[May 20, 2023: Staff Writer, The Brighter Side of News]
The researchers coated ITO with various thin metals and inserted a thin layer of tungsten oxide between the coated ITO and tungsten disulfide. (credit: luchshenf)
Solar panels have long been criticized for their appearance, with some arguing that the large, opaque panels spoil the look of homes and businesses. But now, a group of researchers has developed a highly transparent solar cell using 2D atomic sheets that could change the perception of solar energy. These near-invisible solar cells have an average visual transparency of 79%, meaning they could potentially be placed almost anywhere, including windows, car front panels and even human skin .
Scientists have been trying to develop transparent solar cells for years, but suitable materials do not yet exist. To make the solar cell, the researchers controlled the contact barriers between indium tin oxide (ITO), one of the most widely used transparent conducting oxides, and a monolayer tungsten disulfide. They coated ITO with various thin metals and inserted a thin layer of tungsten oxide between the coated ITO and tungsten disulfide.
“The way we fabricated the solar cell resulted in a power conversion efficiency 1000 times higher than that of a device using a normal ITO electrode,” said Toshiaki, corresponding author of the paper and associate professor at Tohoku University’s Graduate School of Engineering Kato said. ,
To test the transparent solar cells’ potential applications, the researchers integrated them into a module and placed it on a glass window. The module maintains high transparency, and the researchers measured its performance using a solar simulator.
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The results indicated that the module generated a power density of approximately 13 milliwatts per square centimeter, which is comparable to other transparent solar cell technologies.
This group did not stop here. They also discovered how their solar cell could be expanded for use in a real solar panel.
“We discovered appropriate design modifications needed to avoid unexpected voltage drops with an increase in device area,” Kato said.
Potential effect of transparent solar cell
Transparent solar cells have the potential to revolutionize the energy industry by expanding the ways in which solar energy can be harnessed. Traditional solar panels are limited to roofs and other large, flat surfaces, but transparent solar cells can be integrated into buildings and vehicles as well as other surfaces that are not currently being used for energy production.
Successfully fabricated highly transparent solar cells with 2D atomic sheets. (Credit: Toshiaki Kato)
The potential applications of transparent solar cells are vast. For example, they can be used to create a new generation of energy-efficient buildings that generate their own power while allowing natural light to enter. They could also be used to power electric vehicles, which would increase their range and make them more durable.
Additionally, transparent solar cells can be used in a variety of consumer products such as smartphones and other electronic devices. This could eliminate the need for chargers and power banks, as the devices would be able to charge themselves from ambient light.
(a) Schematic illustration of the device structure and ideal optimal band structure for a transparent Schottky solar cell. (b) Images of the samples for WF and AVT measurements. ITO was sputtered on a quartz substrate and a thin metal film was coated on top of the ITO. (c) Transparency spectra of quartz, ITO/quartz, and Mx/ITO on quartz (Mx = Ni1, Ni5, Fe1, Fe2, Al1, Al5, Cu1, Ag1, Au1, and Au5). (D) Plot of WF for MX/ITO as measured by PYS. The inset in (d) shows the typical photoemission features of Ni1/ITO and the fitting curve to obtain the WF. (e) Scattering of the transparency and work function of the tested MX/ITO. (Credit: Scientific Reports)
Furthermore, transparent solar cells can have a significant impact on the environment by reducing the need for conventional energy sources. Solar power is a clean and renewable source of energy that does not produce greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change.
Development of transparent solar cell
The development of transparent solar cells has been a long and challenging process, with researchers facing many obstacles along the way.
Optical image of a highly transparent solar cell fabricated from 2D atomic sheets. (Credit: Toshiaki Kato)
One of the main challenges is finding suitable materials for the solar cell. The material needs to be transparent, conductive, and able to convert light into electricity. The material also needs to be stable and durable, as it will be exposed to the elements.
Researchers have tried a variety of materials, including organic and inorganic materials, but most are either too opaque or not efficient enough to produce meaningful amounts of electricity.
The use of 2D materials such as graphene and tungsten disulfide has shown promise in recent years. These materials are thin and transparent, and have the ability to conduct electricity. However, they are also delicate and can be difficult to work with.
Schematic illustration of the spatially resolved photoexcited chargecarrier mapping for the device with asymmetric electrodes: Cu/ITO and Ni/ITO. Images of the device under the microscope. Photocurrent line scan of the device. Integrated photocurrent based on photocurrent as black line; The red line comes from the inverse treatment of the y-axis, which represents the potential profile in the conduction band. (Credit: Scientific Reports)
The potential applications for these near-invisible solar cells are numerous. They can be integrated into building windows to generate electricity, without obstructing views or altering the appearance of the building. This can be particularly useful for skyscrapers, which have a large surface area of glass windows. Transparent solar cells can also be integrated into the front panels of cars to provide power for onboard electronics or electric motors.
Another potential application is in wearable technology. Near-invisible solar cells could be integrated into clothing or accessories to provide power for small electronics such as smartwatches or fitness trackers. They can also be integrated into human skin to power medical devices such as pacemakers or glucose monitors.
The researchers acknowledge that there are still challenges to be resolved before these transparent solar cells can be widely adopted.
The details of their research were published in the journal Scientific Reports.
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