What Sets This 33% Efficient Solar Cell Apart From Past Versions?

Researchers have made a significant advance by achieving 33.1 percent efficiency in perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells, a major step forward for photovoltaic technology.

This breakthrough leverages an innovative passivation technique that works effectively on textured silicon surfaces while maintaining compatibility with manufacturing standards.

An international team from King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, the University of Freiburg, and Fraunhofer ISE recently published this new development. It marks a critical milestone moving from laboratory success toward scalable industrial application.

How does the new passivation method enhance solar cell efficiency?

The secret to this new development is the passivation process that uses 1,3-diaminopropane dihydroiodide on the surface of

Unlike prior methods that worked primarily on flat surfaces, this strategy succeeds on the industry-standard textured silicon, significantly reducing recombination losses.

This effective surface treatment improves conductivity and fill factor, resulting in a higher open-circuit voltage of 2.01 volts. It tackles non-radiative recombination, a primary factor limiting earlier tandem solar cell performance.

Did you know?
The photovoltaic effect, the underlying principle of solar cells, was discovered in 1839 by French physicist Edmond Becquerel. It wasn't until 1954 that the first practical silicon solar cell was invented at Bell Laboratories, but the foundational science is almost two centuries old!

Why is textured silicon important in this breakthrough?

Textured silicon with pyramid structures is critical in solar technology to increase surface area and capture more sunlight. However, texturing complicated the deposition of uniform perovskite layers, hindering commercial adoption of tandem cells.

The new passivation helps the perovskite layers fit nicely on these textured surfaces, breaking the old restrictions that only applied to flat designs. This compatibility enables the use of industry-standard manufacturing techniques.

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How does this cell differ from previous flat architecture cells?

Earlier passivation successes were largely restricted to flat-front tandem cells, which are less suitable for commercial-scale production. The novel method works on the more complex textured surfaces, merging the advantages of industrial silicon processing with high-efficiency perovskite treatment.

This transition addresses one of the biggest challenges in deploying tandem solar cells at scale by marrying lab efficiency gains with real-world manufacturing demands.

What role does perovskite bulk passivation play?

Unlike silicon passivation that affects only the surface, this new perovskite passivation influences the entire absorber layer, enhancing properties throughout. This bulk effect raises overall cell conductivity and performance metrics beyond surface improvements alone.

This deeper layer modification has been identified as a foundational insight for future tandem solar cell research, allowing engineers to build increasingly efficient top cells.

What does this mean for solar technology commercialization?

Achieving this balance of high efficiency and industrial compatibility sets the stage for faster commercialization of next-generation tandem solar cells. Companies pushing record efficiencies, like LONGi reaching above 34%, indicate the technology is nearing practical market availability.

The breakthrough points to a cleaner energy future with more affordable, efficient solar power meeting global demand. Ongoing innovations in passivation and layered cell architecture will likely accelerate adoption worldwide.