ELECTRONIC MATERIALS FOR SOLAR-CELLS

After a short description of the problems of optimization of photovoltaic solar cells efficiency, the importance of crystal perfection is addressed. The case of silicon monocrystals versus polycrystals is discussed. The case of amorphous silicon and its fundamental difficulties are described which are typical for other amorphous materials. Finally the III-V (II-VI) compound crystals are discussed and their enormous development due to new epitaxial methods on monocrystalline substrates is demonstrated which has become the basis for a host of new devices, including solar cells. The survey ends with a short description of the status of epitaxy.