Transparent solar cell for electronic devices

Ubiquitous Energy, based in Silicon Valley, is planning to produce a new type of transparent solar cell, covering the phone screen and windows in the future.

Transparent battery technology uses Solar power

Solar cells are increasingly popular but people have only exploited a very small part of this huge energy source. The highest conversion efficiency from photovoltaic to only 20%. In parallel with improving battery performance, scientists also want to expand the range of installation and application of batteries. With a transparent solar cell, instead of being able to be installed only on the roof, it can be used to cover high-rise building glass or used for electronic devices such as mobile phones.

Future solar cells will be transparent like a glass.(Photos: NG)

The principle of transparent solar cell operation is very simple.Sunlight is a collection of a multitude of invisible regions of radiation (infrared, ultraviolet) and radiated steps of the visible region. Transparent solar cells are batteries that only convert the energy of infrared and ultraviolet radiation into electricity, for visible light to pass through. In other words, it is "transparent" to the human eye.

According to National Geographic, the material used to make transparent solar cells is organic material.

"The advantage of using organic materials is that materials are readily available and very rich, " said Nikos Kopidakis, a researcher at the US Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).

Another advantage of organic material batteries is that they are easier to make than traditional solar cells. With current solar cell technology, high vacuum chamber and high temperature furnace, 300-400 degrees Celsius are required. New batteries do not need vacuum chambers and can be manufactured at ambient temperatures. With today's standard film coating process, Ubiquitous engineers can create organic photovoltaic layers that are only 1/1000 the thickness of a hair shaft.

However, there is a problem with this new battery that is not as efficient as the traditional battery. So Ubiquitous researchers will demonstrate the use of transparent solar cells on a small scale first. The company's test production facility is located in Redwood, California, and is working with other companies to produce smart phone models , watches and small electronic devices, using battery technology. Ubiquitous's transparent . If smooth, in the future, windows and mobile phone screens will be covered with an invisible thin battery.