2007
Success in developing mass-production of triple-junction thin-film solar cells


Triple-junction thin-film solar cell (prototype)

By making a three-layer structure (two layers of amorphous silicon and one layer of microcrystalline silicon) instead of the conventional two-layer cell (amorphous silicon and microcrystalline silicon), cell conversion efficiency improved to 13% from 11%, and module conversion efficiency improved to 10% from 8.6%. Sharp succeeded in developing the mass-production technology for the triple-junction thin-film solar cell, with improved conversion efficiency and module conversion efficiency.

By providing two layers of amorphous silicon the voltage is greatly increased, and by further adding a third layer of microcrystalline silicon, light deterioration (decrease in conversion efficiency) is decreased, achieving the best conversion efficiency in the industry: a cell conversion efficiency of 13% and a module conversion efficiency of 10%.