Most panels sold as thin, light and bendable do not use thin-film cells at all.
Thin film solar panels deposit a light-absorbing layer of amorphous silicon, CdTe or CIGS onto glass, plastic or metal instead of cutting cells from a silicon wafer. On flexible backings they are light and cope well with heat and weak light, but they convert less sunlight per m² than crystalline silicon. A thin, bendable panel for a roof or deck is usually crystalline cells in an ETFE laminate.
This guide covers what thin-film is and how it is built, how amorphous silicon, CdTe and CIGS differ, and how film and crystalline compare on output, heat and low light. It then separates a thin panel from a thin-film panel, lines up the specs in one table and ends with how to choose. LinkSolar's thin-film range is small amorphous silicon cells, and its thin ETFE flexible panels in 50 W, 100 W and 135 W use crystalline cells.
What are thin film solar panels, and how are they built?
A thin film solar panel is a module whose light-absorbing layer is deposited as a film on glass, plastic or metal, instead of being cut from a crystalline wafer, a process called deposition. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, a thin-film solar cell is made by depositing one or more thin layers of PV material onto a supporting material such as glass, plastic or metal. The DOE names cadmium telluride (CdTe) and copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) as the two main thin-film types on the market, and amorphous silicon (a-Si) is a third thin-film family.
A crystalline silicon panel is built from wafers sliced from a silicon ingot. Each wafer becomes one cell, and the cells are strung together with metal ribbon before they are laminated behind glass or a polymer front sheet.
A thin-film module is built one sheet at a time. The absorber, a transparent conductor and a back contact are deposited in layers across the whole substrate, then laser scribing cuts those layers into narrow strip cells that are connected in series on the same sheet. An amorphous silicon film is typically around 1 µm thick, so the finished layer follows whatever surface carries it.
Stiffness comes from the substrate. CdTe deposited on glass gives a rigid module, while a-Si or CIGS deposited on a polymer film or metal foil gives a sheet that can bend. A sharp crease still damages the film, so a bendable sheet is meant to follow a curve without folding.
The DOE also notes that both CdTe and CIGS need more protection than silicon to last outdoors for many years. For that reason, most large thin-film modules are sealed between two sheets of glass, which typically makes them as heavy as a framed crystalline module or heavier.
The three families differ in efficiency, weight and the jobs they suit, so a buyer compares them one family at a time. For small flexible a-Si builds, the guide on where amorphous silicon panels earn their place covers the uses this film fits.
Amorphous silicon, CdTe or CIGS: which thin-film type is which?
Thin film solar panels come in three main families: CdTe is the rigid glass module built for utility-scale fields, CIGS is the higher-efficiency film that can go on glass or on flexible foil, and amorphous silicon is the low-power flexible film used on small devices. The substrate under each film sets how heavy and how stiff the finished panel is.
Cadmium telluride (CdTe)
CdTe is the second most common PV technology after crystalline silicon, with 21 % of the U.S. market and 4 % of the global market in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. The CdTe layer is deposited onto a coated conductive glass sheet, and the module is finished with a glass backsheet. That glass-glass module is typically as heavy as a framed glass module or heavier, so CdTe is a rigid, large-field product.
DOE places CdTe module efficiency below crystalline silicon. Its weight and rigidity make it a poor match for vehicle roofs, decks and curved surfaces.
Copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS)
Laboratory CIGS cells have exceeded 20 % efficiency, and commercial CIGS modules typically run 12 % to 14 %, according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Most CIGS modules are glass-glass and heavy like CdTe. CIGS can also be deposited on metal foil or polymer, which typically gives a light, flexible sheet.
Amorphous silicon (a-Si)
Amorphous silicon modules typically run around 6 % to 8 % efficiency, and the film is around 1 µm thick. LinkSolar lists flexible triple-junction a-Si cells laminated in UV-resistant ETFE, rated 0.3 W to 1.5 W at 1.5 V, 0.8 mm thick, with the 1 W cell weighing 30 g. These are small cells for devices and low-power builds, and they are not sized to cover a rooftop.
On LinkSolar's pages the a-Si cells above are the thin-film product, and its larger thin, bendable panels use crystalline cells, covered later in this guide.
Thin film makes the most sense on large utility fields, building glass (BIPV) and curved skins, where area costs little.
How do thin-film and crystalline panels compare on output, heat and low light?
Crystalline silicon makes roughly three times the watts per square meter of amorphous thin film solar panels, while the thin film loses less output as it heats up and its low-light response keeps it working in weak light. Crystalline wins wherever surface area is tight, and amorphous film earns its place on low-power builds that sit in shade or indoors.
