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These authors contributed equally: Yang Li, Xiaoning Ru, Miao Yang, Yuhe Zheng
Y.L. conceived the idea, designed the cells, explored the mechanisms, and wrote and revised the manuscript. X.R. designed the experiments and fabricated the solar cells. M.Y. guided the experimental fabrication technology. Y.Z. was responsible for the flexibility simulation and measurement, figures, tables and preparation for publication. S.Y. and C.H. developed the TCO process. F.P. developed the metallization process and conducted the efficiency certification. M.Q., C.X., J.L. and L.F. managed the project and participated in experiment design. C.S. assisted in characterization and data analysis. D.C., J.X. and C.Y. provided resources and funding support. Z.L. and X.X. organized the research. Z.S. supervised the project.
Jiangsu University of Science and Technology is in the process of applying for a Chinese invention patent (202311478687.5) related to the subject matter of this manuscript. Z.L. and X.X. are co-founders of LONGi Central R&D Institute. X.R., M.Y., S.Y., C.H., F.P., M.Q., C.X., J.L. and L.F. are employees of LONGi. The other authors declare no competing interests.
Nature thanks Han-Don Um and the other, anonymous, reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work.
Publisher''s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
a, Cross-sectional morphology of the c-Si/i:a-Si:H interface. b, Cross-sectional morphology of c-Si/hydrogen-rich i:a-Si:H/a-Si:H. c, Enlarged cross-sectional morphology of the i:a-SiOx:H (1)/a-Si:H (2) composite gradient passivation layers prepared via continuous-plasma CVD.
Effect of hydrogen content (CH) variation in the epitaxy-preventing composite gradient passivation layers on cell performance. The dashed lines in the panels are fit lines to evaluate the data change trends.
a, Cross-sectional HRTEM image of the doped contact layer fabricated via conventional random growth. b, Cross-sectional HRTEM image of the doped contact layer fabricated via self-restoring NSVGI.
a, Relationship between the FF and crystallinity fraction of the n+:nc-SiOx:H window layer with a p+:a-Si:H rear emitter. b, Relationship between the FF and crystallinity fraction of the p+:nc-Si:H rear emitter with the optimal n+:nc-SiOx:H window layer. c,d, Variation of CH in i:a-Si:H (2) with sowing duration via self-restoring nanocrystalline sowing and unrestricted nanocrystalline sowing, respectively. e, Enlarged cross-sectional HRTEM image of i:a-Si:H (2) after the unrestricted nanocrystalline sowing. The dashed lines in the panels (a, b, c, d) are fit lines to evaluate the data change trends.
Comparison of the cell performance parameters via conventional screen printing and contact-free laser transfer printing (LTP).
Encapsulation schematics for the SF and FT SHJ modules, as well as the laboratory accreditation certificate for the third-party assessment. The certificate is reproduced with permission from Changzhou Sveck Photovoltaic New Material Co., Ltd.
a, Impact of the different TCO layers on the PID resistance of the FT and SF SHJ cells for each thickness. b, Statistical analysis of the anti-PID capacities of the FT and SF cells with the ITO and ICO layers. Temperature: 85 °C, humidity: 85%, bias: −1,500 V, duration: 192 h. c, Statistical analysis of the anti-light-induced degradation capacities of the FT and SF cells with the different passivation and contact layers. d, Light-induced degradation resistance of the FT and SF cells for each thickness. Accumulated illumination of 210 kWh·m−2. The dashed lines in the panels (a, d) are fit lines to evaluate the data change trends.
a, VOC, FF, JSC variation of the FT (57 μm) cell during light-induced degradation ageing. b, VOC, FF, JSC variation of the FT (84 μm) cell during light-induced degradation ageing. c, VOC, FF, JSC variation of the SF (125 μm) cell during light-induced degradation ageing. d, VOC, FF, JSC variation of the conventional SHJ (150 μm) cell during light-induced degradation ageing. The dashed lines in the panels are fit lines to evaluate the data change trends.
a, Continuous-plasma CVD process with CRCS (fluctuation < ±0.5%). b, Conventional discontinuous-plasma CVD passivation (fluctuation < ±8%). c, Conventional discontinuous-plasma CVD passivation at the reignition moment.
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DOI: https://doi /10.1038/s41586-023-06948-y
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MIT engineers have developed ultralight fabric solar cells that can quickly and easily turn any surface into a power source.
These durable, flexible solar cells, which are much thinner than a human hair, are glued to a strong, lightweight fabric, making them easy to install on a fixed surface. They can provide energy on the go as a wearable power fabric or be transported and rapidly deployed in remote locations for assistance in emergencies. They are one-hundredth the weight of conventional solar panels, generate 18 times more power-per-kilogram, and are made from semiconducting inks using printing processes that can be scaled in the future to large-area manufacturing.
Because they are so thin and lightweight, these solar cells can be laminated onto many different surfaces. For instance, they could be integrated onto the sails of a boat to provide power while at sea, adhered onto tents and tarps that are deployed in disaster recovery operations, or applied onto the wings of drones to extend their flying range. This lightweight solar technology can be easily integrated into built environments with minimal installation needs.
"The metrics used to evaluate a new solar cell technology are typically limited to their power conversion efficiency and their cost in dollars-per-watt. Just as important is integrability — the ease with which the new technology can be adapted. The lightweight solar fabrics enable integrability, providing impetus for the current work. We strive to accelerate solar adoption, given the present urgent need to deploy new carbon-free sources of energy," says Vladimir Bulović, the Fariborz Maseeh Chair in Emerging Technology, leader of the Organic and Nanostructured Electronics Laboratory (ONE Lab), director of MIT.nano, and senior author of a new paper describing the work.
Joining Bulović on the paper are co-lead authors Mayuran Saravanapavanantham, an electrical engineering and computer science graduate student at MIT; and Jeremiah Mwaura, a research scientist in the MIT Research Laboratory of Electronics. The research is published today in Small Methods.
Traditional silicon solar cells are fragile, so they must be encased in glass and packaged in heavy, thick aluminum framing, which limits where and how they can be deployed.
Six years ago, the ONE Lab team produced solar cells using an emerging class of thin-film materials that were so lightweight they could sit on top of a soap bubble. But these ultrathin solar cells were fabricated using complex, vacuum-based processes, which can be expensive and challenging to scale up.
In this work, they set out to develop thin-film solar cells that are entirely printable, using ink-based materials and scalable fabrication techniques.
To produce the solar cells, they use nanomaterials that are in the form of a printable electronic inks. Working in the MIT.nano clean room, they coat the solar cell structure using a slot-die coater, which deposits layers of the electronic materials onto a prepared, releasable substrate that is only 3 microns thick. Using screen printing (a technique similar to how designs are added to silkscreened T-shirts), an electrode is deposited on the structure to complete the solar module.
The researchers can then peel the printed module, which is about 15 microns in thickness, off the plastic substrate, forming an ultralight solar device.
But such thin, freestanding solar modules are challenging to handle and can easily tear, which would make them difficult to deploy. To solve this challenge, the MIT team searched for a lightweight, flexible, and high-strength substrate they could adhere the solar cells to. They identified fabrics as the optimal solution, as they provide mechanical resilience and flexibility with little added weight.
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