SPEAKER PROFILE |
 Prof. Christophe Ballif PV-Lab, IMT, EPFL, and CSEM PV-center SWITZERLAND |
Solar cells with higher efficiencies and lower production costs : the role micro and nanotechnologies
Abstract
In this presentation, we'll review some of the use of microfabrication and nanostructures in the field of photovoltaics. In first place we'll show various nanostructures based on dielectric or metallic structures which have been used to enhanced the optical absorptance of thin film silicon, and we’ll discuss the limitations of such structures.
In the second part we'll adress some of the challenges facing the manufacture of solar cells which include various microstructuration processes for crystalline silicon solar cells: this includes the substitution of conductive silver pastes by copper plated contacts, or the realisation of interdigitated back-contacted solar cells, all leading to conversion efficiencies above 22%.
Finally we'll show how nanostructured films and materials can allow the realisation of new class of photovoltaics products, including the realisation of white large area PV modules with over 10% efficiencies.
In the second part we'll adress some of the challenges facing the manufacture of solar cells which include various microstructuration processes for crystalline silicon solar cells: this includes the substitution of conductive silver pastes by copper plated contacts, or the realisation of interdigitated back-contacted solar cells, all leading to conversion efficiencies above 22%.
Finally we'll show how nanostructured films and materials can allow the realisation of new class of photovoltaics products, including the realisation of white large area PV modules with over 10% efficiencies.
Bio
Christophe Ballif received his Ph.D. degrees in physics from the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, in 1998, focusing on novel photovoltaic materials. After stays at NREL (US), Fraunhofer ISE (GE) and EMPA (CH), he became in 2004 a Full Professor at the IMT, University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland. In 2009, the IMT was transferred to EPFL. He is the Director of the Photovoltaics and Thin-Film Electronics Laboratory within the Institute, and since 2013, he has also been the Director of the PV-Center within CSEM. His research interests include thin-film based multiple junction devices, high-efficiency heterojunction crystalline cells, module technology, BIPV, storage and smart grids, contributing to technology transfer, and industrialization of novel technologies linked to solar energy.