IIT Mandi Researchers Develop Low-Cost Method for Ultrathin Metal Oxide Layers in Solar Cells

Indian Institute of Technology Mandi has made a significant breakthrough in the development of metal oxide layers for use in advanced architecture silicon solar cells.

The researchers have developed a low-cost process to produce ultrathin films of metal oxides from cheaper starting materials using an aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition technique to deposit nickel oxides thin film on silicon substrate.

The current methods for developing nanometric thin films of nickel oxide are prohibitively expensive, making it less likely for such technology to be commercially viable.

This new method has the potential to revolutionize the solar industry by reducing the cost and complexity of current production techniques.

The generated IP will contribute towards ATMANIRBHARTA in the area of advanced architecture silicon solar cells.

Explaining the process, Dr Kunal Ghosh, IIT Mandi, said, “Aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition is a technique used to produce high-quality, uniform thin films on various surfaces, including silicon, by delivering a vapor phase precursor in the form of an aerosol. The aerosol enables the deposition of a wide range of oxide based materials with high precision, making it a versatile and cost-effective method for various applications in materials science and engineering.”

Dr. Ghosh addedOur research shows that it is possible to develop a cost-effective and scalable process for the production of metal oxide layers for solar cells. This new method has the potential to revolutionize the solar industry by reducing the cost and complexity of current production techniques. Additionally, as the whole process including the equipment is developed in-house, the generated IP will contribute towards ATMANIRBHARTA in the area of advanced architecture silicon solar cells.”

At present, India has the capacity to manufacture 3GW of solar cells and 15GW of modules. But, the government has set a target to increase the domestic manufacturing capacity to 25GW for both solar cells and modules, and 10GW for wafers by April 2023. Therefore, research like this is essential for the growth of India’s solar industry.