Measurement of New Solar Cell Coatings by Beta Backscatter (CAT#: STEM-ST-0168-YJL)

Introduction

Due to the current demand for alternative sources of electricity, solar cell technologies are rapidly advancing. Coal-fired power plants produce electricity at a cost of approximately $1.00 per watt, so the target for solar cells should be near or below this in order to become a viable substitute for producing electrical power. Silicon-based solar panels, which have been used for many years, are expensive to produce and inefficient, converting only 16–20% of sunlight into electricity at an average cost of $4.00 per watt. Costs for making solar panels using the new thin film technology have come down, plus efficiency has increased, making the cost to produce electricity affordable for many areas of the world where it was previously unavailable. Beta backscatter instruments are being directly used on new solar cell production lines for measuring the coatings that convert sunlight to electricity.