Large-grained polycrystalline silicon thin-film solar cells using AIC seed layers

Large-grained polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) films were prepared on foreign substrates by epitaxial thickening of seed layers. The seed layers were formed by the aluminum-induced layer exchange (ALILE) process which is based on aluminum-induced crystallization (AIC) of amorphous silicon (a-Si). The epitaxial thickening was carried out at two different temperature regimes (low- and high-temperature approach). Using these large-grained poly-Si films first thin-film solar cells have been prepared. The best poly-Si thin-film solar cell obtained so far has reached an efficiency of 4.5% (high-temperature approach).