Innovative ‘lift-off’ process
The institute claims the record was achieved using an innovative “lift-off” process, which involves using a rigid glass as a temporary base for the cell. A coat of polyamide (a flexible plastic) is added. The tandem cells are built on top of this layer, with the final flexible solar cell peeling off the glass.
This process differs from more traditional methods that tend to be built directly onto plastic. “Unlike conventional methods that use flexible polyimide film directly as the substrate, this approach utilizes rigid glass as a supporting base, allowing for more stable fabrication of the solar cells. The use of a flat, rigid glass substrate also ensures uniform layer deposition, leading to improved device performance and higher reproducibility,” the statement added.