Researchers at Lehigh University have made a solar panel boasting nearly double the efficiency of standard models, thanks to the integration of “quantum material.”
External quantum efficiency (EQE) serves as a benchmark for measuring a solar device’s maximum efficiency. Traditionally, silicon-based solar cells attain an EQE of 100%, whereas the newly developed cell by Lehigh University achieves an impressive EQE of 190%.
Chinedu Ekuma, the lead researcher and a physics professor at Lehigh University, hailed this breakthrough as a significant stride towards sustainable energy solutions. The team’s findings were detailed in the journal Science Advances under the title “Chemically tuned intermediate band states in atomically thin CuxGeSe/SnS quantum material for photovoltaic applications.”
The groundbreaking achievement involved the strategic insertion of zerovalent copper atoms into minute gaps within the quantum material, utilized as the solar cell’s active layer.
Although the intricacies of atomic manipulation might seem daunting to the layperson, the implications of this advancement are far-reaching. Enhanced solar technology holds promise for replacing fossil fuels, curbing air pollution, and mitigating climate change effects.
Moreover, the potential for doubling solar panel efficiency could address one of the major hindrances in widespread solar adoption—their space requirements. Halving the space needed for equivalent energy production could revolutionize solar energy deployment.
While Professor Ekuma emphasizes the need for further research and development to integrate this innovation into existing solar systems, he underscores the advanced and precise nature of the technique.