Output per area. Worked from the listed size and rating, before losses, the 100 W flexible crystalline panel at 1247 × 418 mm comes to about 192 W/m² (watts per square metre), and the 135 W panel lands around 180 to 210 W/m². The flexible amorphous silicon cells LinkSolar lists come to about 52 W/m² for the 1 W size at 197 × 97 mm and about 61 W/m² for the 1.5 W size at 190 × 130 mm.
Heat. According to PVEducation, a silicon cell's maximum power falls about 0.4 % to 0.5 % for every °C it warms. Amorphous silicon's temperature coefficient is typically around minus 0.2 % per °C, so it gives up less output on a hot surface. A flexible crystalline panel bonded flat with no air gap runs hotter than a framed panel on standoffs and gives up some output for it.
Low light. Amorphous silicon film holds a useful share of its output under overcast sky, shade and indoor light, where a small crystalline cell falls off sharply. Its efficiency per square centimeter stays well below crystalline, so the trade pays off only on devices that draw little power and rarely see direct sun. For those builds, LinkSolar lists flexible amorphous cells for low-light builds from 0.3 W to 6 W, alongside mono PERC, bifacial PERC and polycrystalline small cells.
Is a thin solar panel the same thing as a thin-film panel?
A thin solar panel is usually a physically thin, light and bendable crystalline laminate, which makes it a different product from a thin-film panel. Most thin panels sold for a roof, deck or trailer are crystalline silicon cells sealed in a frameless ETFE laminate. Only panels that roll up like a mat use thin-film cells, so a listing that calls a crystalline panel "fully flexible" is using the phrase loosely.
The thinness comes from the build around the cells. The laminate is frameless and has an ETFE front sheet, so it bends to a gentle curve and weighs roughly a fifth of a glass module of the same output. LinkSolar lists these semi-flexible crystalline panels in 50 W, 100 W and 135 W, each a semi-flexible panel built with back-contact cells rated around 24.8 to 25 % cell efficiency.
Weight per area shows how far apart the two builds sit. The 100 W panel measures 1247 × 418 mm and weighs 1.0 kg, which is a weight per square metre of about 1.9 kg/m² and about 192 W/m², worked from the listed size and weight. The 135 W panel comes out at about 2.7 to 2.8 kg/m² on the same basis.
A framed glass crystalline module typically weighs around 10 to 12 kg/m². That difference is why the laminate suits surfaces that cannot carry a glass panel and its frame.
Strictly, every panel in this group is semi-flexible. Crystalline cells do not bend far on their own, and the frameless ETFE laminate is what lets the panel follow a curve. The listed handling rule is "gentle curves only; avoid sharp folding."
Buyers who search for solar panel film or solar film panels usually mean this same laminate. In these listings the film is the ETFE or PET front sheet laminated over the cells, and that sheet protects the cells without generating power itself. ETFE is the default for multi-year outdoor exposure, while PET is the lower-cost option on custom builds and starts to yellow after roughly two to three years outdoors.
For how a laminate and a framed module compare on different mounting surfaces, see flexible versus framed panels by surface.
Specs to compare before you order a thin or thin-film panel
Before you order thin film solar panels or a thin crystalline laminate, compare the efficiency band, weight per m², thickness, how far the panel bends, low-light behavior and the job it is built for. Weight and area usually settle the choice before wattage does. The crystalline laminates here carry an ETFE front sheet, and looking after an ETFE panel outdoors covers the care side of that choice.
The flexible crystalline 100 W laminate works out at about 1.9 kg/m², against around 10 to 12 kg/m² for a typical framed glass module, which is why it goes on van roofs and decks that cannot take a rack. The amorphous silicon cell weighs about the same per m² as that laminate but makes about a third of the watts from the same area, so it suits low-power and low-light builds.
The table compares the three thin-film families, two flexible crystalline laminates and a framed glass module across those six specs.
| Build | Efficiency band | Weight per m² | Thickness | Flexibility | Low light | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Amorphous silicon film cell in ETFE | Around 6 to 8 %, typical | About 1.6 kg/m² | 0.8 mm | Bends and sews to fabric, no crease | Strong | Small devices, low-power builds |
| CdTe glass module | Below crystalline silicon, per DOE | As heavy as framed glass or heavier, typical | Glass-glass | Rigid | Good, typical | Utility fields |
| CIGS module | 12 to 14 % commercial, per DOE | Heavy on glass, light on foil, typical | Varies | Rigid on glass, flexible on foil | Good, typical | BIPV and specialty builds |
| Flexible crystalline ETFE laminate, 100 W | Cells around 24.8 to 25 %, about 19 % over the panel area | About 1.9 kg/m² | Not published, ask | Gentle single-axis curve | Weaker in shade than film | Decks, van roofs, trailers |
| Flexible crystalline ETFE laminate, 135 W | Same back-contact cells | About 2.7 to 2.8 kg/m² | Not published, ask | Gentle curve | Weaker in shade than film | Larger roof areas |
| Framed glass crystalline module | Around 20 % or more, typical | Around 10 to 12 kg/m², typical | Framed | Rigid | Weaker in shade than film, typical | Fixed roofs, ground mounts |
The two flexible crystalline rows are stock 100 W and 135 W sizes in the flexible panel range, with a 50 W size listed alongside them.
