Textile-Integrated Conductive Layers for Flexible Semiconductor-Based Photovoltaic Structures

Abstract

This paper presents the results of research on conductive layers dedicated to flexible photovoltaic cells based on semiconductors integrated with a textile substrate. The presented work is part of a broader project aimed at producing flexible solar cells based on the CdTe semiconductor component and manufactured directly on textiles. The research focuses on the selection of textile substrates and contact materials, as well as the methods of their application. This study compares three types of fabrics (basalt, glass, and silicone fibers) and three metals (copper, molybdenum, and silver), evaluating their mechanical and electrical properties. During the experiments, flexible metallic layers with a thickness ranging from 160 to 415 nm were obtained. Preliminary experiments indicated that metallic layers deposited directly on textiles do not provide adequate conductivity, reaching the levels of several hundred Ω/sq and necessitating the introduction of intermediate layers, such as screen-printed graphite. The results show that molybdenum layers on basalt fabrics exhibit the lowest increase in resistance after dynamic bending tests. The obtained relative resistance changes in Mo layers varied from 50% to as low as 5% after a complete set of 200 bending cycles. This article also discusses current challenges and future research directions in the field of textile-integrated photovoltaics, emphasizing the importance of further technological development to improve the energy efficiency and durability of such solutions.