PECVD

Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapour Deposition (PECVD) is widely used to apply coatings to all sorts of substrates: architectural glass, computer screens, eye protective glasses and functional glasses such as photovoltaic (PV) panels. Over the last decade, the market for photovoltaic panels increased by a factor of 27 [EPIA]. As a consequence, several traditional and emerging equipment suppliers are today manufacturing hardware that can satisfy market needs of worldwide PV industry. Key know-how such as PECVD tooling and process development for the thin-film solar industry started in some examples at publicly founded university institutes or in close co-operation between university and industry. Such co-operations have been running under the motto ‘science to market’ and was well received both in industry and research institutions. The here presented contribution indicates ways, how to promote the dissemination of key know-how (such as PECVD) even further to non-EU countries: New teaching methods (eLearning, interactive textbooks for iPads by Apple and educational Google Sites/YouTube) are discussed in order to reach even more people in an even more efficient ways. It is clear that the biggest growth potential for the development of PV lies not in central Europe any more, but the in emerging countries [EPIA].