> Publications
Home › About us › News › HZB Newsroom

HZB Newsroom

Search for news

Sear results - Keyword: energy

Pouch cell Lab
NEWS
Battery research - SkaLiS project funded with 2.2 million euros The SkaLiS project aims to develop lithium-sulphur battery cells that are significantly more stable and powerful.
NEWS
Faster development of efficient solar cells and LEDs thanks to HZB spin-off Spin-off launches ready-to-use measurement instrument for optoelectronic devices
VIPERLAB is funded under the European Programme for Research and Innovation Horizon 2020 (Grant No 101006715).
NEWS
VIPERLAB: EU project aims to boost perovskite solar industry in Europe HZB is coordinating a major European collaborative project to open up new opportunities for the European solar industry. The VIPERLAB project involves 15 renowned research institutions from Europe, as well as Switzerland and Great Britain.
The launch event for the opening of the CatLab took place on 21 June. f.l.t.r.: Prof. Dr. Bernd Rech (HZB), Dr. Stefan Kaufmann (BMBF), Prof. Dr. Robert Schlögl (MPG)
NEWS
CatLab - Starting signal for a new generation of catalysts New joint research platform of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and the Max Planck Society starts operation
The first image taken by MYSTIIC: a standard image used to calibrate and measure the resolution of the new STXM.
NEWS
MYSTIIC at BESSY II: New X-ray microscope put into operation A new X-ray microscope has started operation at the Energy Materials in situ Lab (EMIL). It is a scanning transmission X-ray microscope designed to examine both sample surfaces and bulk sample.
From the measurement data, the team was able to determine that the xenon atoms first accumulate on the inner walls of the pores (state 1), before they fill them up (state 2). The X-ray beam penetrates the sample from below.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Direct observation of the ad- and desorption of guest atoms into a mesoporous... Batteries or catalysts are often porous structures with guest atoms. A team from HZB has observed at the PTB X-ray beamline for the first time directly how atoms migrate into a mesoporous model system.
The HZB team was able to determine the photoconductivity in the thin layers of rust using time-resolved microwave measurements; here is a picture of the measurement setup.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Green hydrogen: "Rust" as a photoanode and its limits Metal oxides such as rust are intriguing photoelectrode materials for the production of green hydrogen with sunlight. They are cheap and abundant, but in spite of decades of research, progress has been limited. Why? This study finds out.
A conductive AFM tip is used to scan the sample surface of an a-Si:H/c-Si interface under ultra-high vacuum on the nm scale, revealing the transport channels of the charge carriers via defects in the a-Si:H (red states in the magnified section).
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Solar cells: Losses made visible on the nanoscale Now, for the first time, a team at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and the University of Utah, USA, has experimentally shown how such contact layers generate loss currents on the nanometre scale and what their physical origin is.
The liquid solution of perovskite precursor, solvent, and additive flows from a slit-shaped nozzle onto the glass substrate being conveyed below.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
The perfect recipe for efficient perovskite solar cells hey have improved a process for vertically depositing a solution made from an inexpensive perovskite solute onto a moving substrate below.
NACHRICHT
21.01.: Seminar zu klimaneutralem Planen, Bauen und Betreiben Photovoltaik im Gebäudekonzept integrieren | DGNB Seminarreihe Klimaneutrales Planen, Bauen und Betreiben 21.Januar 14:30 - 16:00 Uhr
NEWS
CatLab - A beacon for future hydrogen research With CatLab, the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and two Max Planck Institutes are building a research platform for catalysis to achieve innovation advances in hydrogen research
The tomogram during the charging process shows the spatially resolved changes in the graphite electrode thickness of a rechargeable aluminium ion battery in a discharged and charged state.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
User research at BESSY II: Graphite electrodes for rechargeable batteries... A team of the Technical University of Berlin has investigated at the EDDI Beamline of BESSY II how the morphology of the graphite electrodes changes reversibly during cycling (operando).
The distribution of local pH change (ΔpH) with time in an electrolyte containing 0.5 M K2SO4.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Green hydrogen: buoyancy-driven convection in the electrolyte A team at HZB has now presented a method to visualise convection in the electrolyte and to reliably simulate it in advance with a multiphysics model. The results can support the design and scaling up of this technology.
Structural model of highly porous a-Si:H, which was deposited very quickly, calculated based on measurement data. Densely ordered domains (DOD) are drawn in blue and cavities in red. The grey layer represents the disordered a-Si:H matrix. The round sections show the nanostructures enlarged to atomic resolution (below, Si atoms: grey, Si atoms on the surfaces of the voids: red; H: white)
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Order in the disorder: density fluctuations in amorphous silicon discovered Such a-Si:H thin films have been used for decades in solar cells, TFT displays, and detectors. The results show that three different phases form within the amorphous matrix, which influences the quality and lifetime of the semiconductor layer.
Scalable large area BiVO4 photoanode on FTO with Ni current collectors.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Solar hydrogen: Let’s consider the stability of photoelectrodes This is the first operando stability study of high-purity BiVO4 photoanodes during the photoelectrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER). It shows how the stability of photoelectrodes and catalysts can be compared and enhanced.
This is how the extension hall will look after the scaffolding has been removed. The blue modules enclose the building like a bracket.
NEWS
Solar-cell façade at HZB undergoes real-life testing The solar cladding not only meets part of the power requirement, but is also a realistic laboratory in and of itself: an HZB team is monitoring the long-term behaviour of the modules under varying environmental conditions.
Dr. Tristat Petit receives the ERC Starting Grant from the European Research Council for his research on a new class of materials for the storage of electrical energy, the so-called MXenes.
NEWS
New Materials for Energy Storage: ERC Starting Grant for Tristan Petit ERC Starting Grant for Tristan Petit. At BESSY II, the materials researcher is using this grant to investigate a new class of materials for storing electrical energy, the so-called MXenes.
Structure of TUB75: the entire MOF architecture (top) and its conductive inorganic unit (bottom)
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Molecular architecture: New class of materials for tomorrow's energy storage TUB75 is the name of a newly created material from the class of metal-organic frameworks, or MOFs. It could open up new opportunities for energy storage.
Daniel Abou-Ras and his team identify the microscopic structure of a very good CIGS thin-film solar cell (top). It serves as a model for a computer simulation (below).
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Research team provides concrete approach to improve the performance of CIGS... What causes losses in thin-film solar cells? For the first time, a team of researchers has been able to confirm an assumption - and provide information on how CIGS thin-film solar cells can be optimized.
Integrated PV-EC device during performance tests in the outdoor test bed for realistic operating condition.
NEWS
Best electrolyser/photovoltaics combinations demonstrated in test fields One of the most promising ways to increase the availability of solar energy is to convert excess production into hydrogen. The PECSYS project has investigated the best possible material and technology combinations to facilitate such an operation.
The structure of crystalline silicon electrodes changes into a chessboard-like fracture pattern as a result of loading and unloading. At the HZB it has now been observed that these defects do not become larger during charging and discharging but remain in their pattern.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Hope for better batteries – researchers follow the charging and discharging of... The use of silicon in batteries promises to increase their capacity. At the HZB, charging and discharging was observed live for the first time and insights were gained into how the material can be used even more advantageously.
Grosspeter Tower, Basel 2016
NACHRICHT
Seminar für Architekt*innen Bauwerkintegrierte Photovoltaik: Architektur –... Im September veranstaltet die Beratungsstelle für BIPV „BAIP“ zusammen mit der Architektenkammer Niedersachsen ein Seminar für Architekt*innen zum Thema Bauwerkintegrierte Photovoltaik: Architektur-Gestaltung und Ausführung
NEWS
Facts, Research, Expertise: Helmholtz Climate Initiative starts new website New website of the Helmholtz Climate Initiative - www.helmholtz-klima.de
The LumY Pro is an easy-to-use, non-invasive and versatile system with unparalleled compactness to swiftly quantify absolute electro- and photoluminescence photon fluxes of thin film absorbers, layer stacks or complete devices under various operating conditions.
NEWS
Optimize opto-electronic devices with new compact measuring system In order to develop efficient opto-electronic devices such as solar cells or LEDs, it is crucial to improve the quality of the semiconductors. To achieve this, it is necessary to determine the luminescence yield of the semiconductor material. For this ...
Illustration of a CuxOy structure formed on a AgCu alloy in oxidizing environments described in this work. (c) ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
User research at BESSY II: Formation of a 2D meta-stable oxide in reactive... A research team from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Energy Conversion has now described an important phenomenon that can occur when metal alloys are exposed to reactive environments at the synchrotron source BESSY II.
Perovskite oxides are characterized by the molecular formula ABO3, where the elements A (green) and B (blue) are located on specific lattice sites and are surrounded by oxygen (red).
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Catalysts: Efficient hydrogen production via structure In order to produce regenerative hydrogen efficiently by electrolysis of water, researchers also investigate perovskite oxides. Dr. Marcel Risch has been invited to publish an overview article.
The material consists of Nafion with embedded nanoparticles.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
User research at BESSY II: How new materials increase the efficiency of direct... A group from Brazil and an HZB team have investigated a novel composite membrane for ethanol fuel cells. It consists of the polymer Nafion, in which nanoparticles of a titanium compound are embedded by the rarely explored melt extrusion process.
At the Helmholtz Innovation Lab HySPRINT, Steve Albrecht finds the appropriate techniques to produce the world's most efficient perovskite solar cells.
PORTRAIT
Portrait: The athlete in the lab coat Steve Albrecht is researching on perovskite solar cells and holds several efficiency world records with his team. Back in his schooldays, he was going to become either a competitive gymnast or a scientist. And he chose science.
The CIGS-Pero tandem cell was realised in a typical lab size of 1 square centimeter.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Tandem solar cell world record: New branch in the NREL chart The world-record cell combines the semiconductors perovskite and CIGS to a monolithic "two-terminal" tandem cell. It achieves a certified efficiency of 24,16 percent.
MXenes are 2D materials forming multi-layered particles (left) from which pseudocapacitors are made. Shining X-ray light on MXenes revealed changes of their chemical structure upon intercalation of urea molecules (right) compared to pristine MXenes (center).
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Fast and furious: New class of 2D materials stores electrical energy Two dimensional titanium carbides, so-called MXenes, are being discussed as candidates for the rapid storage of electrical energy. The intercalation of urea between the MXene layers can increase the capacity.
The x-ray tomography shows ruptures (black) in the regions of electrical contacts (white).
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Battery research: Using neutrons and X-rays to analyse the ageing of lithium... An international team has used neutron and X-ray tomography to investigate the dynamic processes that lead to capacity degradation at the electrodes in lithium batteries. Using a mathematical method, it was possible to virtually unwind electrodes.
Research on the EU project Sharc25 also took place in the EMIL laboratory, where thin films and materials can be analysed with X-rays from BESSY II.
NEWS
CIGSe thin-film solar cells: EU Sharc25 project increases efficiency The increases have been achieved through post-processing with alkali elements, and the procedures are suitable for industrial-scale production.
The tandem solar cell was realized on a typical laboratory scale of one square centimeter. However, scaling up is possible.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
World Record: Efficiency of perovskite silicon tandem solar cell jumps to 29.15... In the race for ever higher efficiency levels, an HZB development team is once again ahead. The scientists have developed a tandem solar cell made of perovskite and silicon, which converts 29.15 per cent of the incident light into electrical energy.
Mint plants have been analysed after having grown on contaminated soil samples.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Plants absorb lead from perovskite solar cells more than expected Lead from metal-organic perovskite compounds can be absorbed particularly easily by plants. The bioavailability is significantly higher than that of lead from inorganic compounds as found in batteries.
The graph visualizes the average temperature for Germany between 1881 and 2017; each strip stands for one year, based on the data set of the DWD.
NEWS
Invitation: Climate change - from knowledge to action Public debate on climate change with Fridays for Future and Scientists for Future, HZB and PIK. Thursday, 5.12.2019, 17:00 at Bunsen-Auditorium in Adlershof
The drawing illustrates the interaction of the organic methylammonium cation (CH3NH3+) with the surrounding iodide ions. The shift of the iodide atoms out of the common plane with lead causes the breaking of the inversion symmetry.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Perovskite solar cells: Possible aspects of high efficiency uncovered An HZB team has shown that hybrid halide perovskites crystallise without inversion centre. This can lead to the formation of ferroelectric domains, which, indirectly, can result in higher solar-cell efficiencies.
Die Energiewende und die Hürden bei ihrer Umsetzung standen im Fokus auf der Jahrestagung des Forschungsverbunds Erneuerbare Energien.
NACHRICHT
Jahrestagung FVEE zu aktuellen Herausforderungen der Energiewende Auf der Tagung zeigen die Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler u.a. auch aus dem HZB den dringenden Handlungsbedarf auf. Leitplanke für alle Maßnahmen der Politik sollten die Klimaziele von Paris sein.
Catherine Dubourdieu is head of the IFOX Institute at HZB and was elected now into the board of directors of the MRS.
NEWS
HZB Researcher on the Board of Directors of the Materials Research Society In September 2019, Prof. Dr. Catherine Dubourdieu was elected into the Board of Directors of the Materials Research Society (MRS). The MRS is one of the largest scientific associations and has almost 14000 members from various areas of the natural sciences ...
From left to right: Prof. Bernd Rech of HZB, Prof. Ulrich S. Schubert of CEEC Jena, and the President of Jena University, Prof. Walter Rosenthal, seal the cooperation.
NEWS
Memorandum of Understanding signed between University of Jena and HZB The Centre for Energy and Environmental Chemistry Jena (CEEC Jena) and HZB want to join forces to research novel energy storage materials and systems in the future.
The aim of Marcel Risch’s current project at HZB is to investigate the mechanism by which oxygen forms when water is split catalytically.
PORTRAIT
FOCUS TOPIC: From MIT to Wannsee For Marcel Risch, it feels like a homecoming: as a student, he had run experiments at BESSY II. After working for several years at MIT and then in Göttingen, he is now establishing his own group at HZB – supported by the European Research Council.
NEWS
Poster award for Maximilian Krause at the MC2019 Maximilan Krause, master student at HZB, won a prize for the best poster at the Microscopy Conference 2019 in Berlin. He then presented his research on highly efficient chalcopyrite thin-film solar cells.
The Pero-CIGS tandem cell achieves a record efficiency of 23.26 percent.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
World record for tandem perovskite-CIGS solar cell A team headed by Prof. Steve Albrecht from the HZB will present a new world-record tandem solar at EU PVSEC in Marseille, France on September 11, 2019.
