Revolutionizing Solar Power Efficiency with Organic Layer Promises

A team of scientists and engineers from UNSW Sydney has made significant progress in advancing solar energy technology by overcoming a major limitation in renewable technology.

Singlet fission, a process where a single photon of light can be split into two packets of energy, has the potential to double the electrical output for solar technologies. In a study published in ACS Energy Letters, the UNSW team, known as “Omega Silicon,” demonstrated how singlet fission can be applied to organic materials that could be mass-produced for use in solar panels.

Dr. Ben Carwithen, a postdoctoral researcher at UNSW’s School of Chemistry, explains, “A lot of the energy from light in a solar cell is wasted as heat. We’re finding ways to take that wasted energy and turn it into more electricity instead.”

Unlocking Greater Efficiency

Most solar panels today are made from silicon, which has limitations in efficiency. Singlet fission offers a way to surpass these limitations by producing two lower-energy excitations from one high-energy photon when sunlight interacts with certain organic materials.

Professor Ned Ekins-Daukes, the project lead and head of UNSW’s School of Photovoltaic & Renewable Energy Engineering, states, “Introducing singlet fission into a silicon solar panel will increase its efficiency by providing additional current.”

Previous attempts at utilizing singlet fission were hindered by material degradation. However, the UNSW team has successfully demonstrated the use of a stable compound called DPND, which can undergo singlet fission while remaining stable under real-world conditions.

Dr. Carwithen adds, “We’ve shown that you can interface silicon with this stable material, which undergoes singlet fission, and then injects extra electrical charge. It’s the first demonstration that this can work in a realistic system.”

Innovative Breakthroughs

The technology builds upon fundamental research led by Professor Tim Schmidt, who used magnetic fields to reveal the singlet fission pathway. By understanding the underlying physics, the researchers were able to design better materials and structures to enhance efficiency.

Associate Professor Murad Tayebjee describes the work as “a big step forward” for solar panel technology, highlighting the use of stable organic molecules based on industrial pigments for singlet fission.

Paving the Way for Future Solar Cells

The new technology involves adding an ultra-thin organic layer to conventional silicon cells, potentially increasing efficiency to around 45%. Dr. Carwithen envisions a significant leap in solar panel efficiency, with the theoretical limit being 45%.

The research is part of a larger effort to make solar power more affordable and powerful. The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) has selected UNSW’s singlet fission project for its Ultra Low Cost Solar program, aiming to deliver highly efficient panels at a low cost by 2030.

Industry partners are closely monitoring the progress of the Omega Silicon team, with potential commercialization on the horizon. Dr. Carwithen anticipates a proof of concept within a few years, with the ultimate goal of revolutionizing solar panel technology.