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Announcements

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JVST Writers Workshop Webinar

Check out JVST Editor-in-Chief, Eray Aydil's webinar where he explains:

  • How the technical publication process works.
  • What editors look for in a quality submission.
  • Suggestions on getting published.


Apple Format | Windows Format

 

Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology A Announces Special Issue on Energy Frontiers

This Special Issue will be dedicated to the science and technology of energy conversion and storage. Research articles based on material presented during the 58th AVS Symposium Energy Frontiers Sessions are especially welcome. However, the special issue will be open to all articles on the science and technology of energy conversion and storage even if they were not presented at this conference. Articles are solicited in topics ranging from all types of photovoltaics and photocatalysis to materials and thin films for energy conversion and storage including nanostructured materials such as nanoparticles and nanowires. [read more]

Atomic Layer Deposition Special Issue

This special issue is planned in collaboration with the 11th International Conference on Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD 2011) to be held at Cambridge Massachusetts during June 26-29, 2011. The Special Issue will be dedicated to the science and technology of atomic layer controlled deposition of thin films. While a significant fraction of the articles are expected to be based on material presented at ALD 2011, research articles that are on ALD but were not presented at this conference are also welcome: the special issue will be open to all articles on the science and technology of ALD. [read more]

Research Highlights

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High-efficiency and highly stable

High-efficiency and highly stable a-Si:H solar cells deposited at high rate (8 Å/s) with disilane grading process.

Guofu Hou, Qihua Fan, Xianbo Liao, Changyong Chen, Xianbi Xiang, and Xunming Deng

J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 29, 061201 (2011);
doi:10.1116/1.3630052

This paper presents our recent results on the high-rate deposition of high-efficiency and highly stable hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells with all layers deposited by 13.56 MHz radio frequency glow discharge. Using a linear disilane (Si2H6) grading process, high initial active-area efficiency of 11.42% has been obtained for the a-Si:H top cells with an effective i-layer deposition rate of 8 Å/s. It is also found that the light-soaking stability of the a-Si:H top cells is much improved by the Si2H6 grading process with the best a-Si:H top cell exhibiting only 11.2% light-induced degradation after 1000 h of light-soaking. Integrating the high-rate deposited a-Si:H top cell in an amorphous silicon/amorphous silicon germanium (a-Si:H/a-SiGe:H) tandem cell, an initial active-area efficiency of 12.57% is achieved. After light soaking for 1008 h, the stable efficiency is still as high as 11.02%, corresponding to only a 12.31% degradation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the best performance for a-Si:H based solar cells at such a high deposition rate by 13.56 MHz RF-PECVD. Possible mechanisms responsible for the superior stability of the a-Si:H solar cells deposited by the Si2H6 grading process are discussed. Read more

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Atmospheric Plasma Processing of Materials
Status and Potential of Atmospheric Plasma Processing of Materials
 
Daphne Pappas, Ph.D.

J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 29, 020801 (2011);
doi:10.1116/1.3559547
 
In the past decade, atmospheric plasma processing of materials has attracted a lot of attention, especially as it can be considered a new, "green" method to modify and coat the surfaces of a variety of materials. This article summarizes the developments in this technological area, from Siemens’ discovery of ozone production in 1857 to the micron-size patterning of biomaterial scaffolds for controlled cell growth in 2010. It provides a brief description of the most popular equipment used for atmospheric plasma modification of materials and discusses the role of the gas phase energetic species.
 
The article also presents a literature review on the plasma assisted deposition of organic and inorganic coatings, inactivation of biological agents, functionalization and surface patterning, pollution and waste control using atmospheric plasmas.

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JVST A Research Highlight (April 2011)
Photovoltaic manufacturing: Present status, future prospects, and research needs
Colin A. Wolden, Juanita Kurtin, Jason B. Baxter, Ingrid Repins, Sean E. Shaheen,
John T. Torvik, Angus A. Rockett, Vasilis M. Fthenakis, and Eray S. Aydil
 
J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 29, 030801 (2011);
doi:10.1116/1.3569757 
 
In May 2010, the United States National Science Foundation sponsored a two-day workshop to review the state-of-the-art and research challenges in photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing. This article summarizes the major conclusions and outcomes from this workshop and focuses on identifying scientific challenges that must be surpassed to accelerate PV manufacturing. This article summarizes the current status and future opportunities in major PV manufacturing technologies. These major solar cell technologies are crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells, thin film of cadmium telluride (CdTe) solar cells, thin film copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells and thin film hydrogenated amorphous/nanocrystalline silicon solar cells. Materials availability constraints and challenges in emerging technologies such as dye-sensitized solar cells (DSC) and organic photovoltaics (OPV) are also discussed. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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