LinkSolar rows come from the live product pages on 25 September 2026, and the per-m² and panel-area figures are worked from the listed size, weight and rating, before any losses. The CdTe and CIGS rows use U.S. Department of Energy figures, and the other values are typical ranges. LinkSolar supplies the flexible crystalline laminates and the small amorphous silicon cells in this table.
How do you decide which thin panel to buy?
Choosing between thin film solar panels and a thin crystalline laminate starts with the surface and the load: the area, the curve and the daily watt-hours pick the build, and the cell technology follows from them. The six steps below put those inputs in order, and each step narrows the choice.
- Measure the surface. Record the length and width in mm and note whether the surface is flat, curved along one axis or compound curved.
- Size the load. Work out the daily watt-hours and the voltage the battery, charge controller or device needs.
- Divide watts by area. If the power you need works out under about 60 W/m², amorphous film can cover it, and above that crystalline cells are the practical option at about 192 W/m² worked from the listed 100 W laminate.
- Check the light. Indoor light, shade or milliwatt loads point to amorphous cells, while full sun and a battery to charge point to crystalline.
- Pick the front sheet. Choose ETFE for years outdoors, PET for short-life or sheltered products and glass where the panel must stay rigid.
- Choose stock or custom. Take a stock 100 W or 135 W laminate or a mini panel if it fits, and otherwise send the outline, voltage and mounting details for a custom laminate.
Flag a compound curve early, because the stock laminates are rated for gentle curves only. For a van roof or deck, the 100 W laminate is 1247 × 418 mm and 1.0 kg with a Vmp of 18.05 V, and the guide to sourcing 100 W flexible panels in quantity covers ordering that size in volume. For devices, the thin mini panels for devices and sensors run from 0.1 W to 25 W, and most use SMT-mounted back-contact cells laminated onto a PCB, which keeps them thin.
When no stock size fits, LinkSolar works as a sourcing partner with its partner factories on custom flexible panels cut to your outline. Outlines are set to the millimetre and can be a rectangular, tapered or contour-matched outline. The target voltage can be 12 V, 24 V, 36 V or a custom Vmp, with power from tens to hundreds of watts.
Before any tooling is cut, photos and CAD of the surface define the safe bend radius, the mounting zones and the cable routing. Each panel then goes through IV testing and visual inspection before shipment. Product makers who need a small panel shaped to a housing can start from custom mini panels built to a device outline.
FAQ: thin film and thin solar panels
Are thin film solar panels flexible?
Thin film solar panels are flexible only when the film is deposited on a flexible substrate such as polymer or metal foil. CdTe is deposited on glass and sealed with a glass backsheet, so a CdTe module is rigid.
Amorphous silicon and CIGS on polymer or foil can bend to a curve, and a sharp crease still damages the film.
Are thin film solar panels worth it for a roof or RV?
Thin film solar panels rarely suit a roof or RV where area is the limit, because flexible crystalline panels make about three times the watts per m². Worked from listed sizes and ratings, a 100 W crystalline laminate gives about 192 W/m² against about 52 to 61 W/m² for amorphous cells.
Film makes sense where area costs little or light is weak, such as shaded or indoor surfaces.
What is a thin-film solar module made of?
A thin-film solar module is made of a light-absorbing film of amorphous silicon, CdTe or CIGS, a transparent conductor, a back contact and a substrate of glass, plastic or metal. An encapsulant or a second glass sheet then seals the layers against moisture.
The substrate and the cover, not the absorber, decide whether the finished module is rigid or bendable.
How thin is a thin solar panel?
The flexible amorphous silicon cells LinkSolar lists are 0.8 mm thick, and the 1 W cell weighs 30 g. The thickness of the crystalline ETFE laminates is not published on the product page.
If thickness matters for your mounting, ask for it in writing along with the cell type.
Next step
The spec table sets film against crystal on weight, area and light, so which one do your surface and load point to? LinkSolar works as a sourcing partner with direct factory-side QA, and custom panels run from 3 V to 48 V in PET, ETFE or fibreglass lamination.
To request a quote, send the area in mm, whether the surface is flat or curved, the voltage you need and your daily watt-hours through the custom solar panel quote page. The cell type is confirmed in writing before the order.