Photovoltaic Materials and Manufacturing Issues

Manufacturing And Sales Of Photovoltaic (Pv) Energy Have Been Growing At Rates In Excess Of 40% For The Last Several Years. Advances In Materials Research Have Been The Basis For Much Of This Progress - Resulting In Reduced Costs And Improved Conversion Efficiencies And Reliabilities For Solar Systems. This Volume Features Studies From A Cross-Section Of Current Industry Research Leaders New Start-Up Companies And University And Laboratory Researchers. It Highlights The Most Significant Advances In Pv Materials And Device Research And Examines Research Challenges To Reaching The Ultimate Potential Of Current-Generation (Crystalline Silicon) Next-Generation (Thin Films And Concentrators) And Future-Generation Pv Technologies. The Latter Includes Innovative Materials And Device Concepts That Hold The Promise Of Significantly Higher Conversion Efficiencies And/Or Much Lower Costs. Topics Include: Silicon Solar Cells And Devices; Thin-Film Polycrystalline Materials And Devices; Characterization And New Technologies.