Transformational concepts in window electrode design for emerging thin film photovoltaics

新兴薄膜光伏电池窗口电极设计的变革概念

基本信息

批准号：
EP/N009096/1
负责人：
Ross Hatton
金额：
$ 146.66万
依托单位：
University of Warwick
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Fellowship
财政年份：
2016
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2016 至无数据
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FN009096%2F1
关键词：
Transformational concepts window electrode design

项目摘要

Photovoltaic (PV) devices convert sunlight directly into electricity and form an increasingly important part of the global renewable energy landscape. Today's PVs are based on conventional semiconductors which are energy-intensive to produce and restricted to rigid flat plate designs. The next generation of PVs will be based on very thin films of semiconductors that can be processed from solution at low temperature, which opens the door to exceptionally low cost manufacturing processes and new application areas not available to today's rigid flat plate PVs, particularly in the areas of transportation and buildings integration. The emerging generation of thin film PVs also offer exceptional carbon dioxide mitigation potential because they are expected to return the energy used in their fabrication within weeks of installation. However, this potential can only be achieved if the electrode that allows light into these devices is low cost and flexible, and at present no electrode technology meets both the cost constraint and technical specifications needed. This proposal seeks to address this complex and inherently interdisciplinary challenge using three new and distinct approaches based on the use of nano-structured films of metal less than 100 metal atoms in thickness. The first approach focuses on the development of a low cost, large area method for the fabrication of metal film electrodes with a dense array of holes through which light can pass unhindered. The second approach seeks to determine design rules for a new type of 'light-catching' electrode that interacts strongly with the incoming light, trapping and concentrating it at the interface with the semiconductor layer inside the device responsible for converting the light into electricity. The final approach is based on combining ultra-thin metal films with ultra-thin films of transparent semiconductor materials to achieve double layer electrodes with exceptional properties resulting from spontaneous intermixing of the two thin solid films. The UK is a global leader in the development of next generation PVs with a growing number of companies now focused on bringing them to market, and so the outputs of the proposed programme of research has strong potential to directly increase the economic competitiveness of the UK in this young sector and would help to address the now time critical challenge of climate change due to global warming.

光伏（PV）设备将阳光直接转换为电力，并形成了全球可再生能源景观的越来越重要的一部分。当今的PV是基于传统的半导体，这些半导体是能源密集型的，并且仅限于刚性平板设计。下一代的PV将基于可以从低温下解决方案处理的半导体的非常薄的薄膜，这为当今刚性平板PV所无法使用的新型制造工艺和新的应用领域打开了门，尤其是在运输和建筑集成的领域。新兴薄膜PVS的新产生还提供了出色的二氧化碳缓解潜力，因为预计它们将在安装后数周内返回制造中使用的能量。但是，只有在允许光线进入这些设备的电极低成本且灵活的电极时才能实现这一潜力，目前尚无电极技术符合所需的成本限制和技术规格。该提案旨在通过使用三种新的和不同的方法来解决这一复杂且固有的跨学科挑战，该方法基于使用厚度小于100金属原子的金属的纳米结构膜。第一种方法的重点是开发低成本的大面积方法，用于制造具有密集的孔阵列的金属膜电极，光线可以通过，并通过该孔通过该方法。第二种方法旨在确定一种新型的“轻捕”电极的设计规则，该电极与传入的光线相互作用，并将其捕获并集中在与设备内部的半导体层的接口上，负责将光转换为电能。最终方法是基于将超薄的金属膜与透明半导体材料的超薄膜结合起来，以实现双层电极，并具有由两种薄固体膜自发混合而产生的特性。英国是下一代PVS开发的全球领导者，现在越来越多的公司专注于将其推向市场，因此拟议的研究计划的产出具有很大的潜力，可以直接提高英国在该年轻部门的经济竞争力，并有助于解决由于全球温暖而引起的气候变化的当今时代关键挑战。