SBIR Phase I: Nanostructured Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Solar Cell

This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project proposes to focus on the development and optoelectronic optimization of a prototype for a new, leapfrog class of web-coatable solar cells which are flexible with a light weight form factor, have substantially lower absolute cost per area, and a breakthrough cost-performance. The objective of the project is the creation and optimization of a benchtop prototype device with an efficiency, which will represent the highest solar cell efficiency ever achieved in an organic cell. The project's plastic solar cells are based upon a 200 nm thick, nanoscale charge-splitting network which serves as an active layer, self-organized from solution into highly regular coatings that can be tailored to absorb most of the visible light spectrum. These solar cells can be coated onto large-area panels without the use of lithography, vacuum deposition, or high-temperature processes. Commercially, relative to best practice solar cells, based on thin film, inorganic copper indium gallium selenide technology, this new approach has the potential to enable solar cells with a cost per watt that is 2.5x superior to the industry's anticipated CIGS-based cell performance in 2008, an unprecedented level with the potential of making solar electricity economically feasible for a broad market. In addition, with key differentiating attributes including light weight, a flexible form, and a low cost per area, the technology opens up new markets and application segments.