All Inorganic Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cell Devices

Photovoltaic technology is critical to securing the future energy supply of UK and the exploration and development of new technologies that may significantly enhance efficiencies would be a major breakthrough for photovoltaics, for national energy strategy and provide a head-start for new UK industry.
The deployment of next generation, low-cost and high-efficiency solar cells is a multifaceted challenge that requires a multidisciplinary effort and includes fundamental physics, material synthesis/processing, process development/optimization and full device fabrication and characterization. Boosting efficiency and lowering costs can only be achieved with a full-span vision of all device-related aspects. Considerations on materials costs, availability and environmental impact are also mandatory. Current solar cell technologies all rely on fundamental physical principles that are intrinsically limiting device efficiency. In order to overcome this theoretical limit new approaches are required that exploit different physical mechanisms.
The proposed project aims to bring together advanced and novel materials with unique properties that can overcome theoretical limits. Specifically silicon-based quantum confinement and novel tuned-bandgap metal oxide semiconductors with high hole conductivity will be used to deliver the first all-inorganic bulk-heterojunction photovoltaic device capable of exploiting carrier multiplication and offering the potential of efficiencies beyond the theoretical limit of current technologies. Utilising low cost, non-degradable, non-toxic, abundant and environmentally-friendly materials as well as low cost and scalable fabrication strategies, the aim is to open up novel and transformative approaches based on nanotechnology. The proposed devices will represent at the end of the project a serious contender for future high efficiency low-cost photovoltaics with limited environmental footprint and they will open up a new era for low-cost solar energy harvesting. The proposal will bring novel elements from chemistry, nanotechnology, materials and plasmas together with device engineering, and will access expertise from world-leading groups in materials and photovoltaics.

Knowledge Impact: The PI and Co-Is have an established network of academic beneficiaries which will warrant for knowledge exchange through collaborations and in a range of disciplines beyond photovoltaics (PVs) that include plasma science, materials science and engineering, photonics and biomedical engineering. Collaborations with project partners are integral components of this proposal and will directly contribute to advance our understanding of inorganic bulk heterojunction devices. In order to reach out to a wider audience of academic beneficiaries, dissemination plans are laid out for publications and participation to conferences.
Economic Impact: The economic impact of the proposed research is achieved following three different pathways towards the energy sector, plasma technologies and skills development. Sales of PV systems in the past decades have achieved a dramatic growth despite the limited degree of technological improvement. With recent increased R&D investments, this growth can be further improved with unprecedented economic impact. Nonetheless R&D must look for innovative ideas that can exploit new physical mechanisms capable of a drastic efficiency increase and especially a reduction of the associated costs. The proposed research programme is a clear step in this direction with a consequent global impact where the UK can play a considerable role. In fact, the success of this research project can lead to a solar cell technology that will be capable of attracting inward investment towards UK or to the creation of new companies. At the appropriate time, a business case will be made to warrant a successful transition from a research-based technology to an industrial reality. Technological plasmas are key enablers in a very wide range of fields that are making an indispensable contribution to the economy. The development of reliable atmospheric-pressure plasma technologies in UK will represent an important achievement with the potential of considerable wealth creation and inward investment. Finally, trained PhD students and postdoctoral researchers will become skilled experts in advanced PVs and will be in the ideal position to start-up new companies attracting inward investment.
Society: The global energy challenge relies in technological progress to improve quality of life and this is addressed by this proposal either directly or through its impacts and with the required channels to advance from science to societal benefits. Proposed PV devices offer lower cost and higher efficiency solar conversion through a sustainable and environmentally friendly approach and hence are of considerable interest to industry where this is a huge potential market. If technology is implemented there are major potential benefits for society with improved energy security and reduced global CO2 emissions. Globally low cost, efficient photovoltaics could provide as much as 5-10% of electricity production, thus if the proposed concept was to succeed and deliver its maximum potential, it would deliver benefits to industry and society. The collaborative work with the project partners will greatly contribute to international development bringing additional societal impact.
People: The research activities planned within and following this EPSRC-funded project promote collaborations with overseas institutions contributing to the education of a UK-based globally engaged scientific and engineering workforce capable of performing in an international environment for advanced technologies. The educational impact will originate also from the involvement of undergraduate and master students. The PI/Co-Is current engagements with their respective departments will lead to educate students in nanotechnology and solar cells so that future workforce generations can be prepared. Exchanges of students/researchers with project partners are planned and corresponding resources have been included in the budget.