New design improves efficiency of solar cells for space exploration

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania have presented a new proposal for improving lightweight 2D transition metal dialcogenide (2D TMDC) solar cells. These innovative cells with high specific strength and ideal for space applications efficiency doubled from 5% to 12%.

The key to this breakthrough lies in the implementation of an upper mesh structure that leads to enhanced solar absorption inside the cells. The next stage of this research is develop a suitable method for the large-scale production of these improved solar cells.

Carrying solar cells made of silicon or gallium arsenide, which is widely available in the space exploration field, significant difficulties due to their excessive weight. To address this issue, scientists are actively exploring various lightweight alternatives, including thin-film molybdenum selenide solar cells that fall under the 2D TMDC category.

Published in the journal Device on June 6, 2023, the research team presented a new design for these solar cells to increase their efficiency.

“I think people are gradually realizing that 2D TMDCs are excellent photovoltaic materials for mobile, more flexible applications such as space applications, if not terrestrial applications,” said Deep Jariwala, lead author of the study and of the University of England. Pennsylvania. .

Although 2D TMDC solar cells do not match the efficiency of silicon solar cells, higher electricity generation capacity per unit weightknown as “specific strength”.

This advantage is due to the fact that an ultra-thin layer measuring only 3 to 5 nanometers a thousand times thinner than a human hairIt can absorb sunlight comparable to commercially available solar cells for space exploration.

Jariwala emphasizes that achieving high specific power is the primary goal for any technology to capture light or energy in space. Since the amounts of solar cells needed for such purposes are prohibitively large for existing spacecraft, doubling lighter cells to achieve higher specific power becomes a practical solution.