Professors Chang-Ki Baek (CiTE) and Tauik Rim (CiTE), Kihyun Kim (CiTE Ph.D.) reported the development of the next generation asymmetric nanowire solar cell in the journal issue 5 of Scientific Report, a sister journal of Nature, published on Jul. 8. The efficiency of the new nano-wire solar cell is 2.7 times higher than commercial planar solar cells, and is 1.4 times higher than conventional nanowire solar cells.
The research team focused on enhancing the conventional nanowire’s efficiency. As a result, they have discovered that an asymmetrical design with a widened upper part and narrowed bottom part increases the solar cell’s reflectance, maximizing the solar energy absorbed in the solar cell. The research is very significant in that it will be used to achieve the next generation solar cell technology. New solar cells could be produced in large quantities using a domestic silicon semiconductor process technology called “Top-down process.”