With new contacting to greater efficiency

Scientists are investigating how they can increase the efficiency of solar cells and reduce internal losses. © Singulus Technologies AG

Monocrystalline silicon solar cell achieves 25.7% efficiency

In order to reduce efficiency losses, free charge carriers need to be transferred as loss-free as possible and their recombination avoided. The scientists have achieved this, among other things, by using new, full-area selective and passivating contacting on the back side of the solar cells.

This contacting consists of an ultra-thin tunnel oxide and a silicon layer that is only one to two nanometres thick. The new contact transports the charge carriers with virtually no losses and prevents the charge carriers from recombining at the metal contacts.

The greater the proportion of incident solar radiation that the solar cell can convert into electrical energy, the greater the efficiency. Structures on the micro- or nanometre scale help solar cells capture the light and make optimum use of it.

The scientists have developed corresponding texture combinations for the front and back side of solar cells that improve the light coupling.

The research work in the “ForTES” project was led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems.

You found all informations about the BINE Projectinfo brochure entitled “New method comes closer to the ideal solar cell” here:

http://www.bine.info/en/press/press-releases/press/pressemitteilung/mit-neuer-ko…

Uwe Milles/Birgit Schneider
presse(at)bine.info

About BINE Information Service

Energy research for practical applications

The BINE Information Service reports on energy research topics, such as new materials, systems and components, as well as innovative concepts and methods. The knowledge gained is incorporated into the implementation of new technologies in practice, because first-rate information provides a basis for pioneering decisions, whether in the planning of energy-optimised buildings, increasing the efficiency of industrial processes, or integrating renewable energy sources into existing systems.

About FIZ Karlsruhe

FIZ Karlsruhe – Leibniz Institute for Information Infrastructure is a not-for-profit organization with the public mission to make sci-tech information from all over the world publicly available and to provide related services in order to support the national and international transfer of knowledge and the promotion of innovation.
Our business areas:
• STN International – the world’s leading online service for research and patent information in science and technology
• KnowEsis – innovative eScience solutions to support the process of research in all its stages, and throughout all scientific disciplines
• Databases and Information Services – Databases and science portals in mathematics, computer science, crystallography, chemistry, and energy technology
FIZ Karlsruhe is a member of the Leibniz Association (WGL) which consists of 87 German research and infrastructure institutions.

http://www.bine.info/en – BINE Informationsdienst

Media Contact

Rüdiger Mack idw - Informationsdienst Wissenschaft

All latest news from the category: Power and Electrical Engineering

This topic covers issues related to energy generation, conversion, transportation and consumption and how the industry is addressing the challenge of energy efficiency in general.

innovations-report provides in-depth and informative reports and articles on subjects ranging from wind energy, fuel cell technology, solar energy, geothermal energy, petroleum, gas, nuclear engineering, alternative energy and energy efficiency to fusion, hydrogen and superconductor technologies.

Back to home

Comments (0)

Write a comment

Newest articles

Lighting up the future

New multidisciplinary research from the University of St Andrews could lead to more efficient televisions, computer screens and lighting. Researchers at the Organic Semiconductor Centre in the School of Physics and…

Researchers crack sugarcane’s complex genetic code

Sweet success: Scientists created a highly accurate reference genome for one of the most important modern crops and found a rare example of how genes confer disease resistance in plants….

Evolution of the most powerful ocean current on Earth

The Antarctic Circumpolar Current plays an important part in global overturning circulation, the exchange of heat and CO2 between the ocean and atmosphere, and the stability of Antarctica’s ice sheets….

Partners & Sponsors