Title: Development of tandem chalcogenide- organic solar cells
Research proposal No: 1.1.1.9/LZP/1/24/017
Duration: 01.04.2025.-31.03.2028.
Project Leader: Dr.phys. Raitis Gržibovskis
Total budget: 184 140 EUR
ISSP UL budget: 9 207 EUR
Project description:
The European Union's goal of achieving CO2 neutrality by 2050 forces us to look for new and more environmentally friendly energy sources. One of these types is solar energy, which can be directly converted into electricity by solar cells. Today, a very relevant research direction is the use of organic materials in the creation of solar cells. The diversity of molecules and the possibility of creating flexible, lightweight, and semi-transparent solar cells make organic materials an attractive alternative to classic silicon solar panels.
However, organic materials have a drawback- a relatively short lifespan of solar cells made from them. While the effects of oxygen and moisture can be prevented by applying protective layers, it is more difficult to avoid degradation caused by light intensity and elevated temperatures. As a solution, this project proposes to create hybrid (chalcogenide-organic material) tandem solar cells. A solar cell based on antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) would absorb part of the sunlight, thereby reducing the amount of energy that reaches the organic materials. In this way, the lifespan of the solar cell could be extended.
The project aims to develop chalcogenide-organic tandem solar cells. It is planned that the chalcogenide layer will reduce the amount of light reaching the organic layer, thus extending the longevity of the tandem cell.
The work in the project will be divided into two stages. In the first stage, each (Sb2S3 and organic material) solar cell would be developed separately and they would be connected only electrically. In the second stage, a layered tandem solar cell would be created, where all layers would be physically on top of each other. Research related to Sb2S3 will be conducted at Tallinn University of Technology in Estonia, allowing the postdoctorate to gain new knowledge and skills in working with chalcogenides, their thin film deposition, and structure characterization. A work related to organic materials will be conducted at the Organic Materials Laboratory of the Institute of Solid State Physics of the University of Latvia.