High efficiency thin film silicon hybrid solar cell module on 1 m/sup 2/-class large area substrate

To realize both high performance and low cost, we have developed thin-film a-Si/poly-Si (/spl mu/c-Si) HYBRID solar cell on 1 m/sup 2/-class large area substrates. In mass production scale, the deposition rate of poly-Si has been increased up to 11 A/sec. An averaged initial efficiency of around 11% has been obtained for the large-sized module by using the high throughput process as a bottom cell. We are promoting the design of device structure as well as the optimization of fabrication process to realize highly efficient module. Up to now, an initial aperture efficiency of 13.2% has been achieved for 910/spl times/455 mm size silicon HYBRID module. We have applied a novel device structure consisting of "a-Si/transparent interlayer/poly-Si" to the large area module. It was confirmed that the current of a-Si component cell as well as the efficiency of module was increased by introducing the interlayer.