The operando cell was developed at HZB and allows to analyse processes inside the battery during charging cycles with neutrons.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Nanoparticles in lithium-sulphur batteries detected with neutron experiment An HZB team has for the first time precisely analysed how nanoparticles of lithium sulphide and sulphur precipitate onto battery electrodes during the course of the charging cycle.
Congratulation to Javier Villalobos from the Young Investigator Group Oxygen Evolution Mechanism Engineering at HZB.
NEWS
Poster award for HZB doctoral student Javier Villalobos has been awarded for the best poster at the International Workshop on Correlated Dynamics in Energy Conversion (IWCE 19) in Göttingen.
Silvio Künstner (2nd from right) was awarded with five other young researchers at the EUROISMAR 2019 conference.
NEWS
HZB doctoral student won Young Scientist Award The "Journal of Magnetic Resonance" and the ISMAR (International Society of Magnetic Resonance) awarded Silvio Künstner with a Young Scientist Award. At the conference he presented the development of a miniaturized spectrometer.
NACHRICHT
Stellungnahme des FVEE: Ausbaudeckel für Photovoltaik behindert erfolgreiche... Der im EEG von 2012 festgelegte Stopp der Einspeisevergütung durch den 52 GW-Deckel läuft dem erforderlichen massiven Ausbau der Photovoltaik diametral entgegen. Der Forschungsverbund Erneuerbare Energien (FVEE) empfiehlt eine Änderung dieser Praxis.
Prof. Dr. Christiane Becker in the clean room at HZB campus side Berlin-Adlershof.
PORTRAIT
FOCUS TOPIC: Catching more light in solar cells Christiane Becker uses microscopic structures to increase the amount of light captured in solar cells and is currently scaling up the technology for industrial application.
The Physical Society of Berlin is awarding the Karl-scheel-Prize to Steve Albrecht.
NEWS
Steve Albrecht wins the 2019 Karl Scheel Prize This year's Karl Scheel Prize from the Physikalische Gesellschaft zu Berlin honours Steve Albrecht of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie for his work in the field of highly efficient tandem solar cell absorbers made of metal-halide ...
NEWS
Photovoltaics are growing faster than expected in the global energy system Not only the electricity sector, but also transport, heating, industry and chemical processes will in future be supplied primarily by solar power, because it is already the cheapest form of electricity generation in large parts of the world.
NEWS
Development of a miniaturised EPR spectrometer Several research institutions are developing a miniaturized electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) device with industrial partner Bruker to investigate semiconductor materials, solar cells, catalysts and electrodes for fuel cells and batteries.
The idea: during summer, a module with photovoltaic and catalytic materials is splitting molten ice into hydrogen (H2) and oxygen. The H2 is stored.
NEWS
Energy for Antarctica: solar hydrogen as an alternative to crude oil? Solar hydrogen could be produced from sunlight in summer as an alternative. Hydrogen has a high energy density, is easy to store, and can be used as fuel when needed later without polluting the environment. Matthias May (HZB) and Kira Rehfeld (Heidelberg ...
Bassi presented results on new phases in the quaternary Fe-Ti-W-O system for application as photoelectrocatalyst in light-assisted water splitting.
NEWS
Posterprize for HZB postdoc Prince Saurabh Bassi Dr. Prince Saurabh Bassi was awarded the poster prize at “International Bunsen-Discussion-Meeting on Fundamentals and Applications of (Photo) Electrolysis for Efficient Energy Storage”. He is a postdoctoral fellow working with Prof. Sebastian Fiechter in the ...
NEWS
Bernd Stannowski is Professor at the Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin Prof. Dr. Bernd Stannowski has received and accepted a call for a joint S-Professorship for "Photovoltaics" at the Beuth University of Applied Sciences Berlin. The physicist heads the working group "Silicon Photovoltaics" at the Competence Center Thin Film ...
A green laser pulse initially excites the electrons in the Cu2O; just fractions of a second later, a second laser pulse (UV light) probes the energy of the excited electron.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Copper oxide photocathodes: laser experiment reveals location of efficiency loss Solar cells and photocathodes made of copper oxide might in theory attain high efficiencies for solar energy conversion. In practice, however, large losses occur. Now a team at the HZB has been able to use a sophisticated femtosecond laser experiment to ...
Tomography of a lithium electrode in its initial condition.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
3D tomographic imagery reveals how lithium batteries age Lithium batteries lose amp-hour capacity over time. Microstructures can form on the electrodes with each new charge cycle, which further reduces battery capacity. Now an HZB team together with battery researchers from Forschungszentrum Jülich, the University ...
By co-evaporation of cesium iodide and lead iodide thin layers of CsPbI3 can be produced even at moderate temperatures. An excess of cesium leads to stable perovskite phases.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Inorganic perovskite absorbers for use in thin-film solar cells A team at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin has succeeded in producing inorganic perovskite thin films at moderate temperatures using co-evaporation – making post-tempering at high temperatures unnecessary. The process makes it much easier to produce thin-film ...
SnSe is a highly layered orthorhombic structure. SnSe undergoes a phase transition of second order at 500°C with an increase of the crystal symmetry from space group Pnma (left) to Cmcm (right).
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
High-efficiency thermoelectric materials: new insights into tin selenide Tin selenide might considerably exceed the efficiency of current record holding thermoelectric materials made of bismuth telluride. However, it was thought its efficiency became enormous only at temperatures above 500 degrees Celsius. Now measurements at the ...
Frederike Lehmann earned an award for her presentation at the annual meeting of the German Society for Crystallography.
NEWS
PhD student of HZB earns Best Presentation Award of the Young Crystallographers Frederike Lehmann received a prize for her presentation at the annual conference of the German Society of Crystallography in Leipzig on 28 March 2019.
The SEM shows Molybdenum sulfide deposited at room temperature.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Catalyst research for solar fuels: Amorphous molybdenum sulphide works best Efficient and inexpensive catalysts will be required for production of hydrogen from sunlight. Molybdenum sulphides are considered good candidates. A team at HZB has now explained what processes take place in molybdenum sulphides during catalysis and why ...
Johannes Sutter received an award for his poster on solarcells at the NIPHO19.
NEWS
Poster award for Johannes Sutter PhD student at HZB was awarded a poster prize at the "International Conference on Perovskite Solar Cells, Photonics and Optoelectronics (NIPHO19)". The conference took place from 25-27 February 2019 in Jerusalem.
Dr. Marcel Risch has been awarded with an ERC Starting Grant and will continue his research at HZB.
NEWS
Marcel Risch to form research group at the HZB with an ERC Starting Grant The Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) will be further strengthened in its research on solar fuels. Dr. Marcel Risch, who recently obtained an ERC Starting Grants, is moving from Georg August Universität, Göttingen to the HZB. Starting in March 2019, the ...
Facade with integrated CIGS thin-film solar modules at the institute building of the ZSW in Stuttgart.
NEWS
Thin-film PV is key technology to drive global energy transition The German research institutes ZSW and HZB see huge potential in CIGS for both climate and business.
NEWS
HZB to participate in two Clusters of Excellence HZB to participate in two Clusters of Excellence
New solutions are available to integrate PV into the building skin. One beautiful example is the Copenhagen International School.
NEWS
Towards the Climate Neutral City: Independent consulting office for integrating... Towards the Climate Neutral City: Independent consulting office for integrating photovoltaics into buildings
Neutrons (red arrows) detect the presence of Lithium ions which have migrated into the silicon anode.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Batteries with silicon anodes: Neutron experiments show how formation of... Batteries with silicon anodes: Neutron experiments show how formation of surface structures reduces amp-hour capacity
NEWS
Two new Helmholtz Young Investigator Groups will start in 2019 New young investigator Groups wanted to investigate catalytic materials and processes.
Marcus Bär, here in EMIL lab at HZB, has accepted a professorship at FAU in South-Germany.
NEWS
Marcus Bär accepts W2 professorship for X-ray spectroscopy in Erlangen-Nuremberg Marcus Bär accepts W2 professorship for X-ray spectroscopy in Erlangen-Nuremberg
Marko Topic, Bernd Rech, Janez Krc, Benjamin Lipovsek, Steve Albrecht, Marko Jost, Borut Pahor (f.l.t.r)
NEWS
Slovenian president awards HZB scientist with "Apple of Inspiration" Slovenian president awards HZB scientist with "Apple of Inspiration"
Steve Albrecht is heading the junior investigator group "Perovskit Tandem Solar Cells" at the HZB.
NEWS
Steve Albrecht is Junior Professor at the Technical University of Berlin Steve Albrecht is Junior Professor at the Technical University of Berlin
The molecule organises itself on the electrode surface until a dense, uniform monolayer is formed.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Molecules that self-assemble into monolayers for efficient perovskite solar... Molecules that self-assemble into monolayers for efficient perovskite solar cells
New at HZB: DAAD MOPGA Fellow Dr. Yutsung Tsai.
NEWS
"Make our Planet great again": New Research Group at the HZB institute of... "Make our Planet great again": New Research Group at HZB
The illustration shows a molecule with an iron atom at its centre, bound to 4 CN groups and a bipyridine molecule. The highest occupied iron orbital is shown as a green-red cloud. As soon as a cyan group is present, the outer iron orbitals are observed to delocalize so that electrons are also densely present around the nitrogen atoms.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Transition metal complexes: mixed works better A team at BESSY II has investigated how various iron-complex compounds process energy from incident light. They were able to show why certain compounds have the potential to convert light into electrical energy. The results are important for the development ...
The SEM image shows the cross-section of a silicon perovskite tandem solar cell.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
New records in perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells through improved light... Using microstructured layers, an HZB team has been able to increase the efficiency of perovskite-silicon tandem solar cells, achieving 25.5 %, which is the highest published value to date. At the same time, computational simulations were utilized to ...
Andriy Zakutayev (NREL), member of the jury, has awarded Fredrike Lehmann for her poster at ICTMC-21 in Boulder, Colorado, USA.
NEWS
Poster award to HZB doctoral student Frederike Lehmann from the HZB Department Structure and Dynamics of Energy Materials received a poster award at an international conference, the ICTMC-21 in Boulder, Colorado, USA. She presented her results on the synthesis and characterization of hybrid ...
Doped Diamond Foam.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Nanodiamonds as photocatalysts Diamond nanomaterials are considered hot candidates for low-cost photocatalysts. They can be activated by light and can then accelerate certain reactions between water and CO2 and produce carbon-neutral "solar fuels". The EU project DIACAT has now doped such ...
John Uhlrich, Editor-in-Chief at Wiley VCH presented an award to Quentin Jeangros, EPFL, and Eike Köhnen, HZB, for their outstanding posters (from left to right).
NEWS
Poster award for HZB PhD student Eike Köhnen received an award for his poster on perovskite silicon tandem cells at the 4th International Conference on Perovskite Solar Cells and Optoelectronics (PSCO) in Lausanne, Switzerland. He is a PhD student in the Junior Research Group on Perovskite ...
Principle of a silicon singlet fission solar cell with incorporated organic crystalls
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
HZB researchers boost the efficiency of silicon solar cells The efficiency of a solar cell is one of its most important parameters. It indicates what percentage of the solar energy radiated into the cell is converted into electrical energy. The theoretical limit for silicon solar cells is 29.3 percent due to physical ...
The computer simulation shows how the electromagnetic field is distributed in the silicon layer with hole pattern after excitation with a laser. Here, stripes with local field maxima are formed, so that quantum dots shine particularly strongly. Picture. C. Barth/HZB
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Machine learning helps improving photonic applications Photonic nanostructures can be used for many applications, not just in solar cells, but also in optical sensors for cancer markers or other biomolecules, for example. A team at HZB using computer simulations and machine learning has now shown how the design ...
The nanostructure for capturing light is imprinted on silicon oxide (blue) and then "levelled" with titanium oxide (green). The result is an optically rough but smooth layer on which crystalline silicon can be grown.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Patented nanostructure for solar cells: Rough optics, smooth surface Thin-film solar cells made of crystalline silicon are inexpensive and achieve efficiencies of a good 14 percent. However, they could do even better if their shiny surfaces reflected less light. A team led by Prof. Christiane Becker from the Helmholtz-Zentrum ...
Alejandra Villanueva Tovar, Pavlo Perkhun, Erin Looney, Tom Veeken, Gizem Birant, Harald Reinhold (from left) have been awarded with an HQCQ 2018.
NEWS
Hanwha Q-Cells Quantsol Awards 2018 Six young researchers received a Hanwha Q-Cells Quantsol Award for their self-developed Photovoltaics. This award is presented by the organizers of the international summer school Quantsol together with the industry.
View into the new HySPRINT laboratory at HZB, where perovskit solar cells can be produced and tested. Photo: HZB/M. Setzpfandt
NEWS
2.8 Mio Euro Funding for preparing perovskite solar cells for high volume... HZB participates in a new consortium for Perovskite solar technology that is led by Oxford PV Germany GmbH. The consortium is funded by the German Ministry of Economics and Energy with 2.8 Million Euros and aims to further demonstrate the manufacturability of ...
The HySPRINT logo (Helmholtz Innovation Lab) printed on a copper solution symbolizes how the thinnest material layers can be produced simply and cost-effectively. Possible applications are solar cells, organic LEDs or transistors. Photo
NEWS
Printing solar cells and organic LEDs Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin form a joint lab and research group "Generative production processes for hybrid components”.
The analysed perovskite cell has a surface of 1 cm2. Credit. Uni Potsdam
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Insight into loss processes in perovskite solar cells enables efficiency... In perovskite solar cells, charge carriers are mainly lost through recombination occurring at interface defect sites. In contrast, recombination at defect sites within the perovskite layer does not limit the performance of the solar cells at present. Teams ...
Antonio Abate is an internationally renowned perovskite researcher.
NEWS
ERC Starting Grant awarded to Antonio Abate HZB scientist Dr. Antonio Abate has been awarded an ERC Starting Grant for his research project on perovskite solar cells. The ERC Starting Grant supports outstanding researchers in an early phase of their scientific careers with up to 1.5 million euros over ...
Übergabe der Technologieberichte an den parlamentarischen Staatssekretär Thomas Bareiß (BMWi) durch Prof. Dr.-Ing. Manfred Fischedick und Dr. Peter Viebahn, (Wuppertal Institut) sowie Prof. Dr. Martin Wietschel (Fraunhofer ISI) und Juri Horst (IZES gGmbH). Quelle: Susanne Eriksson/BMWi
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Wissenstransfer: Neues Standardwerk zu Energietechnologien in Deutschland Vertreter des Wuppertal Instituts haben dem Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWi) einen mehrbändigen Bericht zu Energietechnologien übergeben. Dabei haben Experten aus dem HZB-Institut PVcomB am Themenfeld Photovoltaik mitgewirkt. Im Herbst ...
