Thin film solar panels have a thin film of solar cells which are also called thin film photovoltaic cells. These cells are made by thin layers of material which are deposited on the substrate. The thickness range of the layer varies from a few nanometers to several micrometers. Here there are several photovoltaic materials that are deposited on different kind of substrates. The thin solar film cells have different categories such as cadmium telluride, amorphous silicon, dye sensitized solar cells and amorphous silicon.
In case of thin film solar panels, the silicon is deposited on the substrate with the use of vapor deposition. The vapor is deposited with the help of hydrogen gas and silane gas. There are other deposition techniques as hot wire technique and sputtering. Thesilicon is deposited either on plastic, glass or metal with a layer of transparent conducting oxide.
Such solar panels are not very effective in absorbing energy from the sun. This is because of the deep defects and the deformation of the conduction and deformation of the bands. The solar cells tend to have less efficiency when they are made from such materials. Even the quantum efficiency is lower because of the thin film solar cells.
However today there are a few solutions to increase their efficiency. Light trapping schemes have been brought into place where the incoming light is angled in such a way towards the silicon that it is absorbed more. The advanced thermal processing technique also enhances the absorption of sunlight in the films.
You can now install these thin film solar panels on the roofs of buildings and into the integrated roof covering. The thin film panels are relatively lower in weight than the traditional solar panels. These panels are not subject to wind lifting and you can even walk on them with care.
However the disadvantages of these panels are reduced efficiency and increased cost. Today a new type of technology is being built called silicon thin film technology. Here the photovoltacis are integrated in the form of semitransparent solar cells which can then be applied as window glazing. The cells function as window tints when they generate electricity.
Hence before going for thin film solar panels you should first consider the pros and cons that are mentioned above. It is better to install these panels through a professional installer since they are made from thin material.