Transparent Electrodes Makes Way For Solar-Cells That Are See-Through

Jun, 2021 - By SMI

The scientists’ team has established a novel transparent electrode type that could function as the major building block.

With the aim of developing solar cells that are transparent, which one day can substitute as windows of buildings and homes, an international scientists’ team at the Penn State University has established a novel transparent electrode type that could function as the major building block. This breakthrough overcomes certain performance concerns with prior efforts within this sector, and places the groundwork of modified tandem solar cell which combines the pros of two different however complimentary technologies.

Solar cells based on silicon has been the solar technology’s mainstay for decades, however lately cells based on perovskite are observed to make its mark. Ever-improving efficacies have positioned the solar cells center and front within conversations regarding renewable energy, where one stimulating probability includes to combine them with the conventional silicon-based cell for lowering the cost along with offering greater conversion proficiencies. This latest study, published in the journal Nano Energy, focuses on tandem solar-cells that literally builds on former work around the materials of electrode for perovskite solar-cells. Researchers had demonstrated how gold ultrathin films be used as the transparent electrodes for such cells, however had struggled in creating an even layer, leading to reduced conductivity. Authors of this latest study have found that with the use of chromium for the seed layer for gold film’s formation, sidesteps these problems.

The ultrathin electrodes attested stable as the functioning perovskite cell’s part, and proved high efficiency within the testing of the team. The perovskite cell itself exhibited an efficiency of 19.8%, which as per the team is semi-transparent cell’s record. There still is work to be done for turning these conclusions into solar-cells that are commercially available, however according to the scientists they have presently tackled two crucial issues within the tandem solar cells’ development, viz., the conductivity and transparency of top electrode.