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Cover Picture: Optimization of Solution‐Processed Luminescent Down‐Shifting Layers for Photovoltaics by Customizing Organic Dye Based Thick Films (Energy Technol. 3/2016)
Author(s) -
Solodovnyk Anastasiia,
Kick Christopher,
Osvet Andres,
Egelhaaf HansJoachim,
Stern Edda,
Batentschuk Miroslaw,
Forberich Karen,
Brabec Christoph J.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
energy technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Reports
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.91
H-Index - 44
eISSN - 2194-4296
pISSN - 2194-4288
DOI - 10.1002/ente.201500536
Subject(s) - photovoltaics , materials science , copper indium gallium selenide solar cells , luminescence , photoluminescence , optoelectronics , ultraviolet , polyvinyl butyral , organic solar cell , polyvinyl alcohol , solar cell , photovoltaic system , polymer , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , composite material , engineering , ecology , biology
Solution‐Processable Luminescent Down‐Shifting for Photovoltaics : The cover illustrates luminescent down‐shifting layers for photovoltaics. They were processed from a solution of environmentally friendly solvents on glass substrates of 25×25 mm 2 size. Our coatings convert ultraviolet (UV) light into visible light with efficiencies >90 % by using photoluminescence processes, and this significantly increases the response of solar cells within UV spectral region. In the photo, layers are illuminated from the bottom through a glass cover by UV light with wavelengths of 300–420 nm. Underneath the layers, on the cover glass the word “SOLAR” is written with a marker. The coatings contain a yellow organic dye, a violet organic dye, and a mixture thereof (from right to left) embedded into polyvinyl butyral (PVB) polymer. The optical properties of the layers are fully optimized to perform best with copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cells. When applied onto the actual devices, an efficiency increase of 3 % is achieved. The dry coatings are 300–400 µm thick and can be used as encapsulation layers for PV modules processed in‐line. More details can be found in the Full Paper by Anastasiia Solodovnyk and colleagues at the Bavarian Center for Applied Energy Research and Friedrich‐Alexander University Erlangen‐Nürnberg on page 385 in Issue 3, 2016 (DOI: 10.1002/ente.201500404).