A German solar firm claims to have set a new world record for directly converting sunlight into electricity using organic photovoltaic cells. The previous record was a conversion efficiency of 10.7 percent. The new record is 13.2 percent. This was achieved using a multi-junction cell and that the measurement was independently confirmed. While traditional silicon cells have achieved higher levels of conversion efficiency, organic cells are pursued because they can be produced more cheaply and are more flexible. According to the company, “the excellent low light and high temperature behavior of the organic semiconductor” in the cells makes them equivalent to the electricity generation capability of conventional solar cells with 16-17 percent efficiency. They state that the advance is possible because of research into new organic absorber materials. The cell combines three different absorbers; one each is dedicated to converting green, red, and near-infrared light.
Source: Heliatek
