High Efficiency, Low Cost Solar Cells
Composite Nanostructured Solar Cell Fabricated with Re-usable Substrate
- Photovoltaic alternative energy source
This technology may drastically reduce the cost of solar cell manufacturing, increase the efficiency and solve the issue of current material (wafer) shortage for high efficiency/performance solar cells.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
File Number:
966
Detailed Description:
Solar cell/photovoltaic systems are a promising technology for renewable and alternative energy sources. The use of solar cells has traditionally been dominated by single crystal silicon (SCS) and the cost of the starting substrates are almost 50% of the total manufacturing cost. Furthermore, the intense competition for SCS between the microelectronics industry and the fledgling solar cell industry has lead to worldwide SCS supply shortage, providing an opportunity for thin-film based solar cell/photovoltaic modules to enter the energy market. Researchers at the University of California, Davis, have developed a method for the novel use of nanostructures (such as nanowires/nanopillars/nanorods, etc.) embedded polymeric photovoltaic junctions with high efficiency and lower cost. The technique uses substrates such as plastic, glass or textile but uses high quality single crystal materials for active photovoltaic devices. The original semiconductor substrate is never consumed during the fabrication process.
Other information:
UC Davis Case No: 2008-584
Web site:
