SUPERGEN Excitonic Solar Cell Consortium - MAIN CORE
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Chemistry
Abstract
Excitonic Solar Cells (ESCs) are a class of non-conventional solar cells, based on organic and nanostructured materials, in which the charge carriers are generated and simultaneously separated across a heterointerface. They include dye-sensitized nanocrystalline cells, organic cells and hybrid organic-inorganic cells, and in all cases cell fabrication can be achieved using low cost, large area deposition methods on both rigid and flexible substrates. Consequently, ESCs offer genuine medium to long term prospects for reducing the cost of PV below the commercially important threshold of $1 per watt peak. To date work on all types of ESC has been largely restricted to basic studies in academic and national research laboratories, with particular emphasis on improving device understanding and cell efficiency, which are 11% for state of the art dye cells, and much lower for the less well developed organic (4-5%) and hybrid cells (2-3%). However, progress in all types of ESC has undoubtedly been impressive in recent years, with research activity growing rapidly throughout the world. Major improvements in performance have been demonstrated in all cell types with the SUPERGEN Consortium at the forefront of much of this progress. There have also been initial steps to commercialise some ESCs, with the first manufacturing plant to produce dye sensitised cells opening in the UK in 2007. However, much fundamental research still needs to be carried out, in particular on the less well developed organic and hybrid cells, but also on the more mature dye cells where many important challenges must be addressed to enable future successful commercialisation. The UK is in an excellent position to lead this activity in an emerging area of PV technology and renewed SUPERGEN funding will enable the Consortium to remain at the forefront of innovative research, while exploiting its strong connections to a number of relevant commercial organisations.Our proposed Main Core programme builds on the successes of our first SUPERGEN project which benefited strongly from the integration of expertise and knowledge in the two main areas of excitonic solar cells, namely dye sensitised cells and organic cells. We will continue to promote cross-fertilisation of ideas for optimising existing cell types and for innovating new types of cells, with the overall aim of improving the performance of different types of ESC. Training will remain a key priority for the Consortium and the exchange of PDRAs and PhD students between the partner universities will ensure the highest quality multi-disciplinary research environment. The UK has a very strong international position in research into ESCs and the renewal of the SUPERGEN programme will help ensure it remains both competitive and innovative in future years.
Organisations
Publications
Fei Z
(2011)
A low band gap co-polymer of dithienogermole and 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole by Suzuki polycondensation and its application in transistor and photovoltaic cells
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Beaumont N
(2011)
Increased efficiency in small molecule organic photovoltaic cells through electrode modification with self-assembled monolayers
in Energy & Environmental Science
Lilliu S
(2011)
Effects of thermal annealing upon the nanomorphology of poly(3-hexylselenophene)-PCBM blends.
in Macromolecular rapid communications
Tsoi W
(2011)
Surface and subsurface morphology of operating nanowire:fullerene solar cells revealed by photoconductive-AFM
in Energy & Environmental Science
Li Z
(2011)
Transient photocurrent measurements of PCDTBT:PC70BM and PCPDTBT:PC70BM Solar Cells: Evidence for charge trapping in efficient polymer/fullerene blends
in Journal of Applied Physics
Kissling GP
(2011)
Electrochemical charge transfer mediated by metal nanoparticles and quantum dots.
in Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP
Beaumont N
(2011)
Boron Subphthalocyanine Chloride as an Electron Acceptor for High-Voltage Fullerene-Free Organic Photovoltaics
in Advanced Functional Materials
Dalgleish S
(2011)
Indole-substituted nickel dithiolene complexes in electronic and optoelectronic devices
in Journal of Materials Chemistry
Brenner T
(2011)
Phase-Dependent Photocurrent Generation in Polymer/Fullerene Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells
in The Journal of Physical Chemistry C
Hancox I
(2011)
Utilizing n-type vanadium oxide films as hole-extracting layers for small molecule organic photovoltaics
in Applied Physics Letters