Researchers at the University of Luxembourg have joined other scientists around the world in the race to develop efficient thin-film solar cells by developing a solar cell comprising a semiconductor made of copper, indium, gallium and selenium (CIGS) and produced using a process with the potential for significantly high performance. They have also designed another solar cell based on a new cheaper material, which does not contain expensive indium, produced using a low-cost galvanic process. This solar cell has reached an efficiency rate of 3.2%, which is already close to the world record of 3.4%.
The laboratory for photovoltaics of the University of Luxembourg is a group of researchers developing new materials and processes for solar cells. Of all the available thin film technologies, solar cells based on CIGS have shown the highest efficiencies in research and in production. Professor Susanne Siebentritt, head of the laboratory, explains: “Currently we can produce the heart of the solar cells, the so called absorber layer and the buffer. But for completing the solar cells we rely on the help of our colleagues from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin”. The Luxembourg-based laboratory focuses not only on the development of solar cells but also on furthering the physical understanding of the materials and interfaces involved in these solar cells.
Siebentritt said: “I am very proud of my team. These are really our first solar cells and they have already reached competitive efficiencies”. Thin film solar cells are considered the next generation of solar cells and are expected to be considerably cheaper because they require much less material and energy in their production than other PV modules.
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