Imec has developed a proprietary inverted bulk heterojunction architecture for polymer-based solar cells that both optimises cell light management and enables more robust devices.
The inverted cell structure enables more light to be captured within the organic layers of the device, compared with conventional polymer-based solar cell devices.
Imec's latest inverted solar cell has achieved a certified conversion efficiency of 8.3%, the highest certified efficiency ever reported for this type of polymer cell architecture. The R&D builds on research into an inverted structure by Imec published earlier in 2011, based on a cell reaching 6.9% efficiency.
Next steps involve expanding the R&D from cell to module level. Imec can license the technology to organic photovoltaics (OPVs) developers for commercialisation. The inverted cell architecture could also be applied to tandem cell structures - essentially two cells in a device able to absorb light on different portions of the spectrum - to boost efficiencies of conventional OPV cells.
Reaching 10%
Progress in R&D focused on optimising cell device structures could translate into modules with 10% efficiencies in just a few years from now. Recently German OPV developer Heliatek announced a multi-junction organic solar cell with 8.9% efficiency.
Inverted architectures could have significance for OPV commercialisation because it removes the need for a low work function layer, produced by metals that are easily oxidised. This improves air stability and prevents device degradation, as well as simplifying cell processing.
The inverted cell achieving 8.3% efficiency uses a proprietary Polyera semiconductor in the photoactive layer. Imec researchers developed the device along with a team of from Solvay.
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Imec
The Belgian-headquartered R&D centre is working on advanced organic solar cells
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Heliatek achieves 9.8 % organic solar cell efficiency
Organic solar firm Heliatek, which is commercialising devices based on small molecule vacuum processes, has raised the bar on organic solar cell efficiencies
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Solliance gets rolling
One of the most challenging and ambitious thin-film photovoltaic (PV) R&D initiatives is underway, attracting new partners and establishing pilot facilities
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Plastic electronics promises energy everywhere
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