From daily news and career tips to monthly insights on AI, sustainability, software, and more—pick what matters and get it in your inbox.
Access expert insights, exclusive content, and a deeper dive into engineering and innovation.
Engineering-inspired textiles, mugs, hats, and thoughtful gifts
We connect top engineering talent with the world's most innovative companies.
We empower professionals with advanced engineering and tech education to grow careers.
We recognize outstanding achievements in engineering, innovation, and technology.
All Rights Reserved, IE Media, Inc.
Follow Us On
Access expert insights, exclusive content, and a deeper dive into engineering and innovation.
Engineering-inspired textiles, mugs, hats, and thoughtful gifts
We connect top engineering talent with the world's most innovative companies
We empower professionals with advanced engineering and tech education to grow careers.
We recognize outstanding achievements in engineering, innovation, and technology.
All Rights Reserved, IE Media, Inc.
Scientists tracked chemical changes inside working solar cells.
Researchers in Australia have developed a new laser-based technique that allows them to observe in real time how ultraviolet (UV) radiation damages silicon solar cells and how they can naturally repair themselves under sunlight.
The new monitoring approach, which was created by scientists at the University of New South Wales (UNSW), makes it possible to track chemical changes in high-efficiency solar cells during UV exposure.
Led by Xiaojing Hao, PhD, a professor at the University of New South Wales and lead author of the paper, the project could transform how solar panels are tested, designed, and certified for long-term outdoor use.
“This new method can be used directly on the production line to quickly check how well solar cells resist UV damage, making it useful for future quality control during manufacturing,” Hao said. 
Silicon solar cells, which dominate the photovoltaic (PV) market, are particularly susceptible to ultraviolet-induced degradation (UVED). Prolonged UV exposure significantly reduces their efficiency. 
Studies report that silicon solar cells’ drop in performance can reach 10 percent after the equivalent of 2,000 hours of exposure to UV radiation during accelerated testing. While they can partially recover during normal operation, this effect has been observed only in electrical output. 
To address the challenge, Hao and her team now designed a non-destructive tracking method capable of monitoring chemical changes inside working solar cells at the microscopic level. 
For the project, the team used a technique called ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy. It identifies a material by shining a laser on it and analyzing how the light scatters to reveal the material’s molecular vibrations.
“This technique works a bit like a camera,” Ziheng Liu, PhD, a photovoltaic and renewable energy engineering, and corresponding study author, said. “Instead of just measuring how much power the cell produces, we can directly see how the material itself is changing in real time.”
Using the new method, the researchers directly observed how UV radiation alters chemical bonds involving hydrogen, silicon, and boron atoms near the surface of high-efficiency silicon solar cells. 
The scientists found that these changes weaken the surface passivation layer, reducing the cell’s ability to convert sunlight into electricity. Once the cell was again exposed to visible light, the chemical structure returned to its original state. 
Ang Liu, PhD, an associate professor at UNSW, revealed that the hydrogen atoms migrated back toward the surface, broken bonds were repaired, and the material recovered. “This confirms that recovery is not just an electrical effect,” he stated. “The material itself is repairing at the atomic level.”
According to the team, the findings have significant implications for how solar panels are tested and certified. Accelerated aging tests expose solar panels to intense UV radiation to simulate years of outdoor use. However, reversible degradation can lead to overstated losses and unrealistic damage.
By distinguishing between temporary and irreversible material changes, the new monitoring method provides a great basis for improving the tests. “That distinction is essential for accurate lifetime prediction,” Liu said in a press release.
The Raman-based method can detect UV sensitivity in seconds while leaving the solar cell intact. It could be used to screen new materials, process conditions, or design changes before cells are built into full solar panels. In addition, it could be adapted for in-line quality control.
“This work gives us a clearer picture of how solar cells behave in the real world,” Hao concluded. “With better monitoring tools, we can design better tests, better panels, and ultimately more reliable solar energy systems.”
The study has been published in the journal Energy & Environmental Science.
Based in Skopje, North Macedonia. Her work has appeared in Daily Mail, Mirror, Daily Star, Yahoo, NationalWorld, Newsweek, Press Gazette and others. She covers stories on batteries, wind energy, sustainable shipping and new discoveries. When she's not chasing the next big science story, she's traveling, exploring new cultures, or enjoying good food with even better wine.
Premium
Follow

source