A new material capable of greatly improving the efficiency of solar power systems reportedly raised the quantum efficiency of solar panels to an unprecedented 190% during recent tests.
A prototype was developed by researchers with Lehigh University with funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, which features an active layer in a solar cell using the material that reportedly also achieved an average photovoltaic absorption of close to 80%.
Photovoltaic (PV) systems are electric systems that can provide usable solar power, usually involving solar panels that collect sunlight and convert it into electricity. Additional components include a solar inverter used to convert the power output into alternating current that can be used to power conventional devices.
Traditional solar cells possess a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 100%, which means they can generate and collect a single electron for each photon they absorb through sunlight collected. In recent years, advancements in materials used for such systems have shown promise for increased generation and collection of electrons from high-energy photons.
The efficiency displayed by the new prototype tested by the Lehigh University team far exceeds the current theoretical limits for conventional silicon-based materials used in such PV systems and could potentially revolutionize the field involving the quantum materials they rely on.
Chinedu Ekuma, a physics professor specializing in computational condensed matter physics, says experiments with the new material mark a significant leap toward the development of novel energy solutions that are both more sustainable and accessible.
Ekuma and the team behind the discovery attribute the new material’s remarkable capabilities to what the refer to as “intermediate band states,” which involve certain energy levels that are built into the material’s electronic structure, helping to optimize their ability to convert solar energy.
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