Corning’s strength in developing and manufacturing LCD glass substrates, combined with its expertise in materials science and light management, positions Corning to develop thin-film photovoltaic solutions - accelerating the way the world collects and uses solar energy.

The Technology 
  A photovoltaic (PV) cell is a device that converts solar energy into electricity by converting photons into electrons. Within photovoltaics, the most common technologies in use today are either wafered silicon or thin film.

How does it work? The photons in sunlight hit the solar panel and are absorbed by a thin layer of semiconducting material (or a silicon wafer in the case of a wafered silicon PV cell). The electrons (negatively charged) in the semiconductor material are knocked loose from their atoms, allowing them to flow through the material. Complementary positive charges (holes) flow in the opposite direction of the electrons, generating an electric current. 

The typical photovoltaic module “sandwich” contains two pieces of glass, with a layer of thin film in the middle.

Corning already participates in the wafered silicon PV segment through Dow Corning and its equity venture Hemlock Semiconductor Corporation, the world’s leading supplier of the keystone component polycrystalline silicon. Thin film is a newer photovoltaic technology that is growing very rapidly. Thin-film photovoltaics represent the fastest growing opportunity in the PV industry and an emerging market segment that Corning is now exploring.

New Innovations 
  Through our ongoing commitment to innovation, Corning is looking to leverage its experience in multiple technologies to improve photovoltaic panel conversion efficiency and reduce manufacturing costs. The thin-film semiconductor materials used in photovoltaics are very similar to those used in the LCD business, an industry that Corning is a leader in. Corning is exploring the possibility of replacing one of the PV module’s glass layers with a specialty thin glass designed to improve efficiency while maintaining product strength and reliability.