Porous Solar Cell Stack With Insulating Separating Layer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dye-sensitized solar cells face challenges in industrial-scale manufacturing due to the need for precise handling and processing of thin layers, which can be mechanically damaging and affect performance, and existing architectures do not efficiently manage charge transport and medium retention.
Innovation Solution
A solar cell architecture featuring a stack of porous layers with a support substrate, a porous separating layer made of electrically insulating material, and a charge conducting medium that penetrates through the stack, allowing for optimized thickness and material selection to enhance efficiency and mechanical robustness, and a method for manufacturing involving printing and capillary filling to reduce vacuum requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If thin porous layers are used to improve charge transport efficiency, then electrical resistance decreases, but mechanical robustness deteriorates making handling difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple porous layers (light-absorbing layer, first conductive layer, separating layer, counter electrode) into a single integrated stack that shares a common support substrate. This merging allows each layer to be optimized for its electrical function while the combined structure provides enhanced mechanical strength for handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The support substrate serves multiple functions: it provides mechanical support for the thin porous layers, enables handling of the complete assembly, and facilitates processing during manufacturing. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction by decoupling the mechanical support function from the electrical transport function.
2Manufacturing precision
If vacuum treatment is used during manufacturing, then layer quality improves, but device complexity and processing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The porous layers are designed to be self-supporting on the substrate, eliminating the need for vacuum handling during manufacturing. The structure itself provides the mechanical stability needed for processing, allowing simpler non-vacuum manufacturing methods to achieve high layer quality.
3Reliability
If separating layer thickness is increased to improve electrical insulation, then charge transport efficiency decreases due to longer transport path
Solution Approach 1:
The separating layer uses electrically insulating material with locally optimized properties that provide sufficient electrical insulation while maintaining minimal thickness. The insulating material is strategically positioned only where needed to prevent short circuits between conductive layers, allowing efficient charge transport through the rest of the structure.
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
The solution improves the efficiency and mechanical robustness of dye-sensitized solar cells by allowing for controlled thickness of the separating layer, reducing resistive losses, and enabling flexible and large-scale production without the need for vacuum filling, while maintaining charge medium retention and distribution.
Implementation Method 1
a charge conducting medium penetrating through the stack
Implementation Method 2
maintaining charge medium retention and distribution
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6b
AI summary
The present invention relates to a solar cell (1a) comprising a stack of porous layers, a support substrate (2) for supporting the stack, and a charge conducting medium (7) penetrating through the stack. The stack comprises a porous light-absorbing layer (3), a porous conductive layer (4) including conductive material for extracting photo-generated electrons from the light-absorbing layer, a porous counter electrode (6) including conductive material, and a porous separating layer (5) comprising electrically insulating material and arranged between the conductive layer (4) and the counter electrode (6), and where the conductive layer (4) is arranged closer to the light-absorbing layer (3) than the counter electrode (6). The stack of porous layers (3-6) is arranged on top of the support substrate, the separating layer (5) comprises a plurality of layers of electrically insulating particles (13) arranged so that pores (14) are formed between the insulating particles for housing the charge conducting medium (7), and the insulating particles comprises said electrically insulating material.