Katherine Ann Mazzio was awarded for her poster contribution at the ICT2018 in Caen.
NEWS
Poster award für HZB scientist at ICT2018 At the International Conference on Thermoelectrics in July in Caen, France, Dr. Katherine Ann Mazzio from the HZB Institute of Nanospectroscopy received a prize for her poster. The conference is the world's largest symposium on thermoelectric materials.
The homepage: http://grafox.pdi-berlin.de/
NEWS
HZB expert contributes to Leibniz platform GraFOx The platform "GraFOx" of the Leibniz Association bundles the activities and competences of Berlin research institutes and universities in the field of oxide research for electronic applications. Now Prof. Dr. Catherine Dubourdieu has been involved as an ...
The transparent anti-corrosion layer contains Rhodium nanoparticles as a catalyst. Credit ACS Energy Letters.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
New world record for direct solar water-splitting efficiency Hydrogen will play a central role as a storage medium in sustainable energy systems. An international team of researchers has now succeeded in raising the efficiency of producing hydrogen from direct solar water-splitting to a record 19 per cent. They did so ...
Zum Download des Spektrum Kompakt
NACHRICHT
Kostenloser Download: HZB-Forschung in Spektrum Kompakt Noch bis zum 9. Juli steht das Spektrum Kompakt "Energiewende", herausgegeben vom Spektrum-Verlag, zum kostenlosen Download zur Verfügung. Darin enthalten ist eine 13-seitige Sonderveröffentlichung des HZB, aufgeteilt in drei Beiträge. Nach Ablauf des ...
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Silicon heterojunction solar cell with a certified 23.1 % energy conversion... After further optimization of the baseline process for industrial silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells, the accredited metrology lab ISFH CalTeC now certified an efficiency of 23.1 % for a 4 cm² solar cell. This performance is among the best in the ...
Perovskite-based tandem solar cells can achieve now efficiencies better than 25%.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Perovskite-silicon solar cell research collaboration hits 25.2% efficiency A 1 cm2 perovskite silicon tandem solar cell achieves an independently certified efficiency of 25.2 %. This was presented this week at an international conference in Hawaii, USA. The cell was developed jointly by HZB, Oxford University and Oxford PV - The ...
Semi transparent PV-elements in the train station in Perpignan, France.
NEWS
Alliance Building Integrated Photovoltaics: Björn Rau joins Management Board The General Meeting of Alliance for Builiding Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) has unanimously elected physicist and photovoltaic expert Dr. Björn Rau, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin, to the BIPV Management Board.
NEWS
HZB experts present cooperation opportunities at Intersolar Europe in Munich The international exhibition "Intersolar” brings photovoltaic research and the solar industry together. It is a perfect opportunity for researchers from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin to present thin-film photovoltaic technologies and projects, including for ...
After two years of postdoctoral research at HZB, Dr. Charles Hages has received an appointment as Assistant Professor at the University of Florida.
NEWS
Appointment to University of Florida Dr. Charles Hages has received an appointment as Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Florida. Hages has been a postdoctoral researcher at HZB in the Department of Structure and Dynamics of Energy Materials for ...
The Quantsol will be held from 2. to 9. September 2018 in Hirschegg, Kleinwalsertal, Austria.
NEWS
Registration for Summer School Quantsol is now open! It is already the eleventh time that the International Summer School on Photovoltaics and New Concepts of Quantum Solar Energy Conversion (Quantsol) will be held from 2. to 9. September 2018 in Hirschegg, Kleinwalsertal, Austria. The school is organized by ...
More than 50 participants from Israel and Berlin initiated the international research school HI-SCORE with a kick off meeting.
NEWS
HI-SCORE international research school: Kick Off Meeting in Berlin The international research school on solar energy promotes exchange between Germany and Israel and excellent conditions for PhD students.
PCN nanolayers under sunlight can split water.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Solar–to-hydrogen conversion: nanostructuring increases efficiency of... Polymeric carbon nitrides exhibit a catalytic effect in sunlight that can be used for the production of hydrogen from solar energy. However, the efficiency of these metal-free catalysts is extremely low. A team at the Tianjin University in China, in ...
Benjamin Rotenberg is a guest researcher at the HZB-Institute for Solar Fuels in 2018.
NEWS
Guest researcher at HZB: Bessel Prize Winner Benjamin Rotenberg Prof. Benjamin Rotenberg has received a Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Research Prize from the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation for 2018 and will be spending time regularly as a guest researcher at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin. Rotenberg is a researcher of the ...
Pencil, paper and co-polymer varnish are sufficient for a thermoelectrical device.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Hidden talents: Converting heat into electricity with pencil and paper Thermoelectric materials can use thermal differences to generate electricity. Now there is an inexpensive and environmentally friendly way of producing them with the simplest of components: a normal pencil, photocopy paper, and conductive paint are sufficient ...
NEWS
Joint graduate school for data science sponsors its first projects The Helmholtz Association, the Einstein Center Digital Future (ECDF) and the universities of Berlin are creating a new PhD programme in Berlin for the field of data science. Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin is involved in several of the projects. The first training ...
NEWS
HZB launches Helmholtz International Research School in collaboration with... On 1st February 2018, the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) has established the Helmholtz International Research School HI-SCORE, which will be oriented towards solar energy research. To accomplish this, HZB is collaborating with the Weizmann Institute in ...
SEM-images of the different perovskite solar cell architectures, left with planar interface, right with mesoporous interface. Images are coloured: metal oxide (light blue), interface (red), perovskite (brown), hole conducting layer (dark blue), topped with contact (gold). Scale bar is 200 nm.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Perovskite solar cells: mesoporous interface mitigates the impact of defects The nominal cell operating life of perovskite solar cells is strongly influenced by their inner architecture.This was shown by two scientists at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and the Technical University of Munich. They combined experiments with numerical ...
Simplified cross-section of a perovskite solar cell: the perovskite layer does not cover the entire surface, but instead exhibits holes. The scientists could show that a protective layer is being built up which prevents short circuits.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Perovskite solar cells: perfection not required! Experiments at BESSY II reveal why even inhomogeneous perovskite films are highly functional
NEWS
Progress in solar technologies – from research to application EU group project presents its results: high efficiencies with less material
The energy yields of CIGS modules under real world conditions can be measured on a outdoor testing platform at PVcomB.
NEWS
PVcomB and AVANCIS launch joint MyCIGS research project in order to improve... The Competence Centre Thin-Film- and Nanotechnology for Photovoltaics Berlin (PVcomB) is contributing its expertise to improving copper-indium-gallium-sulphide (CIGS) thin-film production in the MyCIGS collaborative research project. CIGS-module manufacturer ...
ESR spectrometers usually require a lot of space. The ESR-on-a-chip fits a box 10 cm on a side.
NEWS
Miniaturised spectrometer wins first prize at international conference A Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) team together with experts at Ulm University and the University of Stuttgart have designed an electron spin resonance spectrometer that fits a box 10 cm on a side. The team presented the device to a technology jury at the ...
Guest at HZB: the 5th class from primary school "Am Lindenpark" in Nauen.
NEWS
Helmholtz Day in the HZB School Lab Do you know who Hermann von Helmholtz was? At this question, most of the primary school kids shook their head. Yet, the namesake of the Helmholtz Association was one of the most important natural scientists of the 19th century, and one of the last universal ...
NEWS
Approved! The EU INFINITE-CELL project A large EU-sponsored research project on tandem solar cells in which HZB is participating begins in November 2017. The goal is to combine thin-film semiconductors made of silicon and kesterites into especially cost-effective tandem cells having efficiencies ...
NEWS
Great Interest in the HySPRINT Industry Day: Joining forces to advance... No fewer than 70 participants attended the first Industry Day of the Helmholtz Innovation Lab HySPRINT devoted to the topic of perovskite solar cells at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) on 13 October 2017. This far exceeded the expectations of the event hosts. ...
Scientists at HZB are exploring the potential of metal organic perovskites for solar cells. Here a tandem solarcell is shown that combines perovskite with silicon.
NEWS
Invitation to HySPRINT – Industry Day “New Frontiers in PV Research: Emerging... On 13 October, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin will be hosting its first Industry Day on the topic of Perovskite Solar Cells. Following a recap of the current state of research and development and the future potential of perovskite solar cells, participants from ...
NEWS
Breakthrough at EMIL: First undulator radiation in the CAT experiment When the EMIL laboratory (Energy-Materials In-Situ Laboratory Berlin) was ceremoniously inaugurated a year ago in the presence of Federal Minister for Research Johanna Wanka, it was a major milestone for energy materials research at HZB. Ever since, HZB has ...
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Solar hydrogen production by artificial leafs: Scientists analysed how a special treatment improves cheap metal oxide photoelectrodes
Schematic of experimental setup for PEEM, the laser optics integrated sample holder and the sample.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Optical control of magnetic memory – new insights into fundamental mechanisms A research team at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) has shown for the first time how laser modulation of magnetic properties in materials is influenced by thermal effects and how the process occurs under moderate experimental parameters. At the same time, the ...
Scanning electron micrographs show a 10-micron planar deposition. The constituting silver crystals are about 100 nanometres in size.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Writing with the electron beam: now in silver For the first time an international team realized direct writing of silver nanostructures using an electron beam applied to a substrate. Silver nanostructures have the potential to concentrate visible light at the nanoscale. Potential applications include ...
Kickoff with a meeting on 19 June 2017: Prof. Borisenko, Dr. Rienks, Prof. Büchner (all IFW), the leader of the Young Investigator Group Dr. Fedorov; Dr. Varykhalov and apl. Prof. Rader (both HZB) (from left to right).
NEWS
Kickoff for Joint Lab with IFW Dresden The Leibniz Institute for Solid State and Materials Research Dresden (IFW) and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) have created a Joint Lab for "functional quantum materials” and under its umbrella a Young Investigator Group.
Schwebendes Ufo bei der Lange Nacht am HZB.
NACHRICHT
1130 Besucher bei der Langen Nacht der Wissenschaften am Standort Wannsee Das HZB begrüßte zur "Klügsten Nacht des Jahres" am 24. Juni 2017 mehr als tausend Gäste, darunter viele Kinder und Jugendliche. Quirliges Treiben auf unserer Wissenschaftsstraße, großer Andrang bei den Mitmach-Experimenten und beim Schülerlabor, ...
NACHRICHT
Die Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften am 24. Juni macht schlau - auch am HZB in... Das Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin lädt am Samstag auf dem Campus Wannsee zur Langen Nacht der Wissenschaft ein. Unsere Highlights für Sie: Führungen durch die Experimentierbereiche um den Forschungsreaktor, durch die Energie-Labore und den Beschleuniger für die ...
NEWS
New lab for electrochemical interfaces at BESSY II The Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) is establishing a joint lab together with the Max Planck Society (MPS) to study electrochemical phenomenon at solid/liquid interfaces. The Berlin Joint Lab for Electrochemical Interfaces, or BElChem for short, will employ ...
One example from the paper: operando radiography (A)- (C) shows how sulphur compounds (black features) are deposited on the carbon cathode (gray) of a lithium-sulphur cell during charging and discharging.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
HZB paper appears in special anniversary edition of the Journal of Physics D:... A paper on X-ray tomography of various types of batteries has been published as a highlight in the exclusive special edition of the Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics. Two groups at the HZB along with a team from Justus Liebig University in Giessen, ...
Intersolar Europe is the world’s leading exhibition for the solar industry and its partners and takes place annually at the Messe München exhibition center in Munich, Germany. © Solar Promotion GmbH
NEWS
Intersolar Europe in Munich: HZB research meets solar industry At the major international photovoltaics exhibition from 31 May to 2 June 2017, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) will be exhibiting solar energy research projects and presenting opportunities for industrial cooperation in the field of photovoltaics (PV).
The data show band gaps and efficiency levels of various perovskite materials. The efficiency levels for high band gaps fall due to undesired halide segregation effects.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Trends and pathways to high-efficiency perovskite solar cells Perovskite solar cells have been the big surprise over the last while: inside of only a few years, their efficiency level has been increased from just under 10 % to fully 22 %. There has never been such rapid progress in a new material for solar cells. ...
The porous structure of the nanoparticles is visible under the electron microscope. adfm.201701176
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Better cathode materials for Lithium-Sulphur-Batteries A team at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) has for the first time fabricated a nanomaterial made from nanoparticles of a titanium oxide compound (Ti4O7) that is characterised by an extremely large surface area, and tested it as a cathode material in ...
NEWS
New Helmholtz Young Investigator Group for electrochemical conversion of carbon... Dr. Matthew T. Mayer is setting up a Helmholtz Young Investigator Group in the field of energy materials research at HZB. He investigates how carbon dioxide and water can be converted electrochemically into hydrocarbons such as methane and methanol by using ...
The YIW2017's dynamic discussions crowd.
NEWS
The Young Investigators Workshop 2017 on Dynamic Pathways in Multidimensional... 24 scientists from various countries participated in the Young Investigators Workshop 2017 on Dynamic Pathways in Multidimensional Landscapes in Grainau am Eibsee in the Bavarian Alps. This workshop which was organized by Professor Alexander Föhlisch was ...
Nanodiamonds have been modified by attaching different molecules.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Nanodiamonds as energy materials: tuning the functionalities An international team has shed light onto interactions between nanodiamonds and water molecules. Experiments at synchrotron sources showed how hydrogenated groups on nanodiamond surfaces change the network of hydrogen bonds in the aqueous environment and may ...
Learning about solar fuels and photovoltaics goes green. The summerschool takes place from 3. to 10. september 2017 in the idyllic Kleinwalsertal, Austria.
NEWS
Registration open for Quantsol Summer School Newcomers and young scientists in solar energy research can register now for the 10. International Summer School on Photovoltaics and New Concepts of Quantum Solar Energy Conversion (Quantsol). The school is organized by the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and the ...
NEWS
CIGS Thin-film Solar Modules: HZB invites for workshop Global demand for photovoltaic systems is rising sharply. CIGS thin-film modules have become a hot topic for the solar industry. International experts will convene in Stuttgart on May 30, 2017, at the annual IW-CIGSTech workshop to discuss past and potential ...
