The solar panel production company IMEC has shown that it is possible and feasible to create solar-collecting surfaces using a spray-on method–a big breakthrough in the quest for the capability of making organic solar cells in mass production for a low cost. The solar collection cells created with the spray-on method demonstrate power conversion efficiencies of more than 3%, which is comparable to that of the organic solar cells produced by today’s spin coating of the organic layer followed up by vacuum evaporation of the top contact metal.

“R&D on organic solar cells has entered the stage where we can consider low-cost high-volume manufacturing, which is essential for the uptake of this technology by the industry. Our results show that IMEC has the expertise and know-how to play an important role in organic photovoltaics R&D,” says Teamleader of Organic Photovolatics at IMEC Tom Aernouts.

IMEC makes use of an active layer made from a solution of P3HT and PCBM for creating its cells’ top surfaces. IMEC showed that spray-coating significantly reduces the damage to the underlying layers compared to that done by other techniques. Furthermore, the company has proven that it can sinter the silver nanoparticles at 150°C, a temperature used successfully for processing on flexible substrates. In addition to all this, spray-coating creates only a small amount of wasted solutions compared to other techniques.

Polymer-based–that is, organic–solar collection cells need to have all of their layers produced by solution-based, in-line compatible methods for inexpensive mass production to be a reality.