New breakthrough in flexible solar cell conversion rate

Scientists at the Swiss Federal Materials Science and Technology Laboratory recently completed the development of flexible solar cells previously developed to achieve a record-breaking efficiency of 18.7%.

Although flexible copper-indium-gallium-selenium (CIGS) solar cells are currently an emerging field, a group of scientists led by Warri has worked hard for years to improve the efficiency of materials. Warri is the head of the study. He said: “The 18.7% conversion rate of CIGS solar cells is a great success for us, which further reflects the practicality of CIGS.” The research team previously produced flexible solar cells with 17.5% efficiency. A steel foil covered with an impurity diffusion barrier between CIGS layers—a thin coating of material that prevents diffusion—is around 550 degrees Celsius, which is a major part of the 17.5% conversion rate. In order to achieve an efficiency of 18.7%, the scientists improved the structural characteristics of the copper indium gallium selenide layer and dedicated low-temperature deposition to generate layers. Scientists believe that one of the benefits of flexible high-performance CIGS solar cells is because they simplify the processing process and reduce production costs.