Researchers from Princeton University and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) are linking the well-established silicon solar cell with the up-and-coming perovskite in a tandem solar cell. This new device is intended not only to boost overall efficiency and stability, but protects the frail perovskite solar cell from voltage-induced breakdown while attaining greater efficiencies than either cell can achieve on its own.
“Tandem solar cells have already demonstrated power conversion efficiencies that are greater than either silicon or perovskite solar cells alone,” said Barry Rand, research leader and professor of electrical and computer engineering and the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment. “We thought that in addition to their higher efficiencies, tandem solar cells could also solve some of the stability challenges facing perovskites by linking them with silicon cells, which are much more stable.”
As solar cells reach their practical efficiency limits, adding additional performance improvements is difficult. The research began as an attempt to overcome this limitation.
“If some other stability challenges can be solved, tandem solar cells could essentially take an already successful commercial technology and make it even better,” Rand said. “Our results make a strong case that tandem devices should be an all-hands-on-deck area for future solar research.”
The research was recently published in Joule.