New Technologies & Materials
Benedikt Bläsi, Hubert Hauser, Christian Walk, Bernhard Michl, Volker Kübler, Andreas J. Wolf
Since micro- and nanostructures for photon management are of increasing importance in novel high-efficiency solar cell concepts, structuring techniques with up-scaling potential play a key role in their realization. Interference lithography and nanoimprint processes are presented as technologies for origination and replication of fine-tailored photonic structures on large areas. The combination of these processes is presented as a feasible route to generate high-efficiency honeycomb textures on multicrystalline silicon.
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M.S. Lundstrom, Purdue University
Introduction
Computer modeling and simulation is used throughout the photovoltaic industry and in academic research. Examples range from first-principles materials simulation to device- and module-level simulation. Still, the impact of modeling and simulation in PV is a far cry from its impact in electronics where it transformed research, technology development, design and manufacturing. Today we are faced with the need for significant advancements in technology to make PV cost competitive. Toward this goal, a broad range of technologies is being explored to reduce manufacturing/development costs, and to improve efficiency as well as module lifetime. Is there an opportunity for modeling and simulation to play a much larger role in achieving these goals? In this article, we will describe some opportunities we see, discuss two examples that illustrate the promise, and describe a new industry-university research initiative that is designed to achieve these objectives.
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Jef Poortmans, Department Director Solar and Organic Technologies, imec
Improving PV efficiency – looking through new eyes
In PV R&D, we are permanently looking for advanced and novel concepts that can speed up the path to higher efficiencies – concepts that will allow us to reach grid parity faster than if we follow the long and stable path of evolutionary improvement of existing technologies. An overwhelming concern for these new concepts is of course cost, because unlike in most semiconductor technologies, the cost of a new process or concept will determine its feasibility.
Jef Poortmans, Department Director Solar and Organic Technologies, imec
PV as a Gold Mine for Creative Engineers
In PV, as in other technologies, there are always creative minds that think out of the box and come up with new concepts and ideas. Those new ideas carry the seeds of exciting new developments and new paths of research, especially so when they are further developed by the industry into marketable products.
K.V. Ravi, Crystal Solar, Inc.
The trade-off between thick (~170 microns) silicon-based PV and thin (a few microns) film non-silicon and amorphous silicon PV is addressed by the development of single crystal silicon wafers of thicknesses of ~50 microns produced by epitaxy. This approach has the cost advantages of thin film technologies and the efficiency, reliability and non-toxicity of earth-abundant silicon PV.
Reducing PV production costs with thinner cells
The PV industry is rapidly maturing. We are on a fairly long and stable path to lower the costs of energy generated with solar modules. It is a path that is dictated by the economic realities. On the one hand, we have to produce solar cells cost-effectively. That inevitably leads to larger-scale production and industry consolidation. On the other hand, there is still some way to go before PV technologies reach grid parity. So we have to keep improving the technology, and look for advanced and novel concepts that can permanently close the gap with grid parity.
Jan Provoost, imec
During the past decade, researchers have slowly but steadily improved the efficiency of organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells. The consensus is that there is still much room for improvement, and that the threshold for widespread, commercial use will be reached in the coming years.
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Christoph Brabec − Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg
For the past 10 years, organic photovoltaics has progressed as an emerging solar cell technology with huge potential for ultra-low costs due to mass production by printing technologies. Efficiencies went from 2.5 percent (LIOS, University Linz, Austria) in 2000 up to 8.3 percent in 2010 (Heliatek). The material and the semiconductor industry has progressed by aggressively designing and synthesizing new semiconductors, and by today, on the order of 1,000 semiconductors have been reported and tested for organic PV applications.
Jan Provoost, Pol Van Dorpe , imec
Plasmonics is an emerging technology for capturing, guiding and concentrating light at the nanoscale. Applied to photovoltaics, it offers a path to trap light more efficiently into the photoactive material of various types of solar cells. This technique may become one of the breakthroughs that will push the efficiency curve of photovoltaics (PV) above what is possible with today’s evolutionary, slowly improving techniques.
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Chris Case, Solid State Solutions
Nanopolymer-enhanced plasma conduits move the electro-plasma though the warp drive on the U.S. TV series’ Star Trek’s Starship Enterprise. Unfortunately, these won’t be available for quite some time. Researchers at imec in Belgium aren’t waiting for the 22nd century to see whether they can move plasmons around today. Featured in this issue is a description of PRIMA!, an EU PV project coordinated by imec. Plasmon efforts were initially focused on enhancing the photovoltaic effect in nano-sized materials. Project PRIMA! goals are to expand the application to the entire range of PV materials and structures from c-Si through dye-sensitized cells. The emerging field of plasmonics was first applied to integrated circuits, in which a key aim is moving terabits per second at femtojoules per bit; i.e., high bandwidth and low power. By manipulating surface plasmons, one can combine the benefits of the high data rates of optical transmission with the simplicity of electron transfer. For photovoltaics, plasmonics are used to preferentially scatter or guide light into the active cell and enhance absorption.
