World record organic solar cell efficiency is the claim of joint research between Belgian lab IMEC and Brussels-based chemicals firm Solvay.
5.5%is the actual claim,from a complete solar module based on an inverted bulk heterojunction architecture developed by IMEC and Solvay using ActivInk semiconductor from Polyera.
"An optimum performance at module-level is a crucial step towards up-scaling the production process and successful commercialisation of organic photovoltaic cells,"said IMEC."Organic solar cells hold the potential for integration into building facades and windows,due to their optical translucency and ability to be manufactured on large areas at high-throughput."
The module uses 95% of the cell aperture area (16cm²) to generate electricity.
IMEC’s organic photovoltaics activities are currently part of Solliance, a cross-border R&D cluster that shares thin film solar energy knowledge in the Eindhoven-Leuven-Aachen triangle (ELAT region).
The efficiency figure was certified by Newport.
