News Archives - Global Photovoltaics

If you had your head shaved at a barbershop near the Queensland University of Technology (QUT) site last year, there's a possibility that you’ve helped in advancing Australia’s cutting-edge solar technology. Human hair clippings from a Brisbane barbershop were used by Australian scientists to build 'shields' that improve the energy conversion capacity of perovskite solar cells. QUT researchers created carbon dots using human hair snippets. Carbon dots are carbon-based materials with dimensions in the tens of nanometers range. These materials will then be used to improve the effectiveness of perovskite solar cells. The was able to create a wave-like nanoparticle coating by surrounding the perovskite particles with carbon dots. The coating functions as a defensive layer, similar to ...

Fraunhofer ISE claims a new record of a 26 percent absorption rate for a both-sides contacted silicon solar cell. According to Fraunhofer ISE, the system used to set the record has the ability to increase efficiencies by up to 27 percent. Dr. Armin Richter of Fraunhofer ISE led a group of researchers who used Tunnel Oxide Passivating Contact, also known as TOPCon technology, as the foundation for the cell's architecture. The technology had advantages such as low surface recombination failures and effective charge carrier delivery over IBC cells. The cell used to set the efficiency record, on the other hand, had a formed junction on the rear end. This eliminated the need for full-surface boron doping on the front surface, leaving only a small boron diffusion slightly underneath the fr...

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Human Hair to Increase Efficiency of Perovskite Cells

Fraunhofer ISE Reaches New Levels of Efficiency