Prof. Dr. Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Prof. Dr. Roel van de Krol, Dirk Mielke, Dr. Catherine Dubourdieu andMonica Wurfbaum (from left to right). Photo: HZB/J. Bierbaum
NEWS
Foundation stone laying ceremony for an energy research laboratory on Wannsee... A milestone has been reached in the expansion of energy materials research at the Lise-Meitner Campus: on 23 March 2017, the celebration was held for laying the foundation stone of a laboratory building that will offer a multitude of methods for synthesising ...
Chromium enhances the current density which is directly related to catalytic activity.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Finding and understanding low cost catalysts: it all comes down to the iron A team has investigated more than one hundred iron-nickel catalysts containing various admixtures of chromium. At BESSY II, they also analysed the configurations of the electrons in the individual elements. The team showed that an increasing proportion of ...
Dr. Eva Unger leads the Young Investigator Group Hy-Per-FORME.
NEWS
Young investigator group at HZB: Scaling perovskite cells The new Young Investigator Group Hy-Per-FORME led by Dr. Eva Unger is working on scaling all processing steps to enable manufacturing of perovskite solar cells on larger areas, thus brigding he gap between lab and industry.
Dr. Antonio Abate
NEWS
Dr. Antonio Abate sets up a new Helmholtz Young Investigator Group to improve... Dr. Antonio Abate sets up a Helmholtz Young Investigator Group at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and moved to Berlin a few days ago. His aim: He wants to improve Perovskite solar cells which are one of the most promising material classes to be discovered in the ...
Nanostructures trap the light, shows this illustration on the cover in Advanced Optical Materials.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
How to increase efficiencies of ultrathin CIGSe solar cells Nanoparticles at the back help harvesting the light.
With the upgrade BESSY VSR, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin will continue in future to offer a highly demanded synchrotron source for energy materials research with international appeal. Photo: ©: euroluftbild.de / Robert Grahn
NEWS
Green light for upgrading BESSY II into a variable-pulse-length storage ring... The General Assembly of the Helmholtz Association has unanimously endorsed the realisation of a unique accelerator project at the BESSY II synchrotron radiation source
NEWS
Young Investigators Workshop of the Helmholtz Virtual Institute "Dynamic... The Virtual Institute explores the governing principles of material’s function in an internationally highly visible centre of excellence. From now on, young scientists (PhD students, master students, and young postdocs) are invited to participate in the ...
NEWS
PVcomB will help mass-produce the raw photovoltaic materials used in Wysips®... Sunpartner Technologies and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin sign license agreement
NEWS
Graduate school MatSEC: New PhD students can apply now The first students of the graduate school MatSEC (Materials for Solar Energy Conversion) have defended successfully their PhD thesis. The graduate school, which is organised jointly by Dahlem Research School of Freie Universität Berlin, is now open for new ...
NEWS
Prof. Dr. Martina Schmid assumes the professorship of experimental physics at... On 1 January 2017, Martina Schmid assumed the W2 professorship of "experimental physics” in the Physics department of the University of Duisburg Essen. From 2012 to the end of 2016, Martina Schmid headed the Helmholtz Young Investigator Group ...
Dr. Matthew Mayer
NEWS
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin is establishing a Helmholtz Young Investigator Group... Dr. Matthew T. Mayer from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland, will be putting together a Helmholtz Young Investigator Group in the field of energy materials research at HZB. He will be researching into how carbon dioxide and ...
PFIA-molecules self-orient with their hydrophobic backbones outside (black lines) and their hydrophilic side-chains inside, in order to form nanometer sized water channels. Each side-chain possesses two docking points (red and yellow circles) for hydrogen ions (H+). These are acidic groups, shown in the magnifying glass.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Fuel cells with PFIA-membranes:
Dr. Antonio Abate from the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, is putting together a Helmholtz Young Investigator Group at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin.
NEWS
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin has gained a new Helmholtz Young Investigator Group to... The new group is working to prolong the life span of perovskite solar cells to 25 years and longer.
NACHRICHT
Wege zur CO2-freien Energieversorgung Sieben Helmholtz-Zentren arbeiten an Systemlösungen für die künftige Energieversorgung
NEWS
First Thermoelectrics Colloquium at HZB brought many experts together
The new Energy Materials In-Situ Laboratory (EMIL) offers direct access to hard and soft synchrotron x-ray radiation to investigate the chemical and electronic properties of catalysts and other energy materials.
NEWS
Research for Germany’s energy transition: EMIL@BESSY II approved for the... The storage of excess solar and wind power is one of the greatest challenges in Germany’s energy transition. To address this, the German Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) has created the "Power-to-X” (P2X) project under its ...
The funding will go towards optimising a co-evaporation process at PVcomB used for producing CIGS layers for thin-film solar cells. Photo: HZB
NEWS
Speeding up CIGS solar cell manufacture Speeding up CIGS solar cell manufacture
ANSTO: Adi Paterson and Simone Richter, HZB: Prof Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla and Thomas Frederking.
NEWS
HZB and ANSTO have extended their Memorandum of Understanding Advancing energy materials research together
from left: Prof. Robert Schlögl, Prof. Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Prof. Johanna Wanka, Prof. Otmar Wiestler, Dr. Jutta Koch-Unterseher, Thomas Frederking; Photo: HZB/D. Ausserhofer
NEWS
EMIL, a 2000-square-metre laboratory complex, has opened for research into new... After three years of construction, the Energy Materials In-Situ Laboratory (EMIL) is now open. The new laboratory complex for researching energy materials, annexed to BESSY II in Berlin-Adlershof, was ceremonially inaugurated with the involvement of the ...
Participants of the Autumn School 2016.
NEWS
Young researchers from eleven countries attended the Autumn School of the... From the 9th to the 14th of October 2016, the "Autumn School on Microstructural Characterisation and Modelling of Thin-Film Solar Cells” brought together lecturers and participants from eleven different countries. In the Akademie Berlin-Schmöckwitz, 30 ...
SEM – model of a metallic nano-network with periodic arrangement ( left) and visual representation of a fractal pattern (right).
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Nanotechnology for energy materials: Electrodes like leaf veins Nano-sized metallic wires are attracting increasing attention as conductive elements for manufacturing transparent electrodes, which are employed in solar cells and touch screen panels. In addition to high electric conductivity, excellent optical ...
Cover: WILEY-VCH
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Manual of characterisation techniques for thin-film solar cells published with... In August 2016, the second, enlarged edition of the reference book "Advanced Characterization Techniques for Thin-Film Solar Cells" appeared from renowned publisher WILEY-VCH. Co-editor is HZB researcher Dr. Daniel Abou-Ras. A total of eleven authors from HZB ...
Robert Seidel's results are important for the design of experiments and for the correct interpretation of data.
NEWS
Honoured with poster prize and introductory talk Mean free path of electron scattering in liquid water considerably shorter than supposed
NEWS
European project for thin film Kesterite Solar cells has reached its goals Eleven partners from different countries have joined forces in the EU-research project KESTCELLS from September 2012 until 31. August 2016. The mission was to train a new generation of experts and to increase the efficiencies of Kesterite solar cells. Now, at ...
Lithium ions migrate through the electrolyte (yellow) into the layer of crystalline silicon (c-Si). During the charging cycle, a 20-nm layer (red) develops on the silicon electrode adsorbing extreme quantities of lithium atoms.
NEWS
Silicon thin fims in Lithium-Ion-Batteries: Charging observed with neutron... The capacity of lithium-ion batteries might be increased theoretically by six times by using anodes made of silicon instead of graphite. A team from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) Institute of Soft Matter and Functional Materials has observed for the ...
Fabian Weber (right) is investigating the dynamics of electron processes within graphene-oxide quantum dots as a member of the team headed by Dr. Annika Bande (left). Quantum dots like these as catalysts could help make solar water splitting more efficient. Using Weber’s theoretical model, a much greater amount of information can be obtained from the empirical data gathered by the group headed by Dr. Tristan Petit.
NEWS
Two Freigeist Fellows interweave their research at HZB Two Freigeist Fellows are conducting research at the HZB Institute for Methods of Material Development through support received from the Volkswagen Foundation. Theoretical chemist Dr. Annika Bande is modelling fast electron processes, while Dr. Tristan Petit ...
NEWS
Topping-out ceremony for new accelerator hall at HZB The shell for the bERLinPro building – the test facility for an energy-recovery linear accelerator at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin – is now complete. The extremely complex structure was erected at the Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen Campus of HZB in ...
Design & Rendering: DGI Bauwerk
NEWS
Invitation - Topping-out ceremony for new accelerator hall at HZB The shell for the bERLinPro building – the test facility for an energy-recovery linear accelerator at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin – is now complete. The extremely complex structure was erected at the Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen Campus of HZB in ...
Prof. Klaus Lips, Prof. Emad Aziz and Dr. Alexander Schnegg (f.l.t.r) have been awarded with adjunct professorships by Monash-University.
NEWS
Monash University awards three HZB-scientist with adjunct professorships Cooperation between Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and Monash University, Melbourne, Australia, is thriving. Now, Monash University has awarded three HZB-scientists with adjunct professorships: Prof. Klaus Lips, Dr. Alexander Schnegg and Prof. Emad Aziz have ...
Opening Ceremony of the CIGSTech Workshop Photo: Zentrum für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung Baden-Württemberg (ZSW)
NEWS
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin at European Photovoltaic Solar Energy Conference On 23rd June, Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and the ZSW jointly organised the IW-CIGSTech 7 as a side event of the EU-PVSEC Conference in Munich. About 150 international attendees, mainly from Europe, Asia and North America came together to get an extensive ...
BFO has a perovskite crystal structure.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
New effect on laser induced switching for higher data densities An international collaboration has now demonstrated a completely new approach to increase data density in storage media. They used ultra-short laser pulses to trigger a phase transition in the ferromagnetic material BaFeO3 (BFO). Experiments at the Femtospex ...
Scanning electron microscopy in combination with EELS electron spectroscopy permits to visualise atomic positions of the individual atoms in the heterostructure: Superconducting regions of YBaCuO are identified by yttrium (blue) and copper (pink), the ferromagnetic layers by manganese (green) and lanthanum (red). Courtesy MPI Stuttgart.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Coexistence of superconductivity and charge density waves observed
NEWS
Helmholtz Innovation Labs: HySPRINT at HZB HZB will be setting up the new Helmholtz HySPRINT Innovation Lab for jointly developing new combinations of materials and processes in energy applications with commercial partners. Silicon and metal-organic perovskite crystals will be the centre point of the ...
Sebastian Schmidt demonstrating one of the CIGS-Modules.
NEWS
HZB receives financial support for improving the manufacturing process for CIGS...
The illustration depicts the characteristic spin orientation (arrows) of electrons in a topological insulator (below). Using an initial circular polarised laser pulse, the spins are excited and point up or down. This can be proven by a second linearly polarised laser pulse (above).
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Spintronics for future information technologies: spin currents in topological... An international team headed by HZB researcher Jaime Sánchez-Barriga has shown how spin-polarised currents can be initiated in a controlled manner within samples of topological insulator material. In addition, they were able to manipulate the ...
EU PVSEC 2015
NEWS
Intersolar Europe / EU PVSEC / 7th IW-CIGSTech Workshop 2016 – Munich, 20-24... We cordially invite you to visit the HZB booth during Intersolar Europe - The world’s leading exhibition for the solar industry and its partners from 22 to 24 June 2016 in Munich, Germany. Also the online registration is open for the EU-PVSEC and we ...
Dr. Catherine Dubourdieu is an internationally recognised expert in the field of functional oxides.
NEWS
Energy Materials: Dr. Catherine Dubourdieu sets up the institute “Functional... The Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) is boosting its energy materials research and setting up a new institute. Through the Helmholtz Recruitment Initiative, the HZB has gained renowned researcher Catherine Dubourdieu as Institute Director. In the newly ...
Foto: Wista Management GmbH
NACHRICHT
Veranstaltungstipp: „Battle den Horst“ – Science Slam mit HZB-Physiker am 14.... Der Science Slam "Battle den Horst" geht in die nächste Runde – dieses Mal mit Beteiligung eines HZB-Kandidaten. Beim Adlershofer Science Slam am 14. April erklären Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler, wie effizient Solarzellen sind und wie ...
The three-dimensional structural network of the ultra-porous and flexible material called DUT-49 can store large amounts of methane. © TU Dresden, Prof. AC1
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Energy storage materials under pressure Surprising discovery at BESSY II: the adsorption capacity of MOFs does not rise automatically with increasing pressure
NEWS
Young scientist award for Oliver Supplie The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Kristallzüchtung und Kristallwachstum (DGKK) presented Oliver Supplie with the DGKK Young Scientist Award on 16 March 2016. Supplie works at the TU Ilmenau and at the HZB, and accepted the prize worth 2,500 euros during the "1st ...
Preisträger des Helmholtz-Doktorandenpreises 2015 mit Otmar D. Wiestler (Mitte), Präsident der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft, und Stephanie Dittmer (rechts), Bereichsleiterin Strategie/ Impuls- und Vernetzungsfonds der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft, auf dem Neujahrsempfang 2016. Foto: Simone M. Neumann/helmholtz
NACHRICHT
Matthias May mit dem Doktorandenpreis der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft ausgezeichnet Dr. Matthias May erforschte in seiner Promotion am Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB), wie man mit Sonnenlicht noch effizienter Wasser spalten und in Form von Wasserstoff speichern kann. Für seine Arbeit erhielt er am 27. Januar 2016 den mit 5.000 Euro dotierten ...
Nano-island of graphene in which iron-nitrogen complexes are embedded. The FeN4 complexes (shown in orange) are catalytically active.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
An alternative to platinum: iron-nitrogen compounds as catalysts in graphene Teams at HZB and TU Darmstadt have produced a cost-effective catalyst material for fuel cells using a new preparation process which they analysed in detail. It consists of iron-nitrogen complexes embedded in tiny islands of graphene only a few nanometres in ...
Flexible CIGS module. Photo
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
The solar technologies race: thin-film photovoltaics are catching up ZSW and HZB present current data – with new opportunities for Europe’s solar industry
Sketch of the tandem cell.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Optimum band gap for hybrid silicon/perovskite tandem solar cell Tandem solar cells based on silicon and perovskites have raised high hopes for future high efficiency solar modules. A team led by perovskite solar cell pioneer Henry Snaith at the University of Oxford has now shown, with contributions by Bernd Rech and Lars ...
