Researchers at Columbia University have developed solar cells capable of using “singlet fission,” to boost the efficiency of silicon-free, thin-film solar cells made from all organic materials.
Singlet fission may double the efficiency of thin-film PV solar cells by allowing one photon of solar energy from the sun to split into two units of electricity. The research is still in its testing phase, as developers are still struggling to develop a consistent and reliable methos.
According to the Columbia research team, “…there are some molecules that can be implemented in solar cells that have the ability to generate two excitons from a single photon – a process called singlet fission. These solar cells form the basis for next-generation devices, which are still at infancy.”