New Stacked Solar Cell Technology Could Cut Solar Costs

Aug-16-14 A new way to manufacture stacked solar cells could allow this very efficient solar design to become more affordable.

Stacking semiconductors able to capture different frequencies of light could provide a large boost in the efficiency of solar cells. However, that technology involves growing the semiconductors in layers on top of each other, and some semiconductors cannot be combined using that method. To overcome this limitation, Semprius has developed three new techniques for manufacturing stacked solar cells. These methods—a cheap, quick way to stack the cells, a new way to connect the cells electrically and a new glue for securing the cells to each other—are used along with Semprius's tiny, millimeter-across solar cells to help reduce cooling costs and improve efficiency.

The new technique allows Semprius to grow semiconductor materials in the usual way while also integrating a solar cell made of a material that would not have been compatible before—opening the door to higher efficiency. And, as an added bonus, the expensive wafers the solar cells are grown on can be re-used.

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