How do amorphous solar panels work?

Unlike other solar panels, amorphous solar panels don't use traditional cells; instead, they're constructed using a deposition process that involves forming an extremely thin silicon layer on top of a substrate. The thin film interconnects using laser-cut patterns instead of the mechanical connections used in traditional solar panels.

How thin is an amorphous solar panel?

One silicon layer on an amorphous solar panel can be as thin as one micrometer: thinner than a single human hair! Amorphous solar panels are the second most popular thin-film option after CdTe. Amorphous panels are much better than their counterparts in toxicity and durability but less efficient.

How are amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film solar panels made?

There are two routes to manufacture amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film solar panels, by processing glass plates or flexible substrates. Efficiency for a-Si solar cells is currently set at 14.0%. Disregarding the route taken to manufacture amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin-film solar panels, the following steps are part of the process:

What are amorphous silicon solar panels?

Since these panels don’t have cells, they also do not require the same physical connecting tabs that you’d find on a standard solar panel. Instead, manufacturers use a laser to pattern connections that carry electrical current. Amorphous silicon solar panels are somewhat of a niche product.

How efficient are amorphous solar panels?

Amorphous solar cells are typically less than half as efficient as conventional silicon solar cells. Most amorphous solar panels hover around 7% conversion efficiency, while monocrystalline or polycrystalline solar panel arrays can have efficiencies of over 20%.

What is a thin-film solar panel?

Thin-film modules use one of the following four technologies: cadmium telluride (CdTe), amorphous silicon (a-Si), copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), and organic photovoltaic cells (OPV). They use less material than traditional panels, including toxic materials & their construction makes them highly bendable and less susceptible to cracks.