Project abstract

"Black silicon" obtaind by nano-texturing (TUM)

The NanoPV project aims at making a breakthrough step-change in photovoltaics by the removal of a set of bottlenecks which have been identified to block the application of nanostructures for high-efficiency, low-cost solar cells. The bottlenecks arise from the present lack of up-scalable processes that can meet the needs for nanomaterials in PV applications, and the lack of relevant equipment and industrial lines.

Nanotechnology will be applied for both already existing conventional Si solar cells (wafer and thin-film based) and for advanced solar cells entirely based on nanostructures. The main scientific efforts will be on understanding and exploitation of such nanomaterials as

1. 0D quantum dots, nanocrystals and nanoparticles,
2. 1D nanowires and nanorods, and
3. 2D nanomaterials such as ultrathin layers.