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The uniqueness of the amorphous silicon technology lends itself
to a wide variety of applications, and numerous advantages. These
advantages can be seen in all UNI-SOLAR® products:
- No Glass Construction
- Shadow Tolerant
- Vandal Resistant
- Virtually Unbreakable
- Durable
- Lightweight
- Flexible
- Better higher temperature performance than the
competition
- More energy per rated watt
All UNI-SOLAR® products are based on a sophisticated multi-layer
amorphous silicon thin-film solar cell developed originally by Energy
Conversion Devices, Inc. This spectrum-splitting cell, shown schematically
in the diagram, is constructed of three separate p-i-n type amorphous
semiconductor solar sub-cells, each with a different spectral response
characteristic. This allows the cell to convert the different visible
and near infrared wavelengths of sunlight with optimal efficiency.
The United Solar spectrum-splitting multijunction design now holds
all the world's records for amorphous silicon solar cell efficiency,
including the highest stable efficiency measured by the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for a small-area amorphous silicon
solar cell -- 13 percent.
Manufactured in a unique continuous roll-to-roll
deposition process. Each of the nine thin-film semiconductor layers
that comprise the cell is sequentially deposited in separate, dynamically-isolated,
plasma enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) chambers as the
stainless steel substrate progresses through the machine. The company's
manufacturing plant has an annual production capacity of five million
watts of solar cells.
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