NEWS
MacQueen is researching into optical energy converters for generating fuels:... Dr. Rowan W. MacQueen will come in spring 2016 to the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) and will receive funding for his research project through the Helmholtz Postdoc Programme. He will be studying the optoelectronic properties at the boundaries of thin organic ...
Dr. Kathrin Aziz-Lange Foto: HZB / B. Schurian
NEWS
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin expands its solar fuel research: Kathrin Aziz-Lange... Dr. Kathrin Maria Aziz-Lange has won approval to set up a Helmholtz Young Investigator Group (YIG) addressing the topic of solar fuels at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB). She will receive 250,000 Euros in annual support for a period of five years, with half ...
Participants of the European Workshop on Nanophotonics for Solar Energy.
NEWS
European Workshop on Nanophotonics for Solar Energy On 25 and 26 November 2015, about 40 researchers from seven European countries visited Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin to attend the "European Workshop on Nanophotonics for Solar Energy”.
Photo: HZB/M. Setzpfandt
NEWS
ZEISS and the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin establish partnership Nanotechnology in support of leading research on renewable energy
NEWS
Uppsala Berlin Joint Laboratory “Our willingness to cooperate is our strength” Great political interest for the new Uppsala Berlin Joint Laboratory (UBjL): On the 4th of November, Sweden’s ambassador in Germany, Dr. Lars Danielsson, came personally to the HZB where the UBjL is established for the inauguration of the joint project.
NACHRICHT
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin auf der Jahrestagung des Forschungsverbunds... Vom 3. Bis 4. November 2015 findet die Jahrestagung des Forschungsverbunds Erneuerbare Energie (FVEE) im Umweltforum Berlin in Berlin statt. Schwerpunktthema ist in diesem Jahr die Wärmewende. Das Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin ist mit einem Infostand und Vorträgen ...
A cross section through the tandem cell is shown by this SEM-image.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Monolithic perovskite/silicon tandem solar cell achieves record efficiency Teams from the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland, have been the first to successfully combine a silicon heterojunction solar cell with a perovskite solar cell monolithically into a tandem device. The hybrid ...
Simone Raoux is a professor at the Department of Physics at HU Berlin and is happy to show students the workings of BESSY II.
NEWS
Simone Raoux becomes a Professor at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Prof. Dr. Simone Raoux has accepted the call to the W3-S professorship "Nanospectroscopy for Design and Optimisation of Energy-Related Materials” in the Department of Physics at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. The professorship is associated with ...
Lernen mit Blick auf die Alpen: 53 Teilnehmende aus aller Welt lernten bei der Quantsol-Sommerschule Grundlagen der Photovoltaik und solaren Brennstofferzeugung. Foto: HZB
NACHRICHT
Quantsol Sommerschule 2015 – erfolgreich im 8. Jahr Die International Summer School on Photovoltaics and New Concepts of Quantum Solar Energy Conversion (Quantsol) fand vom 6. bis 13. September 2015 zum achten Mal in Folge im österreichischen Hirschegg/Kleinwalsertal statt. Über 50 angehende Solarforscherinnen ...
price ceremony at the ECM29
NEWS
poster prize for Laura Elisa Valle Rios student at the European... The poster contribution of Laura Elisa Valle Rios (HZB-Department Crystallography) was awarded the CrystEngComm poster price of the Royal Society of Chemistry at the 29th European Crystallographic Meeting (ECM29) in Rovinj (Croatia). Laura Elisa, a PhD ...
New efficiency record: This small device is able to convert 14 percent of the incoming solar energy into hydrogen.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Hydrogen from sunlight: new efficiency record for artificial photosynthesis An international team has now succeeded in considerably increasing the efficiency for direct solar water splitting. They are using a tandem solar cell whose surfaces have been selectively modified. The new record value is 14 % and thus considerably above the ...
Sara Jäckle has demonstrated the formation of a pn-heterojunction at the interface between an organic contact and n-doped silicon. Photo
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Charge transport in hybrid silicon solar cells An HZB team headed by Prof. Silke Christiansen has made a surprising discovery about hybrid organic/inorganic solar cells. Contrary to expectations, a diode composed of the conductive organic PEDOT:PSS and an n-type silicon absorber material behaves more like ...
Manuela Göbelt is evaluating SEM-images to calculate the local degree of networking. Photo: Björn Hoffmann.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Transparent, electrically conductive network of encapsulated silver nanowires –... A team headed by Prof. Silke Christiansen has developed a transparent electrode with high electrical conductivity for solar cells and other optoelectronic components – that uses minimal amounts of material. It consists of a random network of silver ...
Dr. Tristan Petit will broaden his research on nanocarbon materials with the Freigeist Fellowship.
NEWS
Freigeist Fellowship for Tristan Petit For his project on nanodiamond materials and nanocarbon, Dr. Tristan Petit has been awarded a Freigeist Fellowship from the VolkswagenStiftung. The grant covers a five-year period and will enable him to establish his own research team. The VolkswagenStiftung ...
HZB Group at the ICT/ECT2015. From left to right: Dr. Klaus Habicht (Head of the Department for Methods for Characterization of Transport Phenomena in Energy Materials), Dr. Tommy Hofmann, Dr. Katharina Fritsch, Dr. Britta Willenberg, Dr. Katrin Meier-Kirchner
NEWS
HZB presents research on thermoelectrics The annual "International Conference on Thermoelectrics (ICT)” and the "European Conference on Thermoelectrics (ECT)” took place together from 29 June to 02 July 2015 in Dresden, Germany. For the first time, HZB participated in this international ...
Sunlight activates the catalytic behavior of diamond materials, thus helping to convert carbon dioxide into fine chemicals and fuels.
NEWS
Green solutions with diamond materials: Horizon 2020 invests 3.9 million Euro in research project to convert CO2 into fuels using sunlight and diamond materials
Promovierende der Graduiertenschule MatSEC
NACHRICHT
Forschungskolloquium der Graduiertenschule MatSEC Am 24. Juni trafen sich die Mitglieder der Graduiertenschule MatSEC zum halbjährlichen Forschungskolloquium auf dem Lise-Meitner-Campus. MatSEC wurde im Frühjahr 2013 unter dem Dach der Dahlem Research School der Freien Universität Berlin gegründet. Die ...
The illustration shows how maleimide compounds bind to the graphene surface. The graphene monolayer lies on a thin film of silicon nitride (red) that in turn is on a quartz microbalance (blue) and can be subjected to a potential via a gold contact (yellow).Illustration: Marc Gluba/HZB
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Towards graphene biosensors For the first time, a team of scientists has succeeded in precisely measuring and controlling the thickness of an organic compound that has been bound to a graphene layer. This might enable graphene to be used as a sensitive detector for biological molecules ...
Frostige Wissenschaften: Experimente mit flüssigem Stickstoff
NACHRICHT
Eine lange Nacht geballtes Wissen tanken Führungen an der Neutronenquelle, Experimente zur Energie für Groß und Klein, Licht-Show und vieles mehr
To obtain the 3D structure of the battery electrode on a micormeter scale, snchrotron tomography at BESSY II was used.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Realistic computer model of battery electrodes A research team has developed a new approach for more realistic computer models of battery electrodes. They combined images from synchrotron tomography that capture three-dimensional structure at micron resolution with those from an electron microscope that ...
At the MRS Spring Meeting in San Francisco, Kai Neldner was awarded for his poster contribution.
NEWS
Poster award for MatSEC PhD student at the MRS Spring Meeting The poster contribution of Kai Neldner (HZB-Department Crystallography) was awarded a poster price of the Symposium "Thin-Film Compound Semiconductors" at the MRS Spring Meeting in San Francisco. Kai Neldner, a PhD student in the HZB Graduate School ...
NEWS
Joint Lab BeJEL receives 1.4 million EUR grant The Berlin Joint EPR Laboratory (BeJEL) operated by HZB and Freie Universität Berlin has pulled in six of 27 subprojects within a DFG priority program to address"New Frontiers in Sensitivity for EPR Spectroscopy – from Biological Cells to Nano ...
Ah Reum Jeong has completed her PhD in physics at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, Korea. She now works as a postdoc in the Hybrid Material Systems & Nano-Analytics team of Dr. Marin Rusu.
NEWS
Poster Award for HZB-Postdoc at EMRS Spring Meeting During the spring meeting 2015 of the European Materials Research Society the Poster contribution of Dr. Ah Reum Jeong (HZB-Institute for Heterogeneous Material Systems) was selected for an award. The young scientist has presented results on electronic and ...
A short filmclip demonstrates the production of the photocathode with ILGAR method.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Artificial photosynthesis: New, stable photocathode with great potential A team at the HZB Institute for Solar Fuels has developed a new composite photocathode for generating hydrogen with high quantum efficiency using sunlight. This enables solar energy to be stored chemically.The photocathode consists of a thin film of ...
At the HZB Institute for Solar Fuels, also nanostructures in metal oxides are explored as efficient catalyst materials for artificial photosynthesis.
NEWS
Success rate 100 percent: HZB teams get third party funding for Solar Fuel... Converting solar energy and storing it in form of solar fuels, is one of the great scientific and technological challenges today to enable the transition into a more sustainable future powered by renewable energies. Scientists at the HZB institute for Solar ...
Illustration of the working principle of inkjet printing.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Inkjet printing process for Kesterite solar cells A research team at HZB has developed an inkjet printing technology to produce kesterite thin film absorbers (CZTSSe). Based on the inkjet-printed absorbers, solar cells with total area conversion efficiency of up to 6.4 % have been achieved. Although this is ...
PVcomB conducts research and technological improvement on CIGS solar cells, in close cooperation with industrial partners.
NEWS
New opportunities for CIGS solar cells Dynamic CIGS solar cell technology workshop gives rise to optimism: experts predict higher efficiencies and lean production technologies
Ultra-high vacuum system in the Energy Materials In-Situ Lab (EMIL) that will combine industry-relevant deposition tools with a suite of complementary advanced characterization methods.
NEWS
EU funding strengthens solar cell research at HZB Marcus Bär and his team are participating in two international projects being funded under the EU Horizon 2020 research programme. Both research projects are concerned with development and optimisation of high-efficiency thin-film solar cells based on ...
An ultrashort laser pulse activates iron pentacarbonyl as a catalyst. Scientists could observe the subsequent ultrafast processes experimentally by mapping the outer orbitals with an x-ray free electron laser and interpret the obtained energy maps using quantum chemical calculations.Illustration: SciStyle Thomas Splettstößer
NEWS
Femto-snapshots of reaction kinetics Bonding behaviour of iron pentacarbonyl experimentally decoded. Application as a catalyst for storing solar energy.
Leading scientists presented the research programme for the two new graduate schools, HZB is organising together with HUB and UP.
NEWS
New Opportunities for students in energy research: HZB starts two Graduate Schools with Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Universität Potsdam Friday, 27 March 2015, the start of two new graduate schools on solar energy research was celebrated at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB). Hybrid4Energy, the Graduate ...
Solar Solutions, hand made by the students. And they all work.
NEWS
Call for Applications open: International Summer University on Energy,... Excellent Master, Diploma, and PhD Students from all over the world from different disciplines are invited to participate in the international summer university ISUenergy2015. The ISUenergy2015 will take place from Aug. 23rd - Sept. 4th 2015 in ...
Experimentieren mit Spaß: Die Schülerlabor-AG trifft sich immer donnerstags in Wannsee. Foto: HZB
NACHRICHT
Eine neue Schülerlabor-AG am Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin experimentiert zu... Wie viel Strom verbraucht ein Smartphone? Wo kommt unser Strom her? Und ist er eigentlich teuer? Das Schülerlabor des Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin bietet am Standort Wannsee für Kinder der 5. bis 7. Klassen eine neue Arbeitsgruppe an. Immer donnerstags treffen ...
NEWS
Workshop on “Microstructure Characterization and Modeling for Solar Cells” The winter workshop was held in a beautiful location at Spitzingsee (Bayern) from 22. to 26. february 2015 and organised by Helmholtz Virtual Institute "Microstructure Control for Thin-Film Solar Cells". The next winter workshop will be planned for 2017.
Kesterite für Solarzellen und solare Brennstoffe: Die Graduiertenschule MatSEC vereint fächerübergreifende Experitise. Foto: HZB/Kodalle
NACHRICHT
Graduiertenschule MatSEC diskutiert über Kesterite für Solarzellen Am 2. Februar 2015 trafen sich die Mitglieder der Graduiertenschule MatSEC auf dem Lise-Meitner-Campus des HZB zum wissenschaftlichen Austausch. In der Graduiertenschule MatSEC forschen die Promovierenden an neuartigen Materialsystemen für die solare ...
Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Thomas Frederking, Gerhard Sagerer und Stephan Becker (v. l.) unterzeichnen den Kooperationsvertrag.Foto: Universität Bielefeld
NACHRICHT
Universität Bielefeld und HZB kooperieren zu Nanoschichten und komplexen... Im Februar 2015 haben Uni-Rektor Professor Dr.-Ing. Gerhard Sagerer, Uni-Kanzler Dr. Stephan Becker und die Geschäftsführer des HZB, Professorin Dr.-Ing. Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla und Thomas Frederking eine Vereinbarung über die Zusammenarbeit unterschrieben. ...
The scanning electron microscopies (SEM) show how regularly the funnels etched in a silicon substrate are arranged (left: the line segment = 5 microns; right: 1 micron). The funnels measure about 800 nanometres in diameter above and run down to about a hundred nanometres at the tip.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Learning by eye: silicon micro-funnels increase the efficiency of solar cells A biological structure in mammalian eyes has inspired a team headed by Silke Christiansen to design an inorganic counterpart for use in solar cells. With the help of conventional semiconductor processes, they etched micron-sized vertical funnels ...
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Janek, Universität Gießen
NEWS
Distinguished Lectures at HZB: Prof. Jürgen Janek will give talk about the... The search for new and the development of improved electrochemical energy storage systems stimulates world-wide research efforts in both academia and industry. While impressive improvements and cost reductions are still to be expected for lithium ionbatteries ...
Schon auf der Eröffnungsveranstaltung war das HZB gut vertreten. Viele Arbeitsgruppen freuen sich nun auf die enge Zusammenarbeit im neuen Joint Lab mit den Kolleginnen und Kollegen aus der Theorie und der Simulation. Foto: Andreas Kubatzki/HZB
NACHRICHT
BerOSE - Joint Lab für Modellierung von Nanooptischen Strukturen HZB gründet mit FU Berlin und Zuse Institut Berlin das "Berlin Joint Lab for Optical Simulations for Energy Research (BerOSE)"
180 scientists listened to the lectures. The aim of the dialogue is to identify future scientific fields as well as expectations, needs and requirements for BESSY II.
