UToledo Physicists Eye Emerging Technology for Solar Cells in Outer Space

UToledo Physicists Eye Emerging Technology for Solar Cells in Outer Space

Solar cells face significant challenges when deployed in outer space, where extremes in the environment decrease the efficiency and longevity they enjoy back on Earth.

University of Toledo physicists are taking on these challenges at the Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization, in line with a large-scale research project supported by the Air Force Research Laboratory.

One recent advancement pertains to an emerging technology that utilizes antimony compounds as light-absorbing semiconductors. A group of UToledo faculty and students recently published a first-of-its-kind assessment exploring the promising characteristics of these antimony chalcogenide-based solar cells for space applications in the peer-reviewed journal Solar RRL, which highlighted the work on its front cover.

"Antimony chalcogenide solar cells exhibit superior radiation robustness compared to the conventional technologies we're deploying in space," said Alisha Adhikari, a doctoral student in physics who co-led the team of undergraduate, graduate and faculty researchers at UToledo. "But they'll need to become much more efficient before they become a competitive alternative for future space missions."

Among the top-tier research universities in the country with the prestigious R1 classification in the latest Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, UToledo is a pioneer and leader in the research of advanced thin-film solar technology that presents a lower-cost, higher-efficiency alternative to the industry standard.

The Air Force Research Laboratory has supported UToledo's Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization on the development of thin-film solar technology specifically for the harsh environment of outer space since 2002, most recently tasking a team of physicists with exploring new ways to harvest solar energy amid extreme temperatures, high particle radiation and other space-related challenges.

The Air Force Research Laboratory is supporting the team with up to $15 million directed toward research and development on "new materials for space power."

The team is led by Dr. Randall Ellingson, a professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and Wright Center for Photovoltaics Innovation and Commercialization Endowed Chair. Other collaborators include postdoctoral researcher Dr. Vijay Karade and doctoral student Scott Lambright, who co-led the research with Adhikari, as well as Dr. Yanfa Yan and Dr. Zhaoning Song, faculty who rank among the world's most influential researchers, according to the data analytics firm Clarivate.

The team's latest research reflects a growing interest in antimony compounds as a key material in the construction of solar cells.