New generation of solar cell

technologies

Emerging technologies and their impact on the society

9th March 2017

Dhayalan VelauthapillaiProfessor, Faculty of Engineering and Business AdministrationCampus Bergen

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Solar Power Capacity

Source : http://www.24hoursolarstore.net/ 3

DIFFERENT GENERATION OF SOLAR CELLS

- First generation solar cells

Single crystalline silicon (28 %)

Multicrystalline silicon (21%)

• 86% of the solar cell market

• Cells made using crystalline silicon wafer.

• Consists of a large-area, single layer p-n

junction diode.

Advantages/Disadvantages of Silicon

› Second most abundant element in the crust

› Well-developed processing techniques

› Huge market for crystalline Si

› Highest efficiency

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

• Need thick layer (crystalline)

• Brittle

• Limited substrates

• Expensive single crystals

• Wastes during processing

Second generation – Thin film solar cells

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Copper indium gallium diselenide

(CIGS) (20 %)

Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) (17 %)

6

Emerging solar cell technologies

• Dye sensitized Solar Cells

(DSSCs)

• Quantum Dots Sensitized

Solar cells (QDSScs)

• Polymer Solar Cells

• CZTS based thinfilm solar

cells

• Perovskite Solar Cells

• Intermediate band solar cells

Advanced Nanomaterials Research at HVL

A. Computer simulation

studies on nanomaterials

for clean energy

applications

B. Synthesis, characterization

studies of nanomaterials

C. Fabrication and

characterization of next

generation solar cells

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A. Computer simulation studies

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• Nanomaterials for Intermediate band solar cells

Ag2GeBaS4 – Total and Projected Density of States (Ag)

Calculated electronic band structure of (a) K6C60, (b) Au2Cs2I6,

(c) and Ag2GeBaS4. The Fermi level is set to zero.

Advanced Nanomaterials Research

• ZnO based nanostructures

• TiO2 based nanostructures

B. Synthesis and characterization

C. Fabrication and characterization of

next generation solar cells

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• Dye sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs)

• Quantum Dots Sensitized Solar cells (QDSScs)

• Polymer Solar Cells

• CZTS based thinfilm solar cells

• Perovskite Solar CellsQDSSC

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Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs)

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Dye Sensitized Solar Cells

The colors of the SwissTech Convention Center come

from dye-sensitized solar cells integrated into the facade

in panels made by Solaronix.

Credit: Solaronix

Michael Grätzel

holding

one of his dye-

sensitized

solar cells Credit: EPFL

Thanks: GCELL

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Jsc= 3.70 mA/cm2

Voc= 0.26 V

FF= 39 %

η= 0.78 %

Daucus Carota dye

Quantum Dot Sensitized Solar Cells

Credit: Adapted from J. Phys. Chem. Lett.

Maximum certified efficiency: 11.3%

Commercial status: development, no products

X-ray diffraction studies

X-ray diffraction pattern of (a) ZnO NRs,

(b) CdS QD and (c) CdS QD sensitized

ZnO NRs based thin film

UV analysis

Absorption spectra of (a) ZnO nanorods,

(b) CdS Quantum dot and (c) CdS QD

sensitisized ZnO nanorods thin film

FESEM analysis EDAX analysis

FESEM image of prepared CdS

QD sensitized ZnO nanorods

EDAX spectra of CdS QD

sensitized ZnO nanorods

D. Vinoth Pandi, et al., The performance of CdS quantum dot sensitized ZnO nanorod-based solar cell. Journal of

Sol-Gel Science and Technology: p. 1-6.

J-V Characteristics

Voc = 0.67 V

Jsc = 4.5 mA cm-1

FF = 0.43

The constructed solar

cell exhibited an

efficiency 1.3%

J-V characteristics of CdS

quantum dot sensitized ZnO

nanorods based solar cells

The schematic diagram of the

fabricated solar cell

CdS Quantum dots Sensidized Solar Cells

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ZnO

nanorods

Thickness

Jsc

(mA/cm2)

Voc (V) FF (%) PCE

(%)

1.6 µm 3.40 0.30 33 0.70

3.0 µm3.63 0.31 39 0.87

5.0 µm4.20 0.33 0.38 1.06

CdS qunatum dot sensitized solar cells

Organic solar cells

Thanks to Chemical and Engineering News, Konarka Technologies

Thin, flexible organic photovoltaic panel and

charges phone or battery indoors or out. Thanks: Infinity PV

Maximum certified efficiency: 11.5%

Commercial status: advanced demonstration,

some products for sale

Thin organic solar-cell panels can be integrated into cement and metal portions,

not just glass, of a building facade. Thanks: Heliatek

Nano

P3HT

PC71BM

DEVICE STRUCTURE

-8

-7

-6

-5

-4

-3

-2

-1

En

erg

y (

eV

)

MoO3

PTB7

Al

-4.3 eV

-5.3 eV

-2.3 eV

- 3.31 eV

- 5.15 eV

-6.1 eV

-4.3 eV-4.7 eV

ITO

PC71BM

-4.06 eV

-7.06 eV

ZnO

-4.06 eV

-7.06 eV

ZnO

-4.06 eV

-7.06 eV

ZnO

-4.16 eV

-7.16 eV

GZO

Doped TiO2 / PTB7:PC71BM BASED INVERTED

POLYMER SOLAR CELLS

Material Jsc

(mA/cm2)

Voc (V) FF (%) PCE (%)

Al-doped

TiO2

15.26 0.76 65.69 7.66

Ga-doped

TiO2

15.48 0.77 64.86 7.72

In-doped

TiO2

15.45 0.76 65.06 7.67

Inverted Organic Solar Cells

Organic Semiconductor Lab.19

CZTS Solar Cells (submitted in Feb 2017)

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source: Ossila

Perovskite solar cells Maximum certified efficiency: 22.1%

Commercial status: development, no products

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Credit: J. Phys. Chem. Lett.

Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3)

C:\OPUS_7.2.139.1294\MEAS\MAI - 3.0 MAI - 3 POWDER 2/9/2016

3924.4

43894.0

03860.4

03843.2

73743.1

53678.2

33647.9

13618.9

73564.3

8

3441.8

3

3059.7

6

2953.7

9

2698.5

1

2362.2

2

1835.1

5

1740.9

61693.1

71645.4

9

1548.7

01517.6

61478.4

71396.0

6

1242.4

9

1064.8

0

983.0

3

903.8

4

677.3

9

100015002000250030003500

Wavenumber cm-1

70

75

80

85

90

95

100

Tra

nsm

itta

nce [

%]

Page 1/1

PEROVSKITES – CHARACTERIZATIONS

XRD

UV

FTIR

SEM IMAGES

PARTICLE SIZE

HRTEM IMAGES

Solar Paint – in future ???

Image credit: Mathew P. Genovese, et al.

©2011 American Chemical Society

nanoflexpower.com

Facilities at HiB (Chemistry and Electronic Labs)

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Synthesizing nano materials

Solar simulator and IV characterization system for solar cells

• Microwave method

• Chemical method

• Sol-Gel method

• Dip Coating facilities

• Spin Coating facilities

Advanced Nano materials for Clean Energy

Applications (ANCEA)