Role of surfaces and interfaces in solar cell manufacturing

Solar cells gained significant interest recently due to the rapid increase in fossil fuel costs and renewed attention to sustainability. The effectiveness of a solar cell in energy harvesting hinges on three key characteristics: efficiency of energy conversion, reliability and life expectancy, and cost. All three attributes are critically influenced by surface and interface properties inherent in the design and manufacture of these devices. This paper starts with an exposition of solar cell manufacturing, followed by discussion of efficiency enhancement, reliability issues, and cost and energy footprint reduction. The role of surface and interface modifications in realizing such improvements is assessed.