Solar glass Transparent photovoltaics for mobile smartphone charging

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A research team from UNIST University in South Korea has developed transparent, glass-like photovoltaic cells and modules that can be attached to the front display of mobile devices such as smartphones. This allows them to be charged on the move without obstructing the view of the screen.

The research team, led by Professor Kwanyong Seo from the Institute of Energy and Chemical Engineering, has developed a highly efficient solar cell and module specifically designed for transparent photovoltaic units. These units offer both colorless and transparent properties, resembling glass. The innovative design utilizes an "all-back-contact" configuration, positioning all the components of the solar cell on the back of the module. This breakthrough results in a crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cell with glass-like transparency, making it ideal for integrating solar power into windows and other surfaces without compromising aesthetic clarity.

Using the display as an energy source

In order to achieve unrestricted transparency, the research team also developed a "seamless modularization" technology. This technology allows gaps between individual components to be bridged without the use of metal wires.

The novel ABC design "not only demonstrates high power conversion efficiency (PCE) of solar cells, but also ensures an unobstructed view through transparent solar modules," according to the accompanying study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). The transparent solar cell module developed using this technology has a size of 16 cm² and achieved an average efficiency of 14.7% in the test. In principle, a PCE value of 15.8% can also be achieved with an average transmittance in the visible range of 20%, which represents relatively high values for transparent solar cells.

In the study, the researchers demonstrate that a smartphone can be charged with natural sunlight using the PV module developed in this way. The solar cell can be used either as a module on the display or as the display itself. This proved in practice that the screen of a small mobile device can also be used as an energy source.

Special emphasis was placed on ensuring that the appearance and use of a smartphone is not affected by the use of the PV module: "This study fundamentally solved the aesthetic problem of the existing method of modularizing solar cells by designing a new device structure," state Jeonghwan Park and Professor Kangmin Lee, two of the study's co-authors. "It has shown the possibility that transparent silicon solar cells can be used in various industries, such as small appliances, buildings and automotive glass."

The technology is still at an early stage, but already shows promising properties for future developments. "We have opened a new path for modularization research, which is essential for the commercialization of transparent silicon solar cells," adding, "We plan to continue the research so that transparent solar cells can become a key technology in the green energy industry of the future," said Professor Kwanyong Seo.

(sg)