Special Issue on Thin Film Solar Cells: Materials and Systems

Call for Papers

For economic viability of solar energy for terrestrial applications without subsidies, the development of ultralow-cost PV systems is one of the important issues to ensure a smooth transition to sustainable energy development. This is because the few micrometers-thick semiconductor thin films deposited on a substrate surface take typically about 2–6 g m−2 can cost very little at this level leading to an energy cost of a few cents per kWh. The availability of the different materials involved in the various compounds must be carefully established. The continuous improvement of the performance of cells and modules using environmentally benign materials is essential for making them available for use in commercial solar systems.

Their development is based on a lot of scientific and technological challenges which include the integration of nano materials and nanostructures in very confined spaces such as micro-channels manufactured by various substrate technologies. Advanced materials and nanotechnology provide enormous opportunities for the development of high performing solar cell systems which can power a variety of portable electronics to large scale solar cell modules.

This special issue of the Journal of New Materials for Electrochemical Systems is devoted to these various topics of ‘Thin film solar cells’.

We invite investigators to contribute original research articles as well as review articles that will stimulate the continuing efforts to understand the strategies for the development of high performing thin film solar cells topics include, but are not limited to:

•  Materials synthesis and characterization;
  
• Solar Cell performance and durability;
• Systems Integration;
• New concepts of solar cells;
• Demonstrated applications;
• Sustainability issues;
• Possible applications and future directions;

For appropriate preparation of their manuscripts before Submission, the authors should carefully read over the journal’s Author Guidelines which are located at
http://www.groupes.polymtl.ca/jnmes/modules/downloads/index.php?cid=3

Prospective authors should submit an electronic copy of their complete manuscript through the journal Manuscript Submission System at
http://www.groupes.polymtl.ca/jnmes/modules/ccenter/?form=3

according to the following timetable:

Guest Editor

Professor Krishna C. Mandal
Department of Electrical Engineering
University of South Carolina
Columbia, SC 29208, U.S.A Phone:+1 803 777-2722
E-mail: mandalk@cec.sc.edu