A collection relevant articles, publications and podcasts for you to get inspiration and knowledge about plasmonics, transparent solar cells (TPV) and sustainability.
Resources
Nature Microsystems & Nanoengineering volume 8, Article number: 5 (2022)
by Bin Ai, Ziwei Fan & Zi Jing Wong
The field of plasmonics explores the interaction between light and metallic micro/nanostructures and films. When perovskite materials are coupled with plasmonic structures, the device performance significantly improves owing to strong near-field and far-field optical enhancements, as well as the plasmoelectric effect. Read the article here.
Medium, March 17, 2023
by Susanne Segeblad
Batteries are an essential component of many electronic devices, providing the power that enable them to function throughout their lifecycle. Even though there are several types of batteries available, they all have a range of negative environmental impacts, depending on their type, composition, and how they are produced, used, and disposed of. Read the article here.
First published: 28 June 2012, in Advanced Materials
by Philipp Reineck, George P. Lee, Delia Brick, Matthias Karg, Paul Mulvaney, Udo Bach
Sustainable plasmonic photocurrents are generated by gold and silver nanoparticles, located at a TiO2/hole conductor interface. The spectral photocurrent response closely follows the surface plasmon absorption bands of the metal particles. A simple nanoparticle self-assembly method for the solar cell fabrication is presented. Three mechanisms for plasmon-induced charge separation are proposed. Read the paper here.
In this podcast by Curiosity, Peafowl’s co-founder Jacinto Sá, get to discuss in depth about the technology and methods of Peafowl’s cells and how it came about that a spin-out company was founded. He also offers three action items for anyone conscious about energy savings, CO2 emissions and technological solutions. Listen to the episode here!
Nature, June 7, 2022
by Ruiqian Meng, Qianqing Jiang & Dianyi Liu
Interesting paper on the balance (tradeoff) between AVT (average visible transmission) and efficiency in organic TPV (transparent photovoltaic), where they find that about 80% AVT (at about 30 nm film thickness) is maximum transparency to achieve any relevant amount of energy. This information will determine what applications will be possible for this type of TPV. Read paper here!
Peafowl achieve >90% AVT, which opens up for applications where even higher transparency is required, for example e-paper displays.
Our co-founder Jacinto Sá talks about our company, our technology and his entrepreneurial journey in this Podcast by Hightech Ventures.
Plasmonics can be used in so many different fields of research and science. It’s s a truly amazing technology, as described in this article by Scientific American.
Medium, March 14, 2022
by Per Edström
New applications of solar power emerge thanks to how photovoltaics has evolved over time. New article in Medium on why transparency is a competitive advantage. Read full article here!
This article by Onio is great in depicting use cases to understand why IoT sensors should become self-powered to really unleash their true potential. Read full article here!
Nonomaterials, Dec. 8, 2021
by Jacinto Sá et.al.
The proliferation of the internet of things (IoT) and other low-power devices demands the development of energy harvesting solutions to alleviate IoT hardware dependence on single-use batteries, making their deployment more sustainable. The propagation of energy harvesting solutions is strongly associated with technical performance, cost and aesthetics, with the latter often being the driver of adoption. The general abundance of light in the vicinity of IoT devices under their main operation window enables the use of indoor and outdoor photovoltaics as energy harvesters.
From those, highly transparent solar cells allow an increased possibility to place a sustainable power source close to the sensors without significant visual appearance. Read full article here!
Podcast with TechnoGypsie, Nov 2021. Listen here.
Medium, Aug. 26, 2021
by Susanne Segeblad
We need to improve how to assess and certify sustainability, taking it from material and recycling to considering the entire product life cycle. Will a more holistic approach give us a better cost benefit calculation to give us a true value on sustainability? Read article here.
Article in MDPI, Nov 18, 2020
by Andree Vela et al.
The results show that the prediction of occupancy levels can be made by using standard indoor sensors for measuring temperature, humidity, and pressure values and that this can provide an accuracy of occupancy level of at least 97%. Vela – Sensors 20 (2020) 6579.
In this episode we will talk about the transition from Academia to start-up life. How Jacinto manages his “double-life” and how the academic working approach would have led them to potentially fail.
Are transparent solar cells possible? Equipped with revolutionary technology, Swedish start-up Peafowl Solar Power AB, builds transparent solar cells based on so-called “Plasmonics”. In the newest episode, CTO Jacinto Sá explains the technology behind it.
We talk about:
– How do transparent solar cells work? How efficient are they?
– How are they produced? What’s their lifetime?
– What are the current use cases?
This is the first part of a two-part interview. In the next episode we will talk about the transition from Academia to start-up life. How Jacinto manages his “double-life” and how the academic working approach would have led them to potentially fail.
Are transparent solar cells possible? Equipped with revolutionary technology, swedish Start-up Peafowl Solar Power AB, builds transparent solar cells based on so-called “Plasmonics”. In the newest episode, CTO Jacinto Sá explains the technology behind it.
We talk about:
– How do transparent solar cells work? How efficient are they?
– How are they produced? What’s their lifetime?
– What are the current use cases?
Medium, April 27, 2021
by Susanne Segeblad
We can gain a lot by producing locally. Everything from reduced transport CO2 emissions to securing supply of critical goods and less conversion losses in energy transmissions are examples of benefits from producing what we need, when and where we need it. Is this perhaps where we are heading? Read article here.
