Fullerene-Based Heterojunctions for Non-Selective Absorption Transparent Solar Cells.

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Renewable Energy
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Transparent photovoltaic (TPV) devices are promising for applications like smart windows in construction and agriculture.
• Current TPVs face challenges with high semiconductor costs and limited transparency enhancement, especially for devices with average visible transmission (AVT) over 70%.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a cost-effective approach for enhancing transparency in TPV devices.
• To investigate fullerene-based heterojunctions for light harvesting in TPVs.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of fullerene-based heterojunctions utilizing low-cost fullerene as the light-absorbing material.
• Integration of these heterojunctions with transparent electrodes to create TPV devices.

Main Results:

• Achieved a TPV device with an average visible transmission (AVT) of 72.1% and a power conversion efficiency (PCE) exceeding 1%.
• Successfully demonstrated a TPV device with an AVT of 82%.
• Utilized low-cost fullerene materials to address cost challenges in TPV development.

Conclusions:

• The study presents an effective strategy for fabricating low-cost and efficient transparent photovoltaic devices.
• Fullerene-based heterojunctions offer a viable pathway for achieving high transparency in TPVs for advanced applications.