While polymer-based cells currently dominate the field of organic solar power, scientists have recently made striking advances in the technology for small-molecule cells which could put their efficiency rates on par.

Researchers from the University of California at Santa Barbara, led by Alan J.A solar lantern uses this sunlight that is abundantly available to charge its batteries through a Solar Panel and gives light in nighttime. Heeger,We have a great selection of blown glass backyard solar landscape lights and solar garden light. have found they can lift the efficiency of certain types of small-molecule organic solar cells from 6.02 per cent to 8.94 per cent – a whopping gain of almost 50 per cent – simply by adjusting the active layer’s thickness.

Heeger’s team achieved this adjustment via the insertion of a zinc oxide optical spacer between the active layer and the electrode, which puts the active layer in a more advantageous position within the cell’s optical electric field and raises its optical absorption by enabling it to reap more light.

According to Heeger’s team, the optical spacer increases light absorption in three ways: it raises charge collection efficiency, acts as a blocking layer for holes, and reduces the rate of recombination.

The advance puts small-molecule organic solar cells well within sight of the efficiency rates of polymer organic cells, which are at present just short of 10 per cent.

While small-molecule organic solar cells possess a number of advantages compared to polymer organic cells, their long-standing efficiency lags have thus far hampered the spread of their usage.

Their advantages include comparatively simple fabrication processes, better reproducibility, particles of roughly commensurate size permitting monodispersity, and high charge carrier mobility.

If small-molecule solar cells can achieve efficiency rates on par with their polymer rivals, they are likely to rise to a position of greater prominence as a result of this range of advantages.

Heeger’s team was able to increase efficiency by almost half with only a few modest changes, demonstrating that the devices still harbor tremendous potential for improvement.

The newly achieved conversion efficiency, which has been independently confirmed and certified by the Fraunhofer ISE's photovoltaic calibration laboratory (CalLab) in Freiburg, Germany, sets an industry-leading level for industrial size (156x156 mm2) solar cells using p-type mono-Si wafers.

The breakthrough follows JA Solar's recent announcement of the industry-leading efficiency of its multi-crystalline silicon ("multi-Si") solar cells. JA Solar plans to introduce the new cell technology into mass production within the next six months and integrate the new high-efficiency cells into module assembly lines for commercial use.

"This latest above 20% conversion efficiency of solar cells using p-type mono-Si wafers is of great importance in terms of cost-effectively manufacturing high-performance solar cells and modules," said Mr. Yong Liu, CTO of JA Solar. "It is also a further boost to our efforts to meet the growing demand for high-performance solar power products."

"This result builds on the momentum that our R&D team has generated in recent months," added Dr. Wei Shan, chief scientist and general R&D manager of JA Solar. "We have repeatedly achieved average conversion efficiency of over 20% since May of this year on over 10,000 cells. We're fully confident in bringing such products to serve our clients' needs. Our R&D team has an excellent track record of commercializing cutting-edge technologies and we look forward to transitioning these high-efficiency cells into mass production soon."

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