Ceramic substrates for thin-film crystalline silicon solar cells

For a further cost reduction of crystalline silicon solar cells thin-film silicon solar cells on cheap ceramic substrates represent a good candidate. A research and development programme on this subject has been started at ECN, comprising the development of thin, flat, ceramic substrates based on Si-compounds using the tape casting method. The first experiments have resulted in porous ceramic substrates. Si films have been grown on these substrates with the LPE method from different melts. A nearly closed Si layer has been grown from an aluminium melt. From a tin melt no closed layers have been grown, but nucleation appears to have occurred. Although the layers have not resulted in solar cells as yet, both the tape casting experiments and the growth experiments are a promising starting point for further development.