Photovoltaic photographs

Abstract

In the field of photovoltaics (PV), an important trend is to increase the aesthetic and creative design aspects of solar cells towards more attractive and customized devices for integration in for instance architecture, e.g. building integrated photovoltaics (BIPV). Here we introduce the concept of "photovoltaic photographs", defined as semi-transparent solar cells (STSC) that are treated with a light-induced process to integrate an image in the photoactive layer, allowing creative applications such as photovoltaic photographs, paintings, posters, etc. Contrary to previously reported patterning processes used in emerging photovoltaics such as inkjet printing or methods where patterned transparent foils are assembled on top of the solar cells, the approach proposed here to obtain a patterned 2D-photoactive layer, is by using a direct photo-induced patterning process based on photobleaching of chromophores. Proof-of-principle demonstrators have been realized using dye-sensitized solar cells and the obtained insights can open the way to the exploration of combining this concept with other PV technologies.