Advanced Concept Solar Cells

Competitive advantage

• Deep conceptual understanding of the thermodynamic basis for solar power conversion
• World class semiconductor and molecular device fabrication and characterisation facilities

Impact

• Demonstrated the first hot carrier quantum well photovoltaic device
• Demonstrated a metallic hot carrier photovoltaic device where sunlight is extinguished in an 8nm layer of chromium

Successful applications

• Four patents on hot electron photovoltaic devices in collaboration with Toyota Motor Corporation
• One patent on hot electron photodetectors in collaboration with Sharp Corporation

Capabilities and facilities

• The SPECTRE Lab (SPECTroscopy for Renewable Energy) houses a suite of techniques that allow the measurement and development of advanced solar cell technologies using a tuneable femtosecond laser system
• Molecular approaches to spectral engineering to better utilize the solar spectrum. This includes the development of both optical and electrical devices
• Inorganic semiconductor based approaches to third generation photovoltaics including intermediate band solar cells and hot carrier solar cells
• Semiconductor Molecular Beam Epitaxy, capable of fabricating quantum heterostructure electronic devices with atomic layer control
• Atomic Layer Deposition of metal oxides

Our partners

• Toyota Motor Corporation
• Sharp Laboratories Europe