NEWS
BESSY II – From Pico to Femto – time resolved studies at BESSY II 180 scientists attended the workshop on time resolved studies
Prof. Bernd Rech (Foto: HZB) im Interview bei Welt der Physik
NACHRICHT
Heute schon geforscht? Bernd Rech im Podcast von Welt der Physik Im wöchentlichen Podcast der Internetplattform "Welt der Physik" spricht Bernd Rech, Leiter des HZB-Instituts für Silizium-Photovoltaik und Sprecher des Helmholtz-Forschungsprogramms Erneuerbare Energien, in der Folge 177 über aktuelle Trends zum Thema ...
Artificial catalysts imitate natural photo-synthesis.Image
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
The path to artificial photosynthesis HZB researchers describe efficient manganese catalyst capable of converting light to chemical energy
NACHRICHT
HZB baut Forschung an elektrochemischen Energiespeichern aus Arbeitsgruppen am HZB untersuchen neuartige Batteriesysteme und elektrochemische Energiespeicher im Helmholtz-Forschungsprogramm "Speicher und vernetzte Infrastrukturen"
The a-Si:H is deposited on a AZO-film that acts as a transparent front contact. A ITO-layer serves as rear contact. The organic sub-cell possesses a front contact made of a conductive polymer material (PEDOT) and a metallic rear contact.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Maximum efficiency, minimum materials and complexity Silicon-based thin-film solar cell with a supplementary organic layer can utilise infrared light as well
The new organic material is able to "add up” low-energy photons (red) to yield higher-energy light (blue), which can then be harvested by the solar cell.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Organic layer adds light particles Solar cells can only use photons with energies above a specific threshold to generate electricity. A German-Australian research collaboration has now combined solar cells with an organic material which can "add up” low-energy photons to yield ...
Logo der Jahrestagung FVEE 2014
NACHRICHT
Jahrestagung des ForschungsVerbund Erneuerbare Energien Unter dem Motto "Forschung für die Energiewende – Phasenübergänge aktiv gestalten" fand am 7. und 8. November die Jahrestagung des ForschungsVerbund Erneuerbare Energien (FVEE) im Umweltforum Berlin statt. Vertreter aus Wissenschaft und Politik ...
Exploded view drawing of the electrochemical flow cell for soft x-ray absorption and emission spectroscopy. The membrane (yellow) is coated with a metal, serving as working electrode (WE) and that also serves as a support for the solid sample. Counter (CE) and reference electrode (RE) are placed in the liquid chamber. Tubes are attached to allow fast and easy liquid exchange and to prevent radiation damage.
NEWS
New in situ cell for investigating solid- and liquid-state samples and their... A team headed by Dr. Kathrin Aziz-Lange has developed a new in-situ cell for X-ray spectroscopy of fluid samples and their interfaces to solid bodies. What is special is the cell contains electrodes that can expose the sample to voltage during or between ...
Das HZB beteiligt sich am Aufbau zweier Studiengänge an derTürkisch-Deutschen Universität in Istanbul. www.tau.edu.tr
NACHRICHT
Deutsch-Türkische Universität am HZB zu Gast Vizerektor und Dekan der Naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät besuchte mehrere Institute des HZB
HZB Freigeist Fellow: Dr. Annika BandeFoto: Mirko Krenzel for VolkswagenStiftung
NEWS
HZB Freigeist Fellow Dr. Annika Bande As of early October, the HZB is home to one of the Volkswagen Foundation's Freigeist Fellows: Dr. Annika Bande recently joined Prof. Dr. Emad Aziz' institute "Methods for Material Development". There she will build up her own junior research group with ...
NEWS
Tailored Disorder: Priority Programme starts with Kick-off-Meeting
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Tage der Forschung in Adlershof Am 25. und 26. September fanden in Adlershof die jährlichen Tage der Forschung statt. Das HZB bot rund 90 Schülerinnen und Schülern in drei unterschiedlichen Programmpunkten einen Einblick in die Welt der Forschung.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
German Society for Materials Science awards publication with HZB scientist as co-author At its annual conference on September 22, 2014, the German Society for Materials Science (DGM), presented the Werner Köster Award for best publication. The work, whose authors include HZB scientist Dr. Michael Tovar and which has been published in the ...
Bernd Rech will focus on renewable energy issues.
NEWS
Bernd Rech boardmember of the "work group of energy" Prof. Bernd Rech will speak on recent findings in thin film silicon photovoltaik research at the autumn meeting of the energy work group of the Deutsche Physikalische Gesellschaft. Rech had been elected into the board of the work group earlier this year.
Outstanding researchers took part in the "New Trends in Topological Insulators 2014” - workshop.
NEWS
Leading scientists on topological insulators met in Berlin From July 7-10, 150 researchers met in Berlin to discuss recent findings in the field of topological insulators.
Sebastian Seiffert forscht am HZB-Institut "Weiche Materie und funktionale Materialien" und leitet auch an der Freien Universität Berlin eine Arbeitsgruppe.
NACHRICHT
GDCh zeichnet Sebastian Seiffert aus Prof. Dr. Sebastian Seiffert erhält eine weitere Auszeichnung für seine Forschungsarbeit. Die Gesellschaft Deutscher Chemiker (GDCh) hat mitgeteilt, dass Seiffert den Preis für Nachwuchswissenschaftler auf dem Gebiet der Makromolekularen Chemie erhalten wird. ...
Prof. Dr. Leone Spiccia will spent research time at HZB next spring.
NEWS
Australian top-chemist gains Helmholtz International Fellowship to visit HZB... Prof. Dr. Leone Spiccia from the Monash University Melbourne was awarded the Helmholtz International Fellowship. In addition to the prize money of €20,000 each, he is invited to conduct research at HZB in Berlin and HZDR in Dresden. At HZB he is expected ...
Ammonium tungstate/PSS film surface: (a) SEM picture before pyrolysis; (b & c) SEM picture after pyrolysis.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Collecting light with artificial moth eyes Scientists at EMPA in Zürich and University of Basel have developed a photoelectrochemical cell, recreating a moth’s eye to drastically increase its light collecting efficiency. The cell is made of cheap raw materials – iron and tungsten oxide. ...
NEWS
Matthias May receives the Poster Prize at the Wilhelm und Else-Heraeus Seminar Matthias May, PhD student at the HZB Institute for Solar Fuels, was awarded a Poster Prize at the 562nd WE Heraeus Seminar "From Sunlight to Fuels” for his scientific work. From 11 to 16 May 2014, the participants of the WE Heraeus seminar concentrated ...
In den Pausen tauschten sich die Teilnehmer angeregt über die Vorträge und ihre eigenen Forschungsarbeiten aus. Foto: FAU
NACHRICHT
Das ganze Spektrum der Elektrokatalyse an einem Tag Am 4. April 2014 lud das Helmholtz-Institut Erlangen-Nürnberg (HI ERN) zu seiner ersten wissenschaftlichen Veranstaltung ein. Beim internationalen Symposium "Recent Achievements and Future Trends in Electrocatalysis" präsentierten zehn führende ...
NEWS
Prof. Dr. Silke Christiansen receives a distinguished visiting professorship at... The president of Chonbuk National University, Suh Geo-Suk, has appointed Prof. Dr. Silke Christiansen "Distinguished visiting Professor” for three years in recognition of her extraordinary services in the field of renewable energies. Christiansen ...
Was passiert mit Schokoküssen im Vakuum? Die beiden Jungen haben es zur Langen Nacht ausprobiert und einiges über das "Nichts" gelernt.
NACHRICHT
3.800 Menschen besuchten das HZB zur Langen Nacht der Wissenschaften "Schau rein, schlau raus" – das Motto der diesjährigen Langen Nacht der Wissenschaften dürfte sich für die Besucher am Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin mehr als erfüllt haben. 2.200 Mal öffneten sich am Samstag, dem 10. Mai die Türen des Elektronenspeicherrings ...
The optical properties of a material depend also on its nanostructure.
NEWS
Tailored disorder for optical applications HZB’s Silke Christiansen coordinates new DFG priority program
alle
NACHRICHT
Lange Nacht der Wissenschaften - 10. Mai, 17 bis 0 Uhr: Besichtigen Sie den... Der Countdown läuft. Nur noch wenige Tage sind es, bis wir die Türen für Sie zur Langen Nacht der Wissenschaften öffnen. Hinter den Kulissen ist schon viel los, bis es am Samstag, dem 10. Mai ab 17 Uhr richtig ernst wird: unsere Forscherinnen und Forscher ...
Intensity distribution of XUV light in the slit plane.
NEWS
New tool for Joint Lab to investigate the chemistry of nature The Aziz’ team at the Joint Laboratory between Freie Universität Berlin and HZB has built a laser-based tabletop setup which generates ultrashort XUV light pulses and achieves their monochromatization by implementing special reflection zone plates, ...
Das HZB präsentiert auf der Hannover Messe Themen aus dem Bereich Energieforschung auf dem Gemeinschaftsstand "Energy Research".
NACHRICHT
Das HZB auf der Hannover Messe Die Hannover Messe, die weltweit größte Industriemesse, wurde heute eröffnet. Das HZB ist als Aussteller auf dem Themenstand »Energy Research« in der Halle 2 Stand C.62 vertreten. Die Themenschwerpunkte in der Halle "Research & Technology" sind ...
The topography of the sample surface can be seen here (white lines around the nano-particles) as well as the local optical excitations. The image displays several "hot spots” (yellow) that arise through interactions of the nanoparticles with the light and also with one another.
NEWS
Even thinner solar cells through use of nanoparticles Nanostructures could enable more light to be directed into the active layer of solar cells, increasing their efficiency. Prof. Martina Schmid (HZB und Freie Univ. Berlin) has now measured how irregularly distributed silver particles influence the absorption ...
Advanced analytics for both thin film technologies with silicon as well as CIGS: Beside highly developed deposition tools, a comprehensive infrastructure was set up at PVcomB. Here, a glass substrate is loaded into a multi-chamber deposition tool where it will be deposited with only a few micrometers of silicon layers forming finally the active part a solar cell. Foto: Berlin Partner für Wirtschaft und Technologie / Monique Wüstenhagen
NEWS
New Thin Film Photovoltaic World Record announced on Conference in Berlin The 5th International Workshop on CIGS Solar Cell Technology organized bei Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) started with a bang. Katsumi Kushiya by the Japanese company Solar Frontier presented the approximately 100 participants a new world record conversion ...
Roel van de Krol, head of the HZB Institute for Solar Fuels, coordinates the global research project PECDEMO.Photo: P.Dera/HZB
NEWS
PECDEMO: sunlight to hydrogen Within just three years, research partners of the EU project PECDEMO are planning on developing a practical system capable of converting over eight percent of solar energy into hydrogen. This could prove a real breakthrough in terms of practical ...
The picture shows the characteristic spin texture (arrows) in a topological insulator (bottom) and how it is either probed by circularly polarized light (top) or manipulated by it (middle).
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Controlling electron spins by light Researchers of HZB manipulate the electron spin at the surface of topological insulators systematically by light
NEWS
The International Summer School Quantsol will inform on basics in photovoltaics... Registration now open! For the seventh time already young solar energy researchers are invited to attend the International Summer School on Photovoltaics and New Concepts of Quantum Solar Energy Conversion (Quantsol). The school will be held from September ...
NEWS
Autumn School on Microstructural Characterization and Modelling of Thin Film... From November 2 ‐ 7, 2014, an Autumn school is organised as part of the Helmholtz Virtual Institute Microstructure Control for Thin‐Film Solar Cells
The original structure of the material has an ABCABC arrangement of oxygen layers (left) – Due to the Li+H+ exchange during the charging process it degrades to ABBCCA (right).
NEWS
Why do Li-ion batteries age? Even the best Li-ion batteries degrade with time. A reason for this was now identified by researchers at HZB. They could directly observe at BESSY II and DORIS atomic rearrangements occurring in the cathode material of Li-ion batteries during charge and ...
ISUenergy participants experimenting during a practical.
NEWS
International Summer University on Renewable Energies: Registration now open On behalf of the ISUenergy Scientific & Organising Committee it is a great pleasure to announce the 6th International Summer University on Renewable Energies and to invite your applications for this year's ISUenergy .The ISUenergy2014 will take place from ...
A cluster tool for the research on new classes of materials and device structures for photovoltaic and photocatalysis applications. (Source: Altatech)
NEWS
A new cluster tool for EMIL The Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie (HZB) and Altatech, a subsidiary of Soitec, have launched a collaborative partnership to research and develop materials for the next generation of high-efficiency solar cells, including new classes of ...
In the initial state (left), the voids' internal surfaces are saturated with hydrogen atoms so that no defects are observed. Light-induced charge carriers (h+) destabilize atomic bonds. The breaking of atomic bonds causes defects (indicated by the vertical arrows on the right hand side), which translates to reduced solar cell efficiency.
NEWS
Light-induced degradation in amorphous silicon thin film solar cells Researchers at the Helmholtz Center Berlin (HZB) have taken a leap forward towards a deeper understanding of an undesired effect in thin film solar cells based on amorphous silicon – one that has puzzled the scientific community for the last 40 years. ...
The transformation from a layer of closely packed nanorods (top left) to a polycrystalline semiconductor thin film (top right) can be observed in by in-situ X-ray diffraction in real time. The intensities of the diffraction signals are color coded in the image at the bottom. A detailed analysis of the signals reveals that the transformation of the nanorods into kesterite crystals takes only 9 to 18 seconds.
NEWS
From a carpet of nanorods to a thin film solar cell absorber within a few... Research teams at the HZB and at the University of Limerick, Ireland, have discovered a novel solid state reaction which lets kesterite grains grow within a few seconds and at relatively low temperatures. For this reaction they exploit a transition from a ...
Scanning electron microscopy of a Perovskite-solar cell: on a glass substrate (glass and FTO) highly porous titanium dioxide is deposited, which is impregnated with perovskite. This film is covered by an organic hole transporting material (HTM) and gold contact.
NEWS
Understanding a new type of solar cell Perovskite based solar cells are a hot topic in energy research and Science Magazine has put it on the list of Breakthroughs in 2013. In only a few years their efficiency has increased from 3 % to more than 16 %. However, a detailed explanation of the ...
