Major efficiency breakthrough in lead acetate-calcium titanium oxide photovoltaic cells with promise of large-scale commercialization

Researchers at Monash University and the Australian Research Council's (ARC) Centre of Excellence in Excitonic Science claim to have developed a new method of making stable chalcogenide solar cells that will last longer than conventional cells and have the potential to be commercialised on a large scale.

The scientists have found a 'lead acetate' material that can be used as an alternative to lead halide, avoiding the rapid ageing and failure of the resulting devices, and at a much lower price. Instead of a complex anti-solvent method, a short low-temperature annealing is all that is needed to obtain ultra-flat, dense chalcogenide films. This simple preparation process has demonstrated the superiority of lead acetate.

According to Dr Sebastian Fürer of Monash University, their use of ammonium as a volatile cation (a positively charged ion) at a critical stage solves the problem of the conversion efficiency of lead acetate precursor chalcogenide solar cells compared to other reported planar junction chalcogenide solar cells based on conventional lead halide precursors.

Chalcogenide solar cells are a new generation of thin-film solar cells with chalcogenide crystals as the light-absorbing layer. Chalcogenide has a high light absorption coefficient, low material cost, simple structure of chalcogenide cells, short manufacturing process and low energy consumption.

GF Securities believes that the raw materials and manufacturing costs of chalcogenide cells are much lower than those of crystalline silicon cells, and are expected to become the next generation of mainstream technology as the industry chain continues to progress and the technology matures. According to the introduction, the current calcium titanium ore as a new generation of thin film solar cells, its theoretical limit efficiency of up to 45%, the current laboratory efficiency has exceeded 30%.