Cambridge University develops new solar cells

Scientists at Cambridge University have recently developed a new solar cell that can capture more sunlight than current batteries. The battery can increase the maximum efficiency of solar cells by 25%.

Solar cells generate electricity by absorbing photons and then generating electrons. Traditional solar cells can only capture part of the solar energy, and most of the absorbed light energy, especially blue light, is lost in the form of heat. Since all light energy of different colors cannot be extracted at one time, the traditional solar cell photoelectric conversion efficiency will not exceed 34%.

The research team led by Professor Neil Greenham and Sir Richard Friend has developed a hybrid battery that can absorb red light and can absorb additional blue light to increase the current. The typical situation is that one captured photon produces one electron. By adding an organic semiconductor, pentacene, the solar cell can generate two electrons from the photons absorbed in each blue spectrum. This allows the solar cell to capture 44% of solar energy.