Transparent Back Contact Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) with back contact configurations are not transparent due to the use of non-transparent high-conductivity materials, limiting their application in transparent energy harvesting applications like building-integrated photovoltaics, and existing solutions to achieve transparency often increase complexity and fragility, or require additional material removal or complex manufacturing steps.
Innovation Solution
The development of a transparent back contact DSC using porous layers with printed patterns that include both non-transparent and transparent portions, allowing light to pass through while maintaining high conductivity, achieved by positioning transparent portions to form continuous pathways without the need for material removal or complex processes like laser technology.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If non-transparent high-conductivity materials are used for back contact current collector, then electrical conductivity is improved, but transparency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The back contact current collector is segmented into multiple conductive particles or networks distributed within the porous layer, rather than using a continuous non-transparent material. This segmentation allows light to pass through the gaps between particles while maintaining electrical conductivity through the conductive pathways formed by the particle network.
Solution Approach 2:
The porous layer is designed with spatially varying properties: regions with higher conductor particle concentration provide electrical conductivity, while regions with lower concentration or larger pores allow light transmission. This local variation in quality enables simultaneous achievement of conductivity and transparency.
2Illumination intensity
If transparent conducting oxide is used for front contact, then transparency is improved, but electrical conductivity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent porous layer uses a composite structure combining transparent conducting oxide particles with other materials (such as metal particles or conductive polymers) to achieve both transparency and enhanced electrical conductivity that exceeds what transparent conducting oxides alone can provide.
3Illumination intensity
If material removal or laser technology is used to create transparent pathways, then transparency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent pathways and conductive particle distribution are predetermined and built into the layer structure during the manufacturing process, rather than requiring subsequent material removal or laser processing. The porous structure is formed with appropriate pore size, shape, and distribution from the beginning, eliminating the need for complex post-processing steps.
4Illumination intensity
If porous layers with printed patterns are used, then transparency is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The manufacturing process parameters (such as particle size distribution, pore size, layer thickness, and conductor particle concentration) are optimized to provide tolerance to variations in pattern alignment. By adjusting these parameters, the system becomes less sensitive to manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining the desired transparency and conductivity properties.
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 enables the production of transparent, high-conductivity DSCs suitable for transparent applications without material waste or additional manufacturing steps, offering increased light-to-electric energy conversion efficiency and flexibility in design for various lighting conditions.
Implementation Method 1
dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) which comprises a porous isolating substrate, which has a first and a second surface
Implementation Method 2
A first porous layer comprising conductive particles is printed on the first surface of the substrate to form a first conductive layer
Implementation Method 3
Sunlight is harvested by the dye, producing photo-excited electrons that are injected into the conduction band of the TiO2 particles
Implementation Method 4
I− ions in the redox electrolyte reduce the oxidized dye and transport the generated electron acceptors species to the counter electrode
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSC) comprising a porous isolating substrate (30) having a first surface and a second surface, a first porous layer (14) comprising conducting particles printed on the first surface of the porous isolating substrate to form a conductive porous layer, a second porous layer (16) comprising conducting particles printed on the second surface of the porous isolating substrate to form a conductive porous layer, whereby the porous isolating substrate is disposed between the first and second porous layers, a third porous layer (18) comprising light absorbing dye molecules deposited on the first porous layer, and a charge transfer medium for transferring charges between the third and first porous layers. Each of the porous layers comprise a printed pattern including at least one non-transparent portion (24, 25, 26) and at least one transparent portion (20, 21, 22) and the porous isolating substrate comprises at least one transparent portion (32), whereby said transparent portions of the porous layers and said transparent portion of the porous isolating substrate are positioned relative to each other so they form at least one continuous transparent pathway through the solar cell.