Also: solar cells, PV, organic solar cells, Shockley–Queisser limit
Solar cells turn sunlight directly into electricity. Most are silicon; plastic (organic) cells are lighter and flexible.
Only what the cited papers report.
Values as stated in the cited paper's abstract.
| Property | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Shockley–Queisser limit (1.1 eV, their model) | ~30% | Shockley 1961 |
| Tang two-layer organic cell efficiency | ~1% | Tang 1986 |
| MEH-PPV:C60 cell efficiency | ~2.9% | Yu 1995 |
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Chapin, Fuller and Pearson at Bell Labs reported a silicon p-n junction photocell for turning sunlight into electrical power.
As reported in: Chapin, Fuller, Pearson (1954). A New Silicon <i>p-n</i> Junction Photocell for Converting Solar Radiation into Electrical Power. Journal of Applied Physics. doi:10.1063/1.1721711
Abstract only
Tang made a two-layer organic cell from copper phthalocyanine and a perylene derivative with about 1% efficiency, showing the organic–organic interface is key.
As reported in: Tang (1986). Two-layer organic photovoltaic cell. Applied Physics Letters. doi:10.1063/1.96937
Abstract only
Yu and colleagues blended a polymer with C60 fullerenes, raising efficiency to about 2.9%, over two orders of magnitude better than the pure polymer.
As reported in: Yu, Gao, Hummelen et al. (1995). Polymer Photovoltaic Cells: Enhanced Efficiencies via a Network of Internal Donor-Acceptor Heterojunctions. Science. doi:10.1126/science.270.5243.1789
Shockley and Queisser calculated the detailed-balance limit for p-n junction solar cells, a maximum of about 30% for a 1.1 eV band gap.
As reported in: Shockley, Queisser (1961). Detailed Balance Limit of Efficiency of <i>p-n</i> Junction Solar Cells. Journal of Applied Physics. doi:10.1063/1.1736034
Abstract only