Development of glass substrates with tin oxide films for a-Si solar modules

We have produced glass substrates with textured tin oxide films for a-Si solar modules. Textured tin oxide films and two undercoating layers are coated using "online CVD", which is superior to a common off-line CVD in view of low cost and energy saving. Two undercoating layers of SnO/sub 2//SiO/sub 2/ have the advantages of color suppression and the uniformity of the reflective color of large area as well as the high adhesion of textured tin oxide films on glass substrate. Optical simulation based on the finite element method is used to calculate optical absorption of a-Si layer against thicknesses of the undercoating layers. The thicknesses of two undercoating layers are determined in view of these points.