A research from the University of Warwick in the UK, partially financed ERDF funds (with European Regional Development Fund) has made this development. Apart from its innovation, is that it could be relatively cheap because the gold used is just 8 billionths of a metre thick.

An ultra stable metal like gold would be a good substitute for ITO. However, no one was able to generate such a thin film before, particularly one that is transparent yet resilient enough for use. The problem with ITO is that not only is it a complex material, but it is unstable as well. In addition, indium, the key element in ITO, is relatively short in supply and thus a costly component.

This new method of creating gold—based transparent electrodes is potentially widely applicable for a variety of large area applications, particularly where stable, chemically well—defined, ultra—smooth platform electrodes are required, such as in organic optoelectronics and the emerging fields of nanoelectronics and nanophotonic. The method, according to the researchers, could be expanded for use on large area applications including solar cells.

In a close future, thanks to this development made with ERDF funds, could lead to genuinely flexible solar cells, because the researchers have also deposited ultra—thin gold films directly on plastic substrates.