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removing redundant content on thin-film deposition. Removing unencyclopedic list of universities involved in research; additional rewrites and cleanup
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'''Thin films''' are thin material [[layer]]s ranging from fractions of a [[nanometre]] to several [[micrometre]]s in thickness. [[Electronics|Electronic]] [[semiconductor]] devices and [[optical]] [[coating]]s are the main applications benefiting from thin film construction.
'''Thin films''' are thin material [[layer]]s ranging from fractions of a [[nanometre]] to several [[micrometre]]s in thickness. [[Electronics|Electronic]] [[semiconductor]] devices and [[optical]] [[coating]]s are the main applications benefiting from thin film construction.


Some work is being done with [[ferromagnetic]] thin films as well for use as [[computer memory]]. It is also being applied to pharmaceuticals, via [[thin film drug delivery]].
Work is being done with [[ferromagnetic]] thin films for use as [[computer memory]]. It is also being applied to pharmaceuticals, via [[thin film drug delivery]]. Thin-films are used to produce thin-film batteries.<ref>http://www.sciengineeredmaterials.com</ref>


[[Ceramic]] thin films are also in wide use. The relatively high hardness and inertness of [[ceramic]] materials make this type of thin coating of interest for protection of substrate materials against corrosion, oxidation and wear. In particular, the use of such coatings on cutting tools may extend the life of these items by several orders of magnitude.
[[Ceramic]] thin films are in wide use. The relatively high hardness and inertness of ceramic materials make this type of thin coating of interest for protection of substrate materials against corrosion, oxidation and wear. In particular, the use of such coatings on cutting tools can extend the life of these items by several orders of magnitude.

The engineering of thin films is complicated by the fact that their physics is in some cases not well understood. In particular, the problem of [[dewetting]] may be hard to solve, as there is ongoing debate and research into some processes by which this may occur.

==Physical vapor deposition==
{{main|Physical vapor deposition}}

Physical vapor deposition (PVD) refers to a variety of vacuum deposition techniques that deposit [[thin film]]s by the condensation of vaporized material onto a substrate. The coating material can be evaporated thermally, or by laser or electron bombardment. PVD can be used to deposit metals, alloys, ceramics, composites and multilayers.

===PVD techniques===
*[[Evaporation (deposition)|Thermal Evaporation]]
*[[Electron beam physical vapor deposition]]
*[[Sputtering]]
*[[Pulsed laser deposition]]
*[[Cathodic Arc Deposition]]

==Chemical vapor deposition==
{{main|Chemical vapor deposition}}

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) uses vapor phase chemical reaction to deposit thin film on a substrate.

===CVD techniques===
*[[Chemical vapor deposition]]
*[[Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition|Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PECVD)]] is generally applied to deposit the [[antireflection]] film [[layer]] and is one of the most critical processes to increase efficiency. [[Sputtering]] technology is generally applied to deposit [[TCO]] ([[Transparent Conductive Oxide]]) and back contact ([[aluminum]] etc.) layers. These depositions take place in [[vacuum chamber]]s <ref>http://www.omron-semi-pv.eu/en/pv-thin-film/pv-thin-film/vacuum-process.html</ref>.
*[[Metalorganic chemical vapor deposition]]
*[[Hybrid Physical-Chemical Vapor Deposition]]


Thin-films are applied to surfaces using one of many techniques of [[thin-film deposition]].
== Transparent electronics ==
== Transparent electronics ==
A new class of thin film inorganic [[oxid]] materials (called [[amorphus heavy-metal cation multicomponent oxide]]) which could be used to make transparent transistors that are inexpensive, stable, and environmentally benign <ref>http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-12/osu-mam122804.php</ref>.
A new class of thin film inorganic [[oxid]] materials (called [[amorphus heavy-metal cation multicomponent oxide]]) which could be used to make transparent transistors that are inexpensive, stable, and environmentally benign <ref>http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-12/osu-mam122804.php</ref>.

== Batteries ==
There are thin-film batteries.<ref>http://www.sciengineeredmaterials.com</ref>


==Thin Film Solar Cells==
==Thin Film Solar Cells==
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These technologies face major technical hurdles. Laboratory tests have shown efficiencies of up to 19.9 percent for [[CIGS cell]]s, compared with a record of about 16.5 percent for [[cadmium telluride]]. But the reality outside of the labs (commercial photovoltaic panels) has been different. So far, [[First Solar]] has reached average cell efficiencies of 10.6 percent.<ref name="greentech">http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/heliovolt-hits-122-efficiency-885.html</ref>
These technologies face major technical hurdles. Laboratory tests have shown efficiencies of up to 19.9 percent for [[CIGS cell]]s, compared with a record of about 16.5 percent for [[cadmium telluride]]. But the reality outside of the labs (commercial photovoltaic panels) has been different. So far, [[First Solar]] has reached average cell efficiencies of 10.6 percent.<ref name="greentech">http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/heliovolt-hits-122-efficiency-885.html</ref>

