Source: India Today
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The key to the new approach is to make the solar cell, the substrate that supports it, and a protective overcoating to shield it from the environment, all in one process, said Vladimir Bulovic, professor from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in US.
Parylene is a plastic coating used widely to protect implanted biomedical devices and printed circuit boards from environmental damage.
The entire process takes place in a vacuum chamber at room temperature and without the use of any solvents, unlike conventional solar-cell manufacturing, which requires high temperatures and harsh chemicals.
In this case, both the substrate and the solar cell are “grown” using established vapour deposition techniques.
To demonstrate just how thin and lightweight the cells are, the researchers draped a working cell on top of a soap bubble, without popping the bubble.
The researchers acknowledge that this cell may be too thin to be practical, but parylene films of thicknesses of up to 80 microns can be deposited easily using commercial equipment, without losing the other benefits of in-line substrate formation.
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