Achievement

William Hou reported in Thin Solid Films the development of a low-cost processing method for solar cells made from copper, indium and salenium. He achieved a device with 9 percent power conversion efficiency without going through the vacuum evaporation process. Most CIGS solar cells are produced using a co-evaporation technique that involves vacuums and can be costly and time-consuming. These cells will have the potential to be produced on a large scale for a number of applications, including placement on backpacks or clothing. With this solution process, efficiency levels of 20 percent to be comparable to commercially produced solar cells are within reach, whilst bringing the cost of manufacturing down significantly. This work was featured in prominent news media such as the New York Times and Scientific American.