
Los Alamos National Laboratory
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Neutron-based imaging to improve the efficiency of organic solar cells
July 15, 2013

Flexible, plastic solar cells are one step closer to a much-needed efficiency boost.
Revealing how to improve the efficiency of flexible solar cells
Organic photovoltaic (OPV) solar cells are flexible and cheap to manufacture, relative to standard, solid-state solar panels. But they are also 3–4 times less efficient, meaning they deliver 3–4 times less electrical power from the same amount of sunlight. New neutron reflectometry studies at Los Alamos, however, have revealed the layered internal structure of OPVs in detail, providing important clues about how to raise their efficiency.
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