These next-generation solar panels are 1000x more powerful than existing panels
Photo: Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) have discovered a new method to increase the efficiency of solar cells by a factor of 1,000. (CREDIT: CC BY-SA 4.0)
Scientists discovered a new method to increase the efficiency of solar cells by a factor of 1,000 and revolutionizes the solar industry
Researchers at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) have discovered a new method to increase the efficiency of solar cells by a factor of 1,000. The team of scientists achieved this breakthrough by creating crystalline layers of barium titanate, strontium titanate, and calcium titanate, which were alternately placed on top of one another in a lattice structure.
Their findings, which could revolutionize the solar energy industry, were recently published in the journal Science Advances.
Solar cells currently in use are mostly silicon-based, but their efficiency is limited. This has led researchers to explore new materials, such as ferroelectrics like barium titanate, which is a mixed oxide made of barium and titanium.
Ferroelectric materials have spatially separated positive and negative charges, which leads to an asymmetric structure that generates electricity from light. Unlike silicon, ferroelectric crystals do not require a pn junction to create the photovoltaic effect, making it easier to produce solar panels.
