Abstract
Energy is vital for the sustainability of modern human society. The primary sources of energy, i.e., fossil fuels, are depleting at an alarming pace. Additionally, the excessive burning of fossil fuels has resulted in health disorders and environmental pollution. In this scenario, renewable energy resources, like solar energy, offer a promising alternative to fossil fuels. Solar energy can be collected by light-absorbing materials and converted into electrical energy using solar cells (SCs). For successful commercialization, SCs must deliver high power conversion efficiency (PCE) at affordable costs. The interdisciplinary area of SC development has drawn attention from diverse science and engineering research communities. Consequently, a myriad of SC materials was produced, followed by a dramatic increase in PCEs.
We reviewed all the major classes of SC materials, including inorganic semiconductors, organic semiconductors, and organic-inorganic hybrid materials with notable PCE reports. Major challenges faced by material classes and remediation strategies are discussed briefly. At present, crystalline silicon SCs retain their dominance in the commercial market with a maximum PCE of 27.6%. On the other hand, perovskite SCs, cadmium telluride SCs, organic SCs, and dye-sensitized SCs have emerged as cheaper and flexible alternatives with maximum PCEs of 25.2, 22.1, 17.4, and 12.3%, respectively. Emerging solar technologies have undoubtedly an enormous scope ahead as a mainstream source of energy.
Full Article: https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119725022.ch10