=== Research ===
{{Unencyclopedic}}

Research Institutes and Universities involved with thin film photovoltaic technologies:<ref>[http://www.idtechex.com/products/en/view.asp?productcategoryid=130 Printed and Thin Film Photovoltaics and Batteries: IDTechEx<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>
* [[Avanced technology Institute]] - [[University of Surrey]] (UK)
* [[AIST]] - National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology
* [[Arizona State University]]
* [[Colorado State University]]
* [[École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne]]
* [[Florida Solar Energy Centre]]
* [[Fraunhofer ISE]]
* [[Helsinki University of Technology]] ([[TKK]])
* [[IMEC]]
* [[Imperial College London]]
* [[Idaho National Laboratory]] (INL)
* [[KAIST]] - Korean Advanced Institute of Science and Technology
* [[Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory]]
* [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT)
* [[National Renewable Energy Laboratory]] (NREL)
* [[University of Delaware]] - [[Institute of Energy Conversion]] (IEC)


=== Materials ===
=== Materials ===
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* [[Global Photonic Energy]] ([[organic photovoltaics]])
* [[Global Photonic Energy]] ([[organic photovoltaics]])
* [[Odersun]] with the capacity to produce 30 megawatts of thin films.
* [[Odersun]] with the capacity to produce 30 megawatts of thin films.

== High precision thin film deposition on large substrates ==
[[Image:Linearschematic.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Schematic of Linear Target technology]]
One of the major barriers met in thin film [[deposition]] is the ability to [[coating|coat]] large dimension [[substrate]]s whilst obtaining high precision results with [[mono]] or [[multi|multi-layer]] [[deposition]].

The [[HiTUS]] plasma [[sputter deposition]] technology together with the Linear Target technology has demonstrated major improvements in desired results such as [[precision]], [[uniformity]], stress control from [[compressive]] to [[tensile]] with zero in between, and [[roughness]] on substrates measuring up to and over and above 50 to 60 cm. The Linear Target also enables the development of a large area [[linear]] process with the same advantages as HiTUS for roll-to-roll or [[in-line]] processes.

==Other techniques==
*[[Atomic Layer Deposition|Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD)]]
*[[Carbon nanotubes in photovoltaics]]
*[[Copper indium gallium selenide]] (CIGS)
*[[Chemical vapor deposition]]
*[[Electrophoretic deposition]]
*[[Lamination]]
*[[Molecular beam epitaxy]]
*[[Sol-gel|Sol-Gel Process]]
*[[Spin coating]]
*[[Sputter deposition]]
*[[Transparent photovoltaics]]


== See also ==
== See also ==

Revision as of 16:52, 19 December 2008

Thin films are thin material layers ranging from fractions of a nanometre to several micrometres in thickness. Electronic semiconductor devices and optical coatings are the main applications benefiting from thin film construction.

Work is being done with ferromagnetic thin films for use as computer memory. It is also being applied to pharmaceuticals, via thin film drug delivery. Thin-films are used to produce thin-film batteries.[1]

Ceramic thin films are in wide use. The relatively high hardness and inertness of ceramic materials make this type of thin coating of interest for protection of substrate materials against corrosion, oxidation and wear. In particular, the use of such coatings on cutting tools can extend the life of these items by several orders of magnitude.

Thin-films are applied to surfaces using one of many techniques of thin-film deposition.

Transparent electronics

A new class of thin film inorganic oxid materials (called amorphus heavy-metal cation multicomponent oxide) which could be used to make transparent transistors that are inexpensive, stable, and environmentally benign [2].

Thin Film Solar Cells

Further information: Low cost solar cell, Third generation solar cell, and Thin Films Solar Cells

Thin-film technologies are also being developed as a means of substantially reducing the cost of photovoltaic (PV) systems. The rationale for this is that thin-film modules are expected to be cheaper to manufacture owing to their reduced material costs, energy costs, handling costs and capital costs, specially represented in the used of printed electronics processes.

Thin-films solar cells consist of plastic or other substrates coated with silicon (i.e. amorphous silicon) or other photovoltaic material.

These technologies face major technical hurdles. Laboratory tests have shown efficiencies of up to 19.9 percent for CIGS cells, compared with a record of about 16.5 percent for cadmium telluride. But the reality outside of the labs (commercial photovoltaic panels) has been different. So far, First Solar has reached average cell efficiencies of 10.6 percent.[3]

Materials

Light-absorving materials in thin-film photovoltaic cells are:

Production

Thin-film solar cell manufacturing is poised to make a giant leap in scale with the birth of the gigawatt (GW)fab [4]. First Solar (CdTe) is the largest manufacturer of thin-film cells in the world[5], with production capacity expected to reach over 435 MW by the end of 2008.(Plan for 1GW in 2009)

See also

References

  1. ^ http://www.sciengineeredmaterials.com
  2. ^ http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2004-12/osu-mam122804.php
  3. ^ http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/heliovolt-hits-122-efficiency-885.html
  4. ^ http://www.pv-ech.org/featured_articles/_a/first_edition_challenges_of_the_gigawatt_fab/
  5. ^ http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/thin-film-solar-to-reach-42-gw-1372.html
  6. ^ http://qsolarsystems.com
allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special%3ADiff%2F258998264