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Fraunhofer ISE has certified a power conversion efficiency of 6.07% for tandem solar cells from organic photovoltaics developer Heliatek. The cells, which have an active area of 2 cm², were developed by the company in cooperation with the Institute of Applied Photo Physics of the Technical University of Dresden based on results of the projects “Innoprofile” and “OPEG”, both sponsored by BMBF.
Heliatek uses small molecule organic dyes synthesized from hydrocarbons to make proprietary tandem organic thin-film cells, which it hopes to integrate into flexible, lightweight (about 0.5kg/m2) solar modules that will be manufactured on foil substrates in a continuous roll-to-roll vacuum coating process.
The company, which calls the results an "important milestone" on the way to commercialization of its OPV cells, has a medium-term goal of increasing the conversion efficiency to 10%. Heliatek will work with Fraunhofer IPMS, home of the Center for Organic Materials and Electronic Devices Dresden, to make the technology ready for mass production, leveraging expertise garnered in similar efforts with the development of organic LEDs and other electronic devices.
Other technology partners of Heliatek include Novaled, Bosch, and BASF; the latter two have also invested in the company along with Wellington Partners and others.
Heliatek and Fraunhofer IPMS will present their research results for the first time at the upcoming EU PVSEC 2009 in Hamburg.
