A leading Australian research institute has developed technology for printing thin, flexible solar cells based on inks made from semiconducting nanocrystals.
Printable, flexible solar cells that could decrease the cost of renewable energy have been developed by Australia's Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the University of Melbourne.
The cells are created with inks that contain semiconducting nanocrystals, known as quantum dots, which have the potential to be printed in a continuous process, suggesting the technology can be scaled up for high-volume production.
The ink to make the cells can be printed on flexible plastics or metal foils and is then dried to form a thin film. Though this process can lead to defects, depositing multiple layers of the ink means these can be filled in, to produce a densely packed, uniform solar cell film.
Material volume
The quantum dots are based on the compound semiconductor cadmium telluride, a material used for making second-generation thin-film solar cells, usually processed at high temperatures in a gas chamber. Compared to these conventional cadmium telluride thin-film solar cells, the nanocrystal ink-based cells developed at CSIRO use about 10% of the same material.
As well as solar cells the core technology can be used to fabricate a range of other printed electronic devices, including LEDs, lasers and transistors.
The nanocrystal solar cells are one of several third-generation solar cell technologies being developed by the CSIRO. Other projects include R&D into solar cells based on polymer semiconductors, as well as work on dye-sensitised solar cells.
The next issue of +Plastic Electronics magazine is an energy harvesting special, with a series of articles on the latest technologies and emerging markets for printed and organic solar, and other energy harvesting technologies.
To sign up for your copy immediately, click the link below, contact publications@pira-international.com or visit our subscriptions page.
Documents and links
-
Subscribe to +Plastic Electronics magazine
Subscribe to +Plastic Electronics magazine, published six times a year, for just £100/€110/$160. Find out more here
External Link
-
CSIRO
Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific Industrial Research Organisation is working on a range of third-generation solar technologies
External Link
-
Organic Photovoltaics 2011
Uniting technology developers, investors and users for a candid and comprehensive discussion of the opportunities and challenges affecting the organic photovoltaics industry
External Link
-
UK spin-out secures funding to commercialise clear dye solar cell glass
Oxford University spin-out Oxford Photovoltaics has received £650,000 funding to take its solid-state dye-sensitised solar cells (DSCs) for building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) applications to pilot production
External Link
-
Dye solar firm launches energy harvesting products with Texas Instruments
Welsh dye-sensitised solar cell firm G24 Innovations is launching a nano-power energy harvesting product range in a strategic development agreement with semiconductor firm Texas Instruments
External Link