Natcore achieves 20.7% efficiency with LASER-Based Solar Cell

Scientists working at Natcore Technology announced that they have achieved an efficiency of 20.7% in their latest demonstration solar cell. Natcore’s device efficiency has now increased by more than three absolute percent from June efficiency of 17.5%. The result has got independent confirmation at the NanoPower Research Lab of the Rochester Institute of Technology.

The result was achieved on the Natcore Foil Cell, an all-back-contact cell that combines a revolutionary laser process with a novel metallization strategy, thus enabling high-efficiency cell architectures at low cost. Importantly, it also eliminates the need for silver, one of the highest-cost components of a conventional solar cell.

Natcore’s Director of Research and Technology,Dr. David Levy said that they  consider this to be a good stake in the ground. Traditional all-back-contact cells use interdigitated back contacts. While high efficiencies are proven with that approach, the processing is complex, and so keeps them from being widely adopted. The Natcore foil approach, due to its simplicity and reliance on very cheap aluminum, promises to change that dynamic. Their approach is easily implemented into a production line, not just in the lab.

Image Source: Natcore Technology