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UNSW Sets Certified 10.7% Record for Antimony Chalcogenide Solar Cells

Researchers credit sodium sulfide for stabilizing growth to even out composition.

Overview

  • The Nature Energy paper documents a lab peak of 11.02% with a CSIRO‑certified 10.7% efficiency, the highest independently verified result for this material.
  • Uneven sulfur–selenium distribution was identified as an internal energy barrier, and adding a small amount of sodium sulfide during hydrothermal deposition produced a more uniform absorber.
  • The result secured the material’s first listing in the international Solar Cell Efficiency Tables, signaling recognition by the field’s record-keeping benchmark.
  • Antimony chalcogenide’s abundance, inorganic stability, strong light absorption in ultrathin layers, and low-temperature processing make it a compelling top‑cell candidate for silicon tandems.
  • Researchers aim to raise performance toward about 12% through defect passivation, with early commercialization efforts such as Sydney Solar’s window stickers progressing alongside scale‑up and durability work.