TABLE OF CONTENTS In Chapter 1 we briefly reviewed specifics of monocrystalline, polycrystalline, amorphous, and concentrator cell technologies. In this chapter the principal technologies reviewed are limited to four categories or classes of solar power photovoltaics, namely, monosilicon wafer, amorphous silicon, and thin-film technologies, and concentrator-type PV technologies and associated sun-tracking systems. We will review the basic physical and functional properties, manufacturing processes, and specific performance parameters of these technologies. In addition, we present some unique case studies that will provide a more profound understanding of the applications of these technologies.
Each of the technologies covered here have been developed and designed for a specific use and have unique application advantages and performance profiles. It should be noted that all the technologies presented here can be applied in a mixed-use fashion, each meeting special design criteria.
In this section we will review the production and manufacturing process cycle of a crystalline-type photovoltaic module. The product manufacturing process presented is specific to SolarWorld Industries; however, it is representative of the general fundamental manufacturing cycle for the monosilicon class of commercial solar power modules presently offered by a large majority of manufacturers.
The manufacture of monocrystalline photovoltaic cells starts with silicon crystals, which are found abundantly in nature in the form of flint stone. The word silicon is derived from the Latin silex, meaning flint stone, which is an amorphous substance found in nature consisting of one part silicon and two parts oxygen (SiO 2). Silicon...
