Amorphous Silicon And Polymer Hybrid Tandem Photovoltaic Cell
High efficiency ~10-13%Solution processableRoll-to-roll techniquesLow costLightweightFlexible
Grid solar powerRoof solar panelsAutomobile solar panelsPortable device solar panels
A research team led by Professor Yang Yang has invented a novel hybrid tandem solar cell that combines amorphous Si with a conjugated polymer layer to achieve a tested efficiency of 10.5%, with potential efficiencies as high as ~13.5% after optimization. These materials are advantageous because they can be manufactured with inexpensive roll-to-roll techniques. The combination of organic and inorganic materials used in this technology makes for a low-cost, lightweight, and flexible solar cell.
20180019283
Background High-performance solar cells are usually multi-junction, or tandem, consisting of multiple active layers of different inorganic or organic materials, where each absorbs different regions of the solar spectrum. Although Si is typically used to fabricate solar cells, few tandem Si-based solar cells are viable. The use of organic materials for solar cells is advantageous because of its low manufacturing costs and wide applications, but needs significant performance improvement. Hybrid tandem cells offer an interesting alternative, combining inorganic and organic materials. To date, hybrid multi-junction solar cells have been demonstrated, but have low efficiencies (~5-7%). Further improvements need to be made for hybrid tandem cells to be practical for real world applications. Related Materials Additional Technologies by these Inventors Tech ID/UC Case 27218/2015-152-0 Related Cases 2015-152-0
USA
