Recent Advances in Thin-Film Solar Cells

Dear Colleagues,

Society is shifting towards renewable energy generation to minimize greenhouse gas emissions for better environmental conditions. Among all the renewable energy sources (wind, water, solar, etc.), photovoltaic (PV) technology is a promising approach to harvesting solar energy into electricity. Various types of photovoltaic technologies have been developed, among which thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) have achieved significant success among all other photovoltaic technologies because of their low processing cost, flexibility, and eco-friendly nature. This Special Issue will cover recent advancements in thin-film solar cells based on various absorber materials, associated issues, and their prospects.

Photovoltaics are a nearly unlimited and ultimate resource of natural and green power for the Earth. Thus, the effort towards developing highly efficient thin-film solar cells, which is a probable solution to the most demanding environmental and economic concerns, is of extreme importance. The recent progress in thin-film solar cell (TFSC) technologies has broadened the possibility to employ eco-friendly photovoltaic (PV) technology for solar energy harvesting. Various types of photovoltaic technologies have been developed, among which thin-film solar cells have gained a significant place among other photovoltaic technologies. This Special Issue will cover new topics that have arisen with the recent development of thin-film solar cell technologies. We welcome research and review papers, both experimental and theoretical, in areas concerning the development of highly efficient thin-film photovoltaics, as well as in associated fields.

Dr. Kuldeep Singh Gour
Dr. Vijay Chandrakant Karade
Prof. Dr. Jaeho Yun
Guest Editors

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• thin-film solar cells
• bifacial solar cells
• perovskite solar cells
• indoor photovoltaics (IPVs)
• optical/electrical properties
• defects and stability of photovoltaics
• chalcogenide-based absorber materials
• building-integrated photovoltaic (BIPV)
• emerging photovoltaic absorber materials
• tandem/multijunction thin-film solar cells
• colloidal quantum dot-based photovoltaics
• CIS, CIGS, CZTS, Sb₂Se₃, SnS, SnSe, Cu₂SnS₃
• transparent conductive oxides, protective, and anti-reflective coatings