Founder/Research Director, InterPhases Solar, Inc., the United States.

Speech Title: Photovoltaic Technology for Flexible Thin-Film Devices
Abstract: This paper introduces radically different photovoltaic technology for easier cost-effective mass production of high efficiency flexible solar cells. It combines materials, processes and device concepts in a confluence of solutions to reduce the cost, complexity and weight of panels. They synergize to create new lightweight solar cells that integrate the proven properties and reliability of copper-indium-selenide(CISe) absorbers with non-vacuum fabrication. The technology builds off our recent research on the off-stoichiometric, self-stabilizing CISe compounds. Thermodynamically driven reactions enable electrodeposition of stoichiometric compounds in a single step from a single plating solution at low temperature and ambient atmosphere. This highly reproducible method is scalable for continuous roll-to-roll manufacture. Besides the processing advantages, this approach creates inherently ordered, homogeneous nanocrystalline CISe films. Their unusual morphological and electro-optical characteristics promise efficient separation and transport of photo-generated carriers in new device architectures.