Large-area production of solar absorbent multilayers by MF-pulsed plasma technology

Since solar absorbers ensure an extremely high efficiency in solar energy u tilization, there is an increasing demand for high-quality, highly durable and cost-reasonable absorber units. The medium-frequency (MF) pulsed plasma technology opens unique possibilities to manufacture thin-film multilayer coatings that meet these demands. A new industrial coater for the depositio n of a-C:H/Cr-based solar absorbent coatings onto a Im wide copper strip is presented. The essential process steps are heating, medium frequency (MF) ion-etching, reactive MF-dual magnetron sputtering of graded chromium-carbo n layers and the magnetically enhanced MF-PECVD of an a-C:H cover layer. Hi gh-performance solar absorbers which meet the IEA performance Criterion are being manufactured. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.