NEWS
The world's first back-contact micron photovoltaic cell is launched, with a thickness equivalent to 2 hairs
According to news on November 27, an international scientific research team led by the University of Ottawa in Canada recently developed the world's first back-contact micron photovoltaic cell, which is only equivalent to the thickness of 2 hairs.
It offers significant advantages over conventional solar technology, reducing shading caused by electrodes by 95% and promising to reduce energy production costs by a quarter. The shadow effect means that if a solar cell has an obstruction that blocks part of the light, it will produce a shadow. The current generated in the shaded area will be much smaller than that under normal lighting, which will reduce the power generation efficiency of the solar cell. Compared with other photovoltaic cells, there is no grid line on the front of the back contact cell, and the positive and negative electrodes are all moved to the back of the cell, which helps absorb more sunlight. The product has a beautiful appearance and is suitable for use in outdoor and industrial and commercial roof scenarios, and is conducive to promotion in the distributed market.
"These micron-scale photovoltaic cells have remarkable properties, including extremely small size and significantly reduced shading. These properties are suitable for a variety of applications, from densification of electronic devices to solar cells, lightweight nuclear cells for space exploration and the miniaturization of telecommunications and IoT devices,” said Karin Hinzer, associate dean of the School of Engineering and University Research Chair in Energy Photonic Devices.
"The development of the first back-contact micrometric photovoltaic cell is a key step in the miniaturization of electronic devices," added Hinzer.
The research results have been published in the journal Cell Reports Physical Science, titled "3D interconnection of III-V semiconductor heterostructures for miniaturized power devices."
In summary, back-contact micron photovoltaic cells are expected to be useful in many fields and can make electronic devices more compact. This technological breakthrough is expected to lead to cheaper, more powerful solar cells and accelerate the energy transition.