A chalcopyrite thin film solar cell is normally made up of five layers (left). HZB-scientists have managed to reduce the number of steps of production and uniting the functionalities of two layers into one single layer which does not contain cadmium. Grafic: R. Klenk/HZB
NEWS
HZB team develops chalcopyrite solar cells without cadmium-based buffer layer A single layer takes on the job of what used to be two layers, doing away with the wet chemical process. Despite a much simplified production method, efficiencies of greater than 18 percent are well within reach.
Participants of the HERCULES kickoff meeting on 21-22 November 2013 at Institut National d’Energie Solaire (INES) in Le Bourget du Lac near Chambéry, France.
NEWS
HERCULES has started: European collaboration will pave the way to the next... Sixteen leading European research institutes, universities and partners from industry have joined forces in order to collaborate closely on the development of next generation of crystalline silicon based solar cells and modules. Together they proposed a ...
NEWS
Producing high performance solar cells at lower cost Dr. Sebastian Brückner graduates "summa cum laude” on solar cells made from III-V semiconductors
High-Tech-Bau neben High-Tech-Bau: Das „Energy Materials In-Situ Laboratory Berlin“ (EMIL) entsteht als Anbau neben der Synchrotronlichtquelle BESSY II des HZB. Foto: HZB
NACHRICHT
Anbau an BESSY II im Rekordtempo: EMIL hat jetzt ein Dach über dem Kopf Das Forschungsgebäude für das neue Labor EMIL an BESSY II nimmt Form an: Am Mittwoch, 4. Dezember 2013, ab 13 Uhr feiert das "Energy Materials In-Situ Laboratory Berlin" Richtfest. Die Zeremonie findet auf dem Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen Campus des ...
Prof. Hans-Werner Schock (3.f.l.) receives the honorary doctorate at University of Tallinn.
NEWS
Honorary doctorate for Prof. Hans-Werner Schock Tallinn University of Technology (TTU) has named Prof. Hans-Werner Schock recipient of an honorary doctorate in recognition of Schock’s achievements during TTU’s integration into the Western research community after the 1990 fall of the Iron ...
Prof. Susann Schorr with participants of Graduate School MatSEC
NEWS
New Materials for Photovoltaics: HZB starting its first own Graduate School Well-structured Ph.D. program
Participants and mentors of this year’s Neutron Summer School.
NEWS
Neutron Summer School for the study of hydrogen storage materials An international group of students and scientists recently completed Margarita Russina’s second ever Neutron Summer School program. Just like last year, the Summer School took place in mid-September on the HZB’s Wannsee campus, offering ...
Graphene was deposited onto a glass substrate. The ultrathin layer is but one atomic layer thick (0.3 Angström, or 0.03 nanometers), although charge carriers are able to move about freely within this layer. This property is retained even if the graphene layer is covered with amorphous or polycrystalline silicon.
NEWS
Major leap towards graphene for solar cells Surprising result: Graphen retains its properties even when coated with silicon
NACHRICHT
Sommeruniversität für Erneuerbare Energien 52 junge Leute aus aller Welt haben sich vom 25. August bis 6. September mit den vielseitigen Aspekten Erneuerbarer Energien beschäftigt
World record solar cell with 44.7% efficiency, made up of four solar subcells based on III-V compound semiconductors for use in concentrator photovoltaics. ©Fraunhofer ISE
NEWS
World Record Solar Cell with 44.7% Efficiency With a solar cell efficiency of 44.7%, scientists around Dr. Frank Dimroth at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE achieved a new world record for the conversion of sunlight into electricity. They used a new solar cell structure with four ...
Prof. Dr. Harry Tuller, MIT, was a guest-scientist at the institute for solar fuels.
NEWS
Interview with MIT-Expert Harry Tuller When can we hope to store solar energy in form of hydrogen with an efficient and cheap solution? What is motivating young people to get involved into science these days? And how does is come that many scientists really love to work, even after the official ...
Prof. Dr. Jürgen Mlynek, Katja Hessel, Dr. Wolfgang Heubisch, Joachim Herrmann, Prof. Dr. Johanna Wanka, Prof. Dr. Karl-Dieter Grüske, Prof. Dr. Harald Bolt, Prof. Dr. Achim Bachem, und Thomas Frederking
NACHRICHT
Kooperationsvertrag für Helmholtz-Institut Erlangen-Nürnberg unterzeichnet Die Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), das Forschungszentrum Jülich und das Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) gründen gemeinsam das Helmholtz-Institut Erlangen-Nürnberg für Erneuerbare Energien (HI ERN). In Anwesenheit von ...
Burial of the time capsule was part of the groundbreaking ceremony. Seen here are Klaus Lips, Anke Kaysser-Pyzalla, Birgit Schröder-Smeibidl, Markus Hammes, Bernd Rech, Axel Knop-Gericke (CAT project leader of the MPG's Fritz Haber Institute) and Thomas Frederking. Photo: Andreas Kubatzki/HZB
NEWS
Groundbreaking for EMIL On Monday, August 5, 2013, a festive groundbreaking ceremony was the official signal for the start of construction of the new BESSY II research lab EMIL. The new cutting-edge solar energy and catalysis research preparation and analysis lab "Energy Materials ...
NACHRICHT
Die Bauarbeiten beginnen: BESSY II erhält Anbau für neuen Laborkomplex Mit einem feierlichen Spatenstich beginnen am Montag, dem 5. August 2013 um 16:00 die Bauarbeiten für das neue Forschungslabor EMIL an BESSY II: Das "Energy Materials In-Situ Laboratory Berlin", kurz EMIL, wird als hochmodernes Präparations- und Analyselabor ...
When light hits the system, an electrical potential builds up. The metal oxide layer acts as a photo anode and is the site of oxygen formation. It is connected to the solar cell by way of a conducting bridge made of graphite (black). Since only the metal oxide layer is in contact with the electrolyte, the silicon solar cell remains safe from corrosion. A platinum spiral serves as the cathode where hydrogen is formed.
NEWS
The best of two worlds: Solar hydrogen production breakthrough Using a simple solar cell and a photo anode made of a metal oxide, HZB and TU Delft scientists have successfully stored nearly five percent of solar energy chemically in the form of hydrogen. This is a major feat as the design of the solar cell is much ...
NACHRICHT
Spektakulärer Einbau Industrienahe Anlage zur Herstellung von Dünnschichtsolarmodulen aus Kupfer-Indium-Gallium-Sulfid/Selenid am PVcomB komplett
Polycrystalline film growth during coevaporation in real time using in situ X-ray diffraction and fluorescence analysis.
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Watching solar cells grow For the first time, a team of researchers at the HZB led by Dr. Roland Mainz and Dr. Christian Kaufmann has managed to observe growth of high-efficiency chalcopyrite thin film solar cells in real time and to study the formation and degradation of defects that ...
NEWS
Masdar PV and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin partner to accelerate development of... • HZB’s first milestone achieved by succeeding in depositing a thin, crystalline 10μm layer of silicon on glass utilizing laser-crystallization
This complex solar cell is coated with two different catalysts and works like an "artificial leaf", using sunlight to split water and yield hydrogen gas.
NEWS
Polymer-coated catalyst protects "artificial leaf" Due to the fluctuating availability of solar energy, storage solutions are urgently needed. One option is to use the electrical energy generated inside solar cells to split water by means of electrolysis, in the process yielding hydrogen that can be used for ...
NACHRICHT
Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin stärkt Aktivitäten zur Forschung an solaren Brennstoffen in Zusammenarbeit mit der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg Gestern hat der Senat der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft seine Zustimmung gegeben für die Ansiedlung eines neuen Helmholtz-Instituts zur Erforschung Erneuerbarer Energien in Erlangen und Nürnberg, kurz HI ERN. Das Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie ...
Foto: Für das Forschungsinstitut IRESEN werden neue Gebäude errichtet. Foto: IRESEN
NACHRICHT
HZB-Forscher Ahmed Ennaoui in den Vorsitz von IRESEN gewählt Marokko liegt im Sonnengürtel der Erde, nutzt bislang aber noch hauptsächlich importierte fossile Brennstoffe, um den Strombedarf zu decken. Doch das Land will die Forschung zu Solarenergie verstärken. Eine wichtige Rolle dabei wird das Institut IRESEN ...
A German-US-collaboration explores photosynthesis with the help of light sources as SLAC or BESSY II by taking snapshots of catalytic reactions. Illustration: Greg Stewart, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory
NEWS
Snap shots of one of life's central processes Human Frontier Science Program provides funding of 900,000 US Dollars in support of international collaboration on photosynthesis.
Dünnschicht-Solarzellen - hier so genannte CIGS-Zellen - haben ein großes Entwicklungspotenzial. In den letzten Jahren erzielen Forscher immer wieder neue Wirkungsgradrekorde.
NACHRICHT
In der Dünnschicht-Photovoltaik liegt enormes Potenzial - Experten für... Die Krise in der Solarbranche ist noch nicht durchgestanden. Chinesische Unternehmen dominieren mit Billigpreisen den Markt für Solarmodule, aber auch in Asien können viele Unternehmen dem Wettbewerbsdruck nicht standhalten. Einen Wettbewerbsvorteil können ...
SCIENCE HIGHLIGHT
Magnetic fingerprints of interface defects in silicon solar cells detected Using a highly sensitive method of measurement, HZB physicists have managed to localize defects in amorphous/crystalline silicon heterojunction solar cells. Now, for the first time ever, using computer simulations at Paderborn University, the scientists were ...
NACHRICHT
Mit Mathematik die Sonne besser nutzen - das Virtuelle Institut „Mikrostruktur-Kontrolle für Solarzellen“ am HZB schafft breites Expertennetzwerk Das Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) koordiniert seit kurzem ein Virtuelles Institut, das sich intensiv und mit einem breit angelegten Forschungsansatz modernen Solarzellen widmet. Es ist ein Schulterschluss von Forschern aus verschiedenen ...
NEWS
International summer school Quantsol conveys basics of photovoltaics and solar... For the sixth year in a row, future solar researchers are invited to attend the HZB’s International Summer School on Photovoltaics and New Concepts of Quantum Solar Energy Conversion – Quantsol. The summer school program is scheduled for September ...
Upon contact between the oxygen atoms protruding from the backbone and the metal, the molecules' internal structure changed in such a way that they lost their semiconducting properties and instead adopted the metallic properties of the surface.
NEWS
Organic Electronics - How to make contact between carbon compounds and metals Organic electronics has already hit the market in smart-phone displays and holds great promise for future applications like flexible electroluminescent foils (a potential replacement for conventional light bulbs) or solar cells that convert sunlight to ...
Scanning Electron Microscopy of Nanowires of Silver. They have diameters around 0,1 micrometer and lenghts between 5 and 10 micrometern.
NEWS
New Options for transparent contact electrodes Found in flat screens, solar modules, or in new organic light-emitting diode (LED) displays, transparent electrodes have become ubiquitous. Typically, they consist of metal oxides like In2O3, SnO2, ZnO and TiO2 .
NEWS
MIT's Prof. Tuller named new recipient of Helmholtz International Fellow Award World-renowned expert for solid state electrochemistry to conduct research at HZB
NACHRICHT
PD Dr. Silke Christiansen verstärkt Energieforschung Die Werkstoffwissenschaftlerin PD Dr. Silke Christiansen leitet ab Januar 2013 am Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin das neue Institut "Nanoarchitekturen für die Energiewandlung". Damit baut das HZB die Solarenergieforschung weiter aus. Für den Aufbau des Instituts ...
Prof. Dr. Klaus Lips
NACHRICHT
Klaus Lips ist Professor an der Freien Universität Berlin Prof. Dr. Klaus Lips hat den Ruf auf die W2-Professur "Analytik für die Photovoltaik" am Fachbereich Physik der Freien Universität Berlin angenommen und wurde im Dezember 2012 offiziell ernannt. Gleichzeitig ist Klaus Lips wissenschaftlicher Leiter des ...
NACHRICHT
Henning Döscher erhält Marie-Curie-Fellowship der Europäischen Union Seit August erforscht er solare Brennstoffe am National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in den USA
Zinc oxide nano-rods as anti-reflective coating on a CIGSe solar cell.©HZB
NEWS
European Union allocates 10 million Euros to thin film solar cell project European research consortium's German partners to include Berlin's Helmholtz Centre and Free University
PVcomB sets sputter systems from Leybold Optics in operationFrom right to left: Dr. Bernd Stannowski and Dr. Sven Ring,PVcomB, Berlin
NEWS
PVcomB sets sputter system from Leybold Optics in operation Berlin competence centre for photovoltaics commences full operation with small modules
Experimentieren mit schönster Kulisse: Die Sommerschule ISUenergy vermittelt rund zwei Wochen lang die Grundlagen der erneuerbaren Energien.
NACHRICHT
Sommerschule zu Erneuerbaren Energien in der Schweiz: Noch können Bewerbungen... Die Internationale Sommer-Universität zu Erneuerbaren Energien, ISUenergy 2012, findet vom 19.08. bis zum 31.08.2012 im Schweizerischen Falera statt. Master- und Diplomstudenten sowie Doktoranden, die teilnehmen möchten, können sich noch in den nächsten ...
NACHRICHT
“Das Rennen ist noch nicht gelaufen“ Photovoltaics Thin-Film Week: Forschung als Chance für Solarwirtschaft
In CIS/CIGSe-Solarzellen ist die Dichte an Korngrenzen hoch.HZB-Wissenschaftler konnten mit bislang unerreichter AuflösungAtomlagen unmittelbar an den Grenzflächen analysieren.Foto: HZB
NACHRICHT
Atomwanderung im Grenzgebiet: Mit bislang unerreichter Auflösung analysieren... Dünnschichtsolarzellen werden zukünftig einen großen Anteil am Photovoltaik-Markt haben, davon sind viele Experten überzeugt. Die Zellen aus Kupfer-Indium-Gallium-Selenid oder -Sulfid (CIGSe, CIS) unterscheiden sich in vielen Dingen von der klassischen ...
NACHRICHT
Energie-Allianz Berlin-Potsdam-Jülich: Forschung verspricht völlig neue... Das Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin und das Forschungszentrum Jülich bilden zusammen mit der Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, der Universität Potsdam und der Freien Universität Berlin eine der drei neuen Energie-Allianzen, die von der Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft ins Leben ...
Red light from a laser pointer is converted into higher-energy yellowlight as it passes through the liquid photochemical upconverter.Source: University of Sydney, Australia
NEWS
Photochemical Turbo Power for Solar Cells How organic molecules make yellow light from red.
