EurekAlert January 5, 2021
The transparent photovoltaic cell (TPC) is an invisible solar cell bypassing the visible range light while absorbing harmful UV light to generate electric power. An international team of researchers (South Korea, India, Viet Nam) fabricated the TPC using TiO2 as the n-type semiconductor to serve as the UV light absorber. Above TiO2 layer, p-type NiO is deposited for a high transmittance (>57%) for the visible light. The two different metal-oxide species are employed to make a transparent heterojunction. TPC is transparent to human eyes and which would serve as an invisible power source for the window frames of mobile electronics, displays, and buildings. As the TPC is very sensitive to UV signals it can be a self -powered high-performing photodetector. The photodetector shows high responsivity, detectivity, fast response time. In demonstrations the TPC reached 2.1% power conversion with high open circuit voltage…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLE
Graphical abstract. Credit: Journal of Power Sources, Volume 481, 1 January 2021, 228865