Sweden-based nano-material development firm, Sol Voltaics has claimed a 1-sun record conversion efficiency of 15.3% for a solar cell coated with its gallium-arsenide (GaAs) nanowire array (NWA).
Verified by Fraunhofer-ISE, the efficiency record is claimed to be twice as high as the previous record. The company did not provide information on cell size and other key data such as cell aperture area.
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“The efficiency of our GaAs nanowires is a critical component of our low cost film. The use of III-V materials in the PV industry has always been a goal but the costs have been prohibitive. Using Sol Voltaic’s Aerotaxy nanowire production methodology allows our III-V film to be produced at competitive cost at efficiencies that are industry changing,” said Erik Smith, chief executive officer of Sol Voltaics.
Sol Voltaics uses its ‘Aerotaxy’ nanowire production technique to create GaAs-based nanowires that are retained in a liquid solution for later deposition on a solar cell.
The company said it was working on a tandem layer approach that targeted conversion efficiencies of greater than 27% and was seeking industrial partners to further develop the technology for commercial applications.
