UNSW Researchers Claim Solar Cell Breakthrough - CleanTechnica

Researchers at UNSW Sydney have announced a significant breakthrough in solar cell technology by harnessing singlet fission to improve silicon solar cell efficiency. Unlike conventional solar cells that convert one photon into a single electron/hole pair, singlet fission enables one high-energy photon to generate two excited electron/hole pairs, effectively doubling the electrical output from the blue portion of the solar spectrum. The team demonstrated that using photochemically stable dipyrrolonaphthyridinedione (DPND) derivatives as the singlet fission material, combined with thin layers of tin oxide and PEDOT:PSS for interface passivation, can create commercially viable singlet fission photovoltaic devices. This approach avoids the instability issues of previously used materials like tetracene. The breakthrough offers a practical pathway to enhance silicon solar cells without the complexity and cost of tandem designs, which require multiple junctions and extensive redesign. Current silicon modules typically achieve efficiencies of 20-25%, but singlet fission could push