ADVANCED SOLAR RESEARCH

One of the most important challenges facing our society is the development of renewable and environmentally clean energy sources that supplant our reliance on fossil fuels 1, 2. Hybrid inorganic-polymer composite photovoltaic cells offer the long-term potential of an economically viable alternative for large-scale power generation. At present, limited sunlight absorption and low charge mobilities yield efficiencies of only 4-6% in light-electricity conversion. However, commercializing organic solar cells urgently requires power conversion efficiencies up to ~10%. There is a tremendous demand to predictably create highly effective hybrid active layers for photovoltaic cells. We will pursue three parallel approaches to improve the efficiency and the sustainability of solar cell design: 1) Ultrathin Si Films, 2) Hybrid Organic-Semiconductor, and 3) Novel biohybrid materials for solar energy conversion.

Approach

Develop integrated nanostructures with Si Thin films:

• Create Rational Design of the Next Generation Hybrid Organic-Semiconductor Solar Cells
• Pursue Biohybrid Approaches for Solar Energy Conversion

• New TEM  in Microscopy Facility in SERF
• New FIB in Microscopy Facility in SERF
• Electrochemical work station for CV analysis of electron transport proteins such as hydrogenases and reaction centers
• PV characterization platform for spectral responsivity and current vs. voltage (I-V curves)
• Expanded culture & transformation capabilities for genetic engineering of cyanobacteria
• Enhanced scanning probe microscopy of PV devices
• Enhance protein purification and isotopic labeling for SANS analysis of fusion proteins

• Demonstration of new high-efficiency SI-based PV conversion systems
• Development of  hybrid organic-semiconductor solar cells
• Discovery and demonstration of bio-based PV conversion materials