Project description
Development of wide band gap thin-film photovoltaics suitable for tandem solar cells
Today's commercial solar panels are made of low band gap silicon or CIGS materials as light absorbers. Technologically joining these commercial solar cells with another solar cell made of a wide band gap light absorber, which uses the short wavelength fraction of the sunlight more efficiently, further boosts solar cell efficiency. This device is known as a tandem solar cell stack. Currently we are yet to realise sustainable highly efficient wide band gap solar cell materials. The EU-funded FaWB ChaLT project is developing such a wide band gap thin-film solar cell. Researchers will substitute silver for a fraction of copper in Ga-rich, Se-based CIGS material to yield low-temperature, processable, wide band gap (1.65−1.7 eV) ACIGS absorbers. Researchers will also investigate mitigation of defects in ACIGS and conduct drift-diffusion simulations. The laboratory prototypes will be scaled up by an industrial partner.
Objective
Adapting photovoltaics as a reliable renewable energy source, advanced technological solutions must be brought at the cell level. The power conversion efficiency targets must be higher than the currently available commercial single-junction solar cells of silicon (Si) or low-bandgap copper indium gallium selenide (CIGSe). The efficiency of photovoltaics can be increased by joining two cells in a single stack (top/bottom) called a tandem solar cell. Such a configuration needs a wide bandgap solar cell to be joined atop the commercial low bandgap Si or CIGSe photovoltaics. This project aims to develop such a wide-bandgap thin-film solar cell. By careful compositional engineering, silver (Ag) will be substituted for a fraction of copper (Cu) in sulfur-rich CIGS to yield wide bandgap (1.65-1.7 eV) ACIGS absorbers. Ag substitution is expected to reduce the melting point of the resulting absorber (ACIGS), thus allowing its deposition at relatively low temperatures. This provision eliminates the bottom cell damage while adapting ACIGS as a top cell in a tandem configuration. The project also investigates defects in ACIGS and their mitigation by implementing adequate passivation strategies. The solar cell device architecture will be tailored to yield high open-circuit voltages reducing the non-radiative losses across the absorber/buffer layer interface. Drift-diffusion simulations will be carried out connecting the materials properties, defects, and recombination mechanisms with the observed experimental results. The small-scale ACIGS devices fabricated in the laboratory will be scaled up at the industry partner fabricating mini-modules. The expected project results have the potential to be a major milestone in the development of tandem PV and to be readily exploited in industry.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been validated by the project's team.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
This project's classification has been validated by the project's team.
Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.2 - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-TMA-MSCA-PF-EF - HORIZON TMA MSCA Postdoctoral Fellowships - European Fellowships
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) HORIZON-MSCA-2021-PF-01
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
14109 Berlin
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.