Spin, an intrinsic property of electrons, is related to the dynamics of electrons excited as a result of singlet fission - a process which could be used to extract energy in future solar cell technologies.
Credit: Leah Weiss
In a new study, researchers measure the spin properties of electronic states produced in singlet fission - a process which could have a central role in the future development of solar cells. Future research will focus on making devices and examining how these states can be harnessed for use in solar cells - Leah Weiss Physicists have successfully employed a powerful technique for studying electrons generated through singlet fission, a process which it is believed will be key to more efficient solar energy production in years to come. Their approach, reported , employed lasers, microwave radiation and magnetic fields to analyse the spin of excitons, which are energetically excited particles formed in molecular systems. These are generated as a result of singlet fission, a process that researchers around the world are trying to understand fully in order to use it to better harness energy from the sun. Using materials exhibiting singlet fission in solar cells could make energy production much more efficient in the future, but the process needs to be fully understood in order to optimize the relevant materials and design appropriate technologies to exploit it. In most existing solar cells, light particles (or photons) are absorbed by a semiconducting material, such as silicon. Each photon stimulates an electron in the material's atomic structure, giving a single electron enough energy to move.
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