Plasma treatment has advanced the research of novel photovoltaics (solar panels) for renewable energy applications. Harrick Plasma Cleaners are frequently used to treat photovoltaic components before applying thin films that improve charge transfer or mechanical stability. Plasma treatment removes nanoscale contaminants without toxic chemicals. Additionally, plasma cleaning can functionalize surfaces to increase their wettability (hydrophilicity). Increasing the wettability ensures good adhesion between the substrate and the deposited thin film. Both flexible and rigid photovoltaic components have been processed using our plasma cleaners. Examples include titanium dioxide (TiO 2) nanotubes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as well as stainless steel/cobalt-chromium (SS-Co-Cr) receivers for parabolic trough collectors (PTCs).