Medium, Feb. 10, 2021
by Cecilia Tilli
A great example of how to transfer knowledge and vocabulary from one area of interest to another! Read about why clarity and colour is critical both when visually inspecting wine and when assessing transparency in solar cells. Read article here.
ACS Publications, January 8, 2021
Yocefu Hattori, Jie Meng, Kaibo Zheng, Ageo Meier de Andrade, Jolla Kullgren, Peter Broqvist, Peter Nordlander and Jacinto Sá
A new technical feature that recently was demonstrated in the lab is the resonance process in the plasmonic light absorption, where the plasmonic materials actually use heat to promote electrical charge creation and improve solar cell performance as temperature increase. This is interesting since solar cell performance is known to be sensitive to higher temperature, reducing the overall power output. The discovery opens the possibility for solar cells that can operate under more extreme thermal conditions. Read more here.
Medium, Nov. 30, 2020
by Per Edström
Did you know that our solar cells work indoors? Read about how and the advantages of producing energy close to where it is used. Read more here.
by Mark Hutchins
Challenges on how to re-cycle PV materials to make the quality good enough to be re-used in production. Printed solar cells contribute by not using silicon, wafers and metals. Read more here.
Science Direct, Vol. 1, Issue 8, 26 August 2020
Kangmin Lee, Han Don Um, Deokjae Choi, Jeonghwan Park, Namwoo Kim, Hyungwoo Kim, Kwanyong Seo
Transparent photovoltaics (TPVs), which combine visible transparency and solar energy conversion, are being developed for applications in which conventional opaque solar cells are unlikely to be feasible, such as windows of buildings or vehicles. In this paper reviews recent progress in TPVs along with strategies that enable the transparency of conventional photovoltaics, including thin-film technology, selective light-transmission technology, and luminescent solar concentrator technology. Read more here.
Nature Materials 19, 27 July, 2020
Giulia Tagliabue, Joseph S. DuChene, Mohamed Abdellah, Adela Habib, David J. Gosztola, Yocefu Hattori, Wen-Hui Cheng, Kaibo Zheng, Sophie E. Canton, Ravishankar Sundararaman, Jacinto Sá and Harry A. Atwater
A fundamental understanding of hot-carrier dynamics in photo-excited metal nanostructures is needed to unlock their potential for photodetection and photocatalysis. Despite numerous studies on the ultrafast dynamics of hot electrons, so far, the temporal evolution of hot holes in metal–semiconductor heterostructures remains unknown. Read more here.
Science Direct, Vol. 3, Issue 8, 21 August 2019
ChenchenYang, DianyiLiu, MatthewBates, Miles C.Barr, Richard R.Lunt
Integrating transparent photovoltaics (TPVs) onto new and existing infrastructure as a power- generating source can help to realize net-zero-energy buildings, dramatically improve energy utilization efficiency, and supply on-site energy demand with minimal compromise to the functionality and aesthetic quality of architectural and mobile surfaces. TPV modules can be conveniently installed onto the facades, windows, and siding of buildings as replacements for conventional building materials during construction. Alternatively, they can be directly retrofit onto existing surfaces after initial construction. Read more here.
MIT Technology Review, August 19, 2019
by James Temple
ACS Publications, May 22, 2019
Yocefu Hattori, Mohamed Abdellah, Jie Meng, Kaibo Zheng and Jacinto Sá
The researches have successfully investigated the simultaneous injection of hot electrons and holes upon excitation of gold localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). The studies were performed on all-solid-state plasmonic system composed of titanium dioxide (TiO2)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly(styrenesulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) p–n junctions with gold nanoparticles (Au NPs). The study revealed that both charge carriers are transferred within 200 fs to the respective charge acceptors, exhibiting a free carrier transport behavior. We also confirmed that the transfer of charge carriers are accompanied by change in the initial relaxation dynamics of Au NPs. Read more here.
Nature Energy, Vol. 2, NOVEMBER 2017
Christopher J. Traverse, Richa Pandey, Miles C. Barr and Richard R. Lunt
Solar energy offers a viable solution to our growing energy need. While adoption of conventional photovoltaics on rooftops and in solar farms has grown rapidly in the last decade, there is still plenty of opportunity for expansion. See-through solar technologies with partial light transmission developed over the past 30 years have initiated methods of integration not possible with conventional modules. The large-scale deployment necessary to offset global energy consumption could be further accelerated by developing fully invisible solar cells that selectively absorb ultraviolet and near-infrared light, allowing many of the surfaces of our built environment to be turned into solar harvesting arrays without impacting the function or aesthetics. Here, we review recent advances in photovoltaics with varying degrees of visible light transparency. We discuss the figures of merit necessary to characterize transparent photovoltaics, and outline the requirements to enable their widespread adoption in buildings, windows, electronic device displays, and automobiles. Read more here.
RSC Adv., 2016, 6, 95693
Daniel L. A. Fernandes, Cristina Paun, Mariia V. Pavliuk, Arthur B. Fernandes, Erick L. Bastos and Jacinto Sa
A scalable and green procedure for the microfluidic flow synthesis of monodisperse silver nanoparticles is reported. Beetroot extract is used both as a reducing and growth-regulating agent. A multi-objective genetic algorithm was used to automate the optimization of the reaction and reduce sample polydispersity observed in previous reports. The proposed methodology ensures high-quality nanoparticles in a rapidly manner and devoid of human skill or intuition, essential for method standardization and implementation. Read article here.