Center for High-Efficiency Solar Cells

At the “Center for High-Efficiency Solar Cells”, we evaluate technologies that can achieve the highest PV efficiencies and implement them at the cutting edge of international research. A key focus here is the development of high-efficiency tandem solar cells, which are considered a promising future technology in photovoltaics. Fraunhofer ISE holds several world records in this field, including an absolute photovoltaic efficiency of 47.6 percent with a quad-junction solar cell based on a III-V multi-junction architecture. The range of applications for high-efficiency solar cells extends from conventional solar modules to powering satellites and electric vehicles, as well as self-sufficient sensors and electronic devices in a wide variety of fields.

The Center for High-Efficiency Solar Cells consists of several specialized laboratories, each tailored to the requirements of the respective technology and the targeted levels of technological maturity. This enables us, on the one hand, to conduct fundamental, exploratory development of new concepts and materials, and on the other hand, to facilitate a seamless transition to industrially viable solutions. Our laboratories thus offer a unique research platform for companies across various industries and stages of the value chain: they support the rapid transfer of research results into market-ready products, facilitate the evaluation of materials and technologies, and provide well-founded answers to scientifically and technically challenging questions.