studied by real time spectroscopic ellipsometry , 2003 .

[82]  J. Mcclure,et al.  Design issues in the fabrication of CdS–CdTe solar cells on molybdenum foil substrates , 2003 .

[83]  Mats Andersson,et al.  Polymer Photovoltaic Cells with Conducting Polymer Anodes , 2002 .

[84]  Gerhard Willeke,et al.  Thin crystalline silicon solar cells , 2002 .

[85]  A. Alivisatos,et al.  Hybrid Nanorod-Polymer Solar Cells , 2002, Science.

[86]  Hans Zogg,et al.  Flexible CdTe solar cells on polymer films , 2001 .

[87]  Hiroshi Sakai,et al.  Production technology for amorphous silicon-based flexible solar cells , 2001 .

[88]  C. Brabec,et al.  Plastic Solar Cells , 2001 .

[89]  Johan Nijs,et al.  Porous silicon as an intermediate layer for thin-film solar cell , 2001 .

[90]  Young Hee Lee,et al.  Fully sealed, high-brightness carbon-nanotube field-emission display , 1999 .

[91]  M. Green,et al.  24·5% Efficiency silicon PERT cells on MCZ substrates and 24·7% efficiency PERL cells on FZ substrates , 1999 .

[92]  S. Guha,et al.  Science and technology of amorphous silicon alloy photovoltaics , 1999 .

[93]  J. Mcclure,et al.  Thin film CdTe-CdS heterojunction solar cells on lightweight metal substrates , 1999 .

[94]  H. Zogg,et al.  12.8% Efficiency Cu(In,Ga)Se2 solar cell on a flexible polymer sheet , 1999 .

[95]  Rommel Noufi,et al.  Progress toward 20% efficiency in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 polycrystalline thin‐film solar cells , 1999 .

[96]  John Perlin,et al.  From Space to Earth: The Story of Solar Electricity , 1999 .

[97]  Z. Suo,et al.  Mechanics of rollable and foldable film-on-foil electronics , 1999 .

[98]  K. Catchpole,et al.  Epitaxial lateral overgrowth of Si on (100) Si substrates by liquid phase epitaxy , 1998 .

[99]  Takashi Hirao,et al.  Low Temperature Growth of Amorphous and Polycrystalline Silicon Films from a Modified Inductively Coupled Plasma , 1997 .

[100]  S. Guha,et al.  Triple-junction amorphous silicon alloy solar cell with 14.6% initial and 13.0% stable conversion efficiencies , 1997 .

[101]  B. Basol,et al.  Flexible and light weight copper indium diselenide solar cells on polyimide substrates , 1996 .

[102]  Martin A. Green,et al.  21.5% Efficient thin silicon solar cell , 1996 .

[103]  Sarah R. Kurtz,et al.  29.5%‐efficient GaInP/GaAs tandem solar cells , 1994 .

[104]  K. Sakaguchi,et al.  Advanced Quality in Epitaxial Layer Transfer by Bond and Etch-back of Porous Si , 1994 .

[105]  B. Basol,et al.  Copper indium diselenide thin film solar cells fabricated on flexible foil substrates , 1993 .

[106]  A. Shah,et al.  VHF Plasma Deposition: A Comparative Overview , 1992 .

[107]  Isaac Balberg,et al.  Deposition of device quality, low H content amorphous silicon , 1991 .

[108]  Stanford R. Ovshinsky,et al.  Band‐gap profiling for improving the efficiency of amorphous silicon alloy solar cells , 1989 .

[109]  S. D. Collins,et al.  Porous Silicon Formation and Electropolishing of Silicon by Anodic Polarization in HF Solution , 1989 .

[110]  E. Yablonovitch,et al.  Extreme selectivity in the lift‐off of epitaxial GaAs films , 1987 .

[111]  M. Green Limits on the open-circuit voltage and efficiency of silicon solar cells imposed by intrinsic Auger processes , 1984, IEEE Transactions on Electron Devices.

[112]  M. Thring World Energy Outlook , 1977 .