I-Corps: Heliotrope Light-shifting Thin Films to Increase the Performance of Silicon Solar Panels

这个I-Corps项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是开发光移薄膜，将浪费的紫外线（UV）转化为有用的红外光，以提高硅太阳能电池板的性能。太阳能电池板在红外区域是有效的，但不能有效地转换紫外线。通过转换太阳光，该技术可以在不改变基础太阳能电池板技术的情况下提供8%至15%的功率提升。这种薄膜技术为生产过程增加了一个额外的步骤，并且可能集成到当前的光伏制造过程中。所提出的技术可能有助于降低制造商的制造成本（每瓦美元），并降低最终用户的电力成本。此外，这项技术可能会增加太阳能的采用，加速向可持续未来的过渡。这个I-Corps项目是基于将紫外线（UV）光转换成近红外光的发光降移薄膜材料的开发。该薄膜由钙钛矿Cs2AgBiBr6制成，并掺杂少量稀土金属元素镱（Yb）。当钙钛矿吸收UV光子时，它将能量传递给Yb，然后在红外区域发射。结果表明，该薄膜的光转换效率为95%；也就是说，95%的入射紫外线被转换成红外光。光转换效率可进一步提高到最大值200%，即1个紫外光子转换为2个红外光子（1:2薄膜）。利用这种移光技术，有可能将硅太阳能电池板的输出功率从8%提高到15%。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this I-Corps project is the development of light-shifting thin films that convert wasted ultraviolet (UV) light into useful infrared light to increase the performance of silicon solar panels. Solar panels are efficient in the infrared region but do not convert UV light efficiently. By transforming the sunlight, the proposed technology can deliver a power boost of 8% to 15%, without changing the underlying solar panel technology. This thin film technology adds one additional step to the production process, and may be integrated into the current photovoltaic manufacturing process. The proposed technology may help to lower manufacturing costs (dollar per watt) for manufacturers and lower cost of electricity for end users. In addition, the technology may increase the adoption of solar energy and accelerate the transition to a sustainable future.This I-Corps project is based on the development of luminescent downshifting thin film materials that convert ultraviolet (UV) light into near-infrared light. The proposed thin films are made of a perovskite, Cs2AgBiBr6, doped with a small amount of Ytterbium (Yb), a rare earth metal element. As the perovskite absorbs a UV photon, it transfers energy to Yb, which then emits in the infrared region. Results using the proposed thin film have demonstrated a light conversion efficiency of 95%; i.e., 95% of incoming ultraviolet light is converted to infrared light. The light conversion efficiency may be improved further to the maximum values of 200%, which means one ultraviolet photon is converted to two infrared photons (1:2 thin film). Using this light-shifting technology, it may be possible to improve the silicon solar panel’s power output from 8% to 15%.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.