Revolutionary transparent solar cells discovered that generate energy 1,000 times more efficiently

Optical image of a highly transparent solar cell made from a two-dimensional atomic sheet. (Credit: Toshiaki Kato)

Solar panels often get a bad rap for ruining the look of homes and businesses. However, this may change.

Transparent solar cells (TSCs) have attracted considerable attention because they can overcome the limitations of traditional opaque solar cells1, which can convert various components into energy, such as architectural windows, agricultural awnings, smart device glass panels, and even human skin. harvesting devices.

The research team has fabricated an ultra-transparent solar cell with a two-dimensional atomic sheet. These near-invisible solar cells have achieved an average visible transparency of 79%, meaning they could theoretically be placed anywhere — on the windows of buildings, on the front of cars, and even on human skin.

Scientists have long tried to develop transparent solar cells, but so far there have been no suitable materials.

Similar stories

To make the solar cell, the team controlled contact barriers between indium tin oxide (ITO), one of the most widely used transparent conductive oxides, and monolayer tungsten disulfide.

They coated ITO with various thin metals and inserted a thin layer of tungsten oxide between the coated ITO and tungsten disulfide.

“The way we formed the solar cell resulted in a power conversion efficiency of more than 1,000 times compared to a device using a conventional ITO electrode,” said Toshiaki Kato, author of the paper and associate professor at Tohoku University’s Graduate School of Engineering. .

Transparent solar cells (TSC) have attracted significant attention because they can overcome the limitations of traditional opaque solar cells,” explains Tohoku.

A highly transparent solar cell with a 2D atomic sheet has been successfully fabricated. (Credit: Toshiaki Kato)

The group’s efforts did not stop there. They also explored how their solar array could be expanded for use in a real solar panel.

“It was found that the aspect ratio […] [of the] device should be below the critical value of about 36, ”the document explains.

(a) Schematic illustration of the device structure and the ideal optimal strip structure for a Schottky transparent solar cell. (b) Sample images for WF and AVT measurements. ITO was sputtered onto a quartz substrate, and a thin metal film was deposited on top of the ITO. (c) Transparency spectra of quartz, ITO/quartz, and Mx/ITO on quartz (Mx = Ni1, Ni5, Fe1, Fe2, Al1, Al5, Cu1, Ag1, Au1, and Au5). (d) WF plot for Mx/ITO measured by PYS. Inset (d) shows typical Ni1/ITO photoemission characteristics and a fitting curve to obtain WF. (e) Spread in transparency and work function of the tested Mx/ITO. (CREDIT: Scientific reports)

“By further increasing the size of the device, taking into account the optimal structure of the series-parallel connection, an extremely high transparency of 79% could be realized, with PT reaching 420 pW. [picowatts]”.

“We have found that appropriate design modifications are necessary to avoid the unexpected voltage drop that accompanies the increase in device area,” Kato said.

The researchers coated ITO with various thin metals and inserted a thin layer of tungsten oxide between the coated ITO and tungsten disulfide. (CREDIT: luchschenF)

“This is the highest value for a TMD-based solar cell with multiple layers,” the paper concludes. “These findings may advance the study of TMD-based NISC from basics to truly industrial stages.”

Details of their study were published in the journal Scientific Reports.

To learn more about science and technology, visit our New Innovations section at The bright side of the news.

Note: Materials provided above by Tohoku University. Content can be edited for style and length.

Do you like such pleasant stories? Receive Brighter Side of News Newsletter.