Scientists at the University of California Santa Barbara have made a groundbreaking discovery by creating the first-ever movie of electric charges moving inside a solar cell. Using an ultrafast scanning electron microscope, researchers fired electrons and captured images using a pico-second scale shutter.
The ability to visualize charges in action will help scientists better understand semiconductor materials and their behavior. However, these materials often generate excess heat, leading to energy inefficiency. To improve this, researchers focus on capturing photocarriers, the excited electrons that create current in solar cells.
The team used a heterojunction of silicon and germanium, a common material in solar panels and telecommunications. By firing electron beams with ultrafast laser pulses, they visualized the movement of photocarriers across the junction. The results demonstrate the ability of electron microscopy to study semiconductor devices and provide new insights into energy-efficient applications.
The discovery has significant implications for the development of more efficient solar cells and other semiconductor-based technologies.
Source: https://interestingengineering.com/science/electric-charges-seen-traveling-in-solar-cell