In May 2023, the journal Nature featured a cover article highlighting a breakthrough in flexible monocrystalline silicon solar cells developed by researchers at the Shanghai Institute of Microsystem and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The innovation achieved a device thickness of just 60 micrometers (1/15th the thickness of an A4 sheet), a bending radius under 5 mm, and a bending angle exceeding 360°, all while maintaining a 26.8% power conversion efficiency. This advancement addresses the longstanding mechanical brittleness challenge of monocrystalline silicon.
Technological Breakthrough
The team employed a mesoscopic symmetry modulation strategy, combining wet-chemical etching and dry plasma etching to smooth edges, transforming traditional V-shaped defects (with a stress concentration factor, Kt≈3.2) into U-shaped structures (Kt≈1.1). Finite element analysis revealed a 37% reduction in maximum strain, while molecular dynamics simulations confirmed a shift from brittle fracture to elastoplastic secondary shear band fracture, enhancing fracture toughness to 2.8 MPa·m¹/². The process targets only the 20-50 μm edge region, preserving >99.5% crystal integrity in core photovoltaic areas.
Source：SOLARBE GLOBAL