In ein Messe- und Ausstellungsgelände verwandeln wird sicham 5. und 6. Juni der Park des Schlosses Bellevue.Bundespräsidialamt und DBU veranstalten zum vierten Mal die"Woche der Umwelt". Auch das HZB ist dabei.
NACHRICHT
Vorfahren zum Schloss Bellevue: Das HZB darf sich auf der Woche der Umwelt... Letzte Woche bekam das HZB die offizielle Zusage, dass es bei der Leistungsschau für umweltfreundliche Technologien vor dem Schloss des Bundespräsidenten dabei sein wird. Die Veranstaltung findet am 5. und 6. Juni statt. Etwa 550 interessierte Unternehmen und ...
A chalcopyrite thin-layer solar-cell at the sun-simulator test stand.©HZB
NEWS
ILGAR achieved efficiency record HZB-scientists have received simultaneous confirmation of two records in efficiency levels for CIS thin film solar-modules.
Comb-shaped, interdigitated metal contacts on the side facingaway from the sun of back-contact silicon heterojunction solarcells. Pictured are several test cells on a single silicon wafer.Image source: HZB/Jan Haschke
NEWS
Back-contact heterojunction solar cell by HZB and ISFH achieves record... Independent testing lab confirms 20.2 percent
Depiction of catalyst nanoparticles: The particles (coloured)adhere to a substrate (grey). They are imaged by electrontomography. For imaging, the data are processed using novelalgorithms.
NEWS
Three-Dimensional Characterization of Catalyst Nanoparticles Catalysts will forever be a part of modern technology. They are crucial to industrial chemical processes, are fundamental to low-emission cars and will be essential for energy production inside next generation fuel cells. In a cooperative between Helmholtz ...
Mikroskopaufnahme einer Schicht aus Kupfer-Indium-Sulfid (CIS)
NACHRICHT
Messmethoden im Vergleich: Wie dünne Schichten für Solarzellen am besten... Alles Gute ist nie beisammen. In der Welt komplexer Geräte gilt dies in besonderem Maße. Will man beispielsweise einen neuen Fernseher oder ein Smartphone kaufen, nutzen deshalb viele Konsumenten vergleichende Bewertungen wie zum Beispiel von Stiftung ...
NACHRICHT
PVcomB kooperiert im Rahmen der Innovationsallianz Photovoltaik Mehrere Projekte sollen mit Industriepartnern am PVcomB umgesetzt werden
NACHRICHT
Thomas Hannappel erhält Stiftungsprofessur „Photovoltaik“ an der TU Ilmenau TU Ilmenau und HZB unterzeichnen MoU für eine enge Kooperation in der Photovoltaik
v.l.n.r.:Prof. Dr. Bernd RechLeiter Abteilung Silizium-Photovoltaik HZBProf. Dr. Anke Kaysser-PyzallaWissenschaftliche Geschäftsführerin HZBDr. Dan ArvizuVorstandsvorsitzender NRELDr. Ulrich Breuer Geschäftsführer HZB
NACHRICHT
Transatlantische Kooperation in der Solarforschung Das Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin vereinbart gemeinsam mit DLR und Forschungszentrum Jülich die Zusammenarbeit mit dem amerikanischen Energieforschungsinstitut NREL
Das Business-Speed-Dining bei einem der vier Wechsel derGERMAN HIGH TECH CHAMPIONS.Foto: Fraunhofer
NACHRICHT
ILGAR ist German High Tech Champion 2011 Verfahren des Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin ermöglicht umweltverträgliche Herstellung von Dünnschicht-Solarzellen
Prof. Dr. Hans-Werner Schock (Institutsleiter Technologie, HZB, links) und Dr. Frank Stubhan, CEO Centrotherm (Dünnschicht) besiegeln die Unterschrift mit Handschlag
NACHRICHT
centrotherm photovoltaics schließt Kooperationsvertrag im Bereich Dünnschicht... Download der Pressemitteilung als PDF
NACHRICHT
Bernd Rech über Solarenergie auf Deutsche Welle TV Bernd Rech vom Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin spricht auf Deutsche Welle TV über Solarenergie. "Prinzipiell scheint die Sonne in einer Stunde so viel auf die Erde, wie die Weltbevölkerung derzeit das ganze Jahr braucht. Das heißt, es ist 10.000 mal mehr. Es geht ...
NACHRICHT
Leuchttürme der Photovoltaik in Berlin Adlershof Das Kompetenzzentrum Dünnschicht- und Nanotechnologie für Photovoltaik Berlin (PVcomB) produziert erste Solarmodule. Zugleich Baubeginn des Zentrums für Photovoltaik (ZPV).
Im PVcomB können seit November Schichten mit einer Größe 30 cm x 30 cm produziert werden
NACHRICHT
Hochrangige Gäste kamen zur offiziellen Eröffnung des PVcomB am 30. März Zur Einweihungsfeier des PVcomB am 30. März haben sich hochrangige Gäste aus Politik und Wissenschaft die Klinke in die Hand geben. Georg Schütte, Staatssekretär im Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, der Berliner Wissenschaftssenator Jürgen Zöllner ...
Foto: Sebastian Bolesch / BMBF
NACHRICHT
Henning Döscher gewinnt Essay-Wettbewerb "Welt der Zukunft" Wissenschaftler können nur trockene Texte verfassen? Von wegen! Der Solarforscher Henning Döscher hat gestern dieses Vorurteil klar widerlegt: Er erzielte den ersten Preis im Essay-Wettbewerb "Welt der Zukunft ‚Energie 2050‘ ". Im Rahmen der ...
Die erste am PVcomB produzierte Silizium-Schicht auf 30x30 cm2 Glas
NACHRICHT
PVcomB produziert erste Schichten Ein neuer Abschnitt in der Geschichte des PVcomB hat begonnen: Am 15.11. erfolgte die erste eigene Beschichtung von 30 x 30 cm2 Glasmodulen mit amorphem Silizium. Die Deposition erfolgte an einer PECVD-Clusteranlage der Firma Applied Materials, Herzstück der ...
NEWS
Current loss tracked down by magnetic fingerprint HZB researchers solve the case of lost current in organic solar cells
Award ceremony in Valencia
NEWS
Untiring dedication to solar energy HZB researcher honoured with solar award for his successful research
Großflächenbeschichtung am Fraunhofer IST (Reiner Meier, BFF Wittmar)
NACHRICHT
Forschung für die Dünnschichtphotovoltaik - Fraunhofer IST und HZB vereinbaren... Wie kann der Wirkungsgrad von Solarzellen weiter gesteigert werden? Wie können die Kosten gesenkt werden? Antworten auf diese und andere Fragen zur Dünnschicht-photovoltaik geben das Fraunhofer-Institut für Schicht- und Oberflächentechnik IST und das ...
NEWS
Penetrable barriers – tunnelling welcome The boundaries between grains in certain thin-film materials are no obstacle to charge carriers. They even help prevent losses in charge transport. Researchers from Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin obtain experi-mental evidence for a bold theory.
NACHRICHT
Warum Dünnschichtsolarzellen aus Silizium altern Pressemitteilung
NACHRICHT
Photovoltaik-Forschung des HZB als Weltspitze bewertet Im Ranking eines internationalen Wissenschafts-Verlages über Forschungsleistungen auf dem Gebiet der alternativen Energien schneidet das HZB als beste europäische Forschungseinrichtung ab und belegt weltweit den 3. Platz.
NACHRICHT
Photovoltaik-Forschung des HZB als Weltspitze bewertet Im Ranking eines internationalen Wissenschafts-Verlages über Forschungsleistungen auf dem Gebiet der alternativen Energien schneidet das HZB als beste europäische Forschungseinrichtung ab und belegt weltweit den 3. Platz.
NACHRICHT
Millionen für die Solarenergie in Berlin-Adlershof - Bund fördert den Technologietransfer und Ausbildung in der Dünnschicht-Photovoltaik Ein Verbundprojekt von Forschungsinstituten und Hochschulen aus Berlin und Brandenburg hat den Zuschlag für die Förderung im Rahmen des Programms "Spitzenforschung und Innovationen in den neuen Ländern" erhalten. Das Programm wird vom Bundesministerium für ...
NACHRICHT
Millionen für die Photovoltaik Das Kompetenzzentrum "Dünnschicht- und Nanotechnologie für Photovoltaik Berlin (PVcomB)", ein Verbundprojekt von Forschungsinstituten und Hochschulen aus Berlin und Brandenburg, ist eines der Gewinnerprojekte des BMBF-Förderprogramms "Spitzenforschung und ...
NACHRICHT
Forschung, Technologie- und Marktentwicklung – die „Photovoltaics Thin-Film Week“ in Berlin Adlershof (20.–24.04.2009) Der Wissenschafts- und Technologiepark Adlershof (WISTA) entwickelt sich zu einem der weltweit führenden Standorte der Photovoltaik-Forschung und -Produktion.Vom 20. bis 24. April veranstalten hier das HZB – Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und ...
NACHRICHT
Emad Flear Aziz Bekhit erhält den Ernst-Eckhard-Koch-Preis Für seine Doktorarbeit an der Freien Universität Berlin hat Emad Flear Aziz Bekhit heute den Ernst-Eckhard-Koch-Preis erhalten. Emad Aziz hat eine Experimentierkammer gebaut, mit denen er wässrige Proben im Ultrahochvakuum spektroskopisch untersuchen kann. ...
NACHRICHT
Marcus Bär baut Nachwuchsgruppe zur Entwicklung von Dünnschichtsolarzellen am HMI auf Das Hahn-Meitner-Institut (HMI) baut im Bereich Solarenergieforschung ab sofort eine neue Nachwuchsgruppe auf. Wie die Helmholtz-Gemeinschaft mitteilt, gehört Dr. Marcus Bär zu den 13 jungen Forschern, die in das Förderprogramm aufgenommen werden. Der ...
Tomogramm einer mit Neutronen durchleuchteten Brennstoffzelle.
NACHRICHT
Wasser in laufender Brennstoffzelle sichtbar gemacht Wissenschaftlern des Berliner Hahn-Meitner-Instituts (HMI) und des Zentrums für Sonnenenergie- und Wasserstoff-Forschung (ZSW) in Ulm gelingt ein einzigartiger Blick in Brennstoffzellen. Obwohl eine Brennstoffzelle aus vielen Schichten undurchsichtiger ...
NACHRICHT
Magnetische Fingerabdrücke im Fotostrom Wissenschaftlern des Hahn-Meitner-Instituts Berlin (HMI) sowie der Freien Universität (FU) Berlin ist ein außergewöhnlicher Einblick ins Innere von organischen Materialien gelungen. Die Physiker konnten im Fotostrom erstmals eine Quantensignatur magnetisch ...
Modell des Hochfeldmagneten im Maßstab 1:5
NACHRICHT
Der weltweit stärkste Magnet für Neutronenexperimente wird in Berlin errichtet Der Kooperationsvertrag zwischen dem Hahn-Meitner-Institut Berlin (HMI) und dem National High Magnetic Field Laboratory (NHMFL) Tallahassee (Florida State University) zum Bau eines neuen Hochfeldmagneten ist unterzeichnet worden. Er wird der weltweit stärkste ...
NACHRICHT
Kompetenzzentrum Dünnschicht- und Nanotechnologie für Photovoltaik wird in Berlin aufgebaut Das Hahn-Meitner-Institut (HMI), die Technische Universität Berlin (TUB) sowie acht führende Industrie-Unternehmen unterzeichnen ein Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) zur Gründung des Kompetenzzentrum Dünnschicht- und Nanotechnologie für Photovoltaik.
Anordnung der Natriumatome im Natriumkobaltoxid, wenn 80% der verfügbaren Natriumplätze besetzt sind. Die Farben Rot und Blau entsprechen den zwei möglichen Positionen der Natriumatome.
NACHRICHT
Nanomuster bringen Strom unter Kontrolle: Natriumkobaltoxid als perfektes... Regelmäßige Muster aus Natriumatomen mit Strukturen im Nanometerbereich machen Natriumkobaltoxid zu einem perfekten Material für Laptop-Batterien, effiziente Kühlmittel oder Supraleiter – das berichten Wissenschaftler des Berliner ...
NACHRICHT
Ein Schritt zum Quantencomputer - Physiker messen Quantenzustände mit elektrischem Strom Für ein vor acht Jahren vorgeschlagenes Konzept zur Realisierung von Quantencomputern aus Phosphor und Silizium ist ein Prinzip gefunden worden, mit dem die Information nach Beendigung des Rechenprozesses ausgelesen werden kann. Eine raffinierte Kombination ...
NACHRICHT
Untersuchungen selbstorganisierter Nanostrukturen bei BESSY mit Carl-Ramsauer-Preis ausgezeichnet Der Physiker Dr. Andrei Varykhalov hat Quantenphänomene in seiner Dissertation studiert, seine Untersuchungen führte er am Berliner Elektronenspeicherring BESSY durch. Für seine Arbeit mit dem Titel Quanteneffekte in der elektronischen Struktur neuer ...
NACHRICHT
Steigert Unordnung die Effizienz von Solarzellen? Dünnschichtsolarzellen aus Chalkopyriten, so genannte CIS-Zellen (wie z.B. Kupfer-Indium-Sulfid und Kupfer-Indium-Selenid) weisen in der polykristallinen Form im Gegensatz zu Silizium-Zellen höhere Effizienzen auf als in der monokristallinen Form. Forscher ...
NACHRICHT
Neue Abscheidemethode für Dünnschichtsolarzellen Berliner Forscher haben ein industriell etabliertes Beschichtungsverfahren für die Herstellung von Dünnschichtsolarzellen modifiziert. Mit dem großtechnisch eingesetzten Verfahren des Magnetronsputterns können prinzipiell höhere Abscheideraten und qualitativ ...
NACHRICHT
EU-Projekt ATHLET will Dünnschichtsolarzellen an den Markt bringen Die Kostensenkung von Solarzellen ist die zentrale Herausforderung der modernen Photovoltaik. In Berlin startet am 20. Februar das europaweit größte Forschungsprojekt, das sich dieser Herausforderung stellt. Universitäten, Forschungseinrichtungen und ...
NACHRICHT
Bundesverdienstorden für Martha Lux-Steiner Die Physikerin Prof. Dr. sc. nat. Martha Christina Lux-Steiner erhält am 5. Oktober 1999 im Berliner Schloß Bellevue aus der Hand des Bundespräsidenten Johannes Rau den Bundesverdienstorden der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Damit würdigt der Bundespräsident die ...