Phosphorescent Donor-Acceptor Solar Cell for Dark Power
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Solar cells have limitations in flexibility, as they can only generate power during daylight hours and have relatively low efficiency, making them unsuitable for uninterrupted power supply and efficient energy storage.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a phosphorescent material within controlled proximity of the light absorber in solar cells, which absorbs high energy photons and emits low energy photons that are absorbed by acceptor particles, enhancing energy transfer and efficiency, allowing power generation in the dark after light excitation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If phosphorescent material is incorporated near the light absorber, then efficiency in converting light to electrical energy is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines phosphorescent material particles with light absorber particles to form a composite structure. The phosphorescent particles absorb high energy photons and emit lower energy photons that are then absorbed by the light absorber, creating a dual-function material system that improves conversion efficiency while integrating multiple functions into a single composite component.
Solution Approach 2:
The phosphorescent material is positioned within controlled proximity of the light absorber, with donor particles coupled to groups of acceptor particles. This nested arrangement allows the phosphorescent material to be embedded within or adjacent to the absorber structure, enabling energy transfer while maintaining a compact integrated design.
2Duration of action of moving object
If solar cells only use light absorber particles, then device simplicity is maintained, but ability to generate power during non-daylight hours is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The phosphorescent material acts as an energy storage component that accumulates energy from high energy photons during illumination and releases it as lower energy photons over extended time periods. This preliminary energy capture and delayed release mechanism enables the solar cell to generate power during non-daylight hours without requiring separate storage components.
Solution Approach 2:
The phosphorescent material continues to emit photons even after the excitation light source is removed, providing extended duration power generation. This continuous useful action extends from immediate light conversion to prolonged emission, bridging the gap between daylight and non-daylight hours.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in a 60% improvement in solar cell efficiency under illumination and 300 times improvement in dark conditions, enabling extended power generation without additional components.
Implementation Method 1
donor particles comprising a phosphorescent material, wherein each donor particle is coupled to a group of acceptor particles, and wherein the phosphorescent material absorbs high energy photons and emits lower energy photons that are absorbed by the acceptor particles
Implementation Method 2
acceptor particles adsorbed on an inert nanoparticles current collector, which causes a flow of electrons in the solid state light absorber region in response to absorbed photons
Data Source
AI summary
A solar cell device having a solid state light absorber region that incorporates a donor-acceptor particle structure. The particle structure includes acceptor particles that generate a flow of electrons in the solid state light absorber region in response to absorbed photons; and donor particles comprising a phosphorescent material, wherein each donor particle is coupled to a group of acceptor particles, and wherein the phosphorescent material absorbs high energy photons and emits lower energy photons that are absorbed by the acceptor particles.