Efficiency Estimations for Multijunction and Intermediate Band Solar Cells Using Actual Measured Solar Spectra in Japan

2015 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shunya Naitoh ◽  
Yoshitaka Okada
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Equivalent Circuit ◽  
Triple Junction ◽  
Maximum Efficiency ◽  
Spectral Variation ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cell ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells

An intermediate band solar cell (IBSC) whose equivalent circuit is similar to a multijunction (MJ) solar cell but with an additional parallel diode connection is shown to be more robust to spectral variation than a series-connected MJ solar cell. We have calculated the limiting efficiencies of IBSC and MJ solar cells using the measured solar spectra in Japan. Even though the maximum efficiency of an IBSC is lower than a triple junction (3J) solar cell at airmass (AM)1.5, the IBSC would generate more annual electricity by 1% than 3J cell at 1 sun, if they had been optimized at AM1.5.

scholarly journals Highly Mismatched Alloys for Intermediate Band Solar Cells

2005 ◽  
Vol 865 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. Walukiewicz ◽  
K. M. Yu ◽  
J Wu ◽  
J. W. Ager ◽  
W. Shan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Ion Beam ◽  
Detailed Balance ◽  
Solar Cell Performance ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cell ◽  
Balance Analysis ◽  
Highly Mismatched Alloys ◽  
Limiting Efficiency

AbstractIt has long been recognized that the introduction of a narrow band of states in a semiconductor band gap could be used to achieve improved power conversion efficiency in semiconductor-based solar cells. The intermediate band would serve as a “stepping stone” for photons of different energy to excite electrons from the valence to the conduction band. An important advantage of this design is that it requires formation of only a single p-n junction, which is a crucial simplification in comparison to multijunction solar cells. A detailed balance analysis predicts a limiting efficiency of more than 50% for an optimized, single intermediate band solar cell. This is higher than the efficiency of an optimized two junction solar cell. Using ion beam implantation and pulsed laser melting we have synthesized Zn1-yMnyOxTe1-x alloys with x<0.03. These highly mismatched alloys have a unique electronic structure with a narrow oxygen-derived intermediate band. The width and the location of the band is described by the Band Anticrossing model and can be varied by controlling the oxygen content. This provides a unique opportunity to optimize the absorption of solar photons for best solar cell performance. We have carried out systematic studies of the effects of the intermediate band on the optical and electrical properties of Zn1-yMnyOxTe1-x alloys. We observe an extension of the photovoltaic response towards lower photon energies, which is a clear indication of optical transitions from the valence to the intermediate band.

scholarly journals The Effect of Noise-Induced Quantum Coherence in the Intermediate Band Solar Cells

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohsen Daryani ◽  
Ali Rostami ◽  
Gaffar Darvish ◽  
Mohammad Kazem Morravej Farshi
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Output Power ◽  
Quantum Coherence ◽  
Maximum Output Power ◽  
Maximum Output ◽  
Incoherent Light ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells ◽  
Coherence Effect

Abstract It has been shown that quantum coherence induced by incoherent light can increase the efficiency of solar cells. Here we evaluate the effect of such coherence in the intermediate band solar cells. We first examine a six-level quantum IBSC model and demonstrate by simulation that the maximum of output power in a solar cell with quantum structure increases more than 16 percent in the case of coherence existence. We then propose an IBSC model which can absorb continuous spectra of sunlight and show that the quantum coherence can increase the output power of the cell. For instance, calculations indicate that the coherence makes an increase of about 31% in the maximum output power of a cell that the width of the conduction and intermediate bands are 100 and 10 meV, respectively. Also, our calculations show that the quantum coherence effect is still observed in increasing the solar cell power by expanding the width of the conduction band, although the output power is reduced due to increase in the thermalization loss. However, expanding the width of the intermediate band reduces the coherence effect.

scholarly journals Can Impurities be Beneficial to Photovoltaics?

2009 ◽  
Vol 156-158 ◽  
pp. 107-114
Author(s):  
Antonio Luque ◽  
Antonio Martí
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Quantum Dot ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
The State ◽  
Bulk Materials ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells

The state of the art of the intermediate band solar cells is presented with emphasis on the use of impurities or alloys to form bulk intermediate band materials. Quantum dot intermediate band solar cells start to present already attractive efficiencies but many difficulties jeopardize the immediate achievement of record efficiency cells. To complement this research it is worthwhile examining bulk materials presenting an IB. Four or perhaps more materials have already proven to have it and several paths for the research of more are today open but no solar cell has yet been published based on them. This topic has already attracted many researches and abundant funds for their development worldwide.

scholarly journals On the Potential of Silicon Intermediate Band Solar Cells

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (12) ◽  
pp. 3044 ◽  
Author(s):  
Esther López ◽  
Antonio Martí ◽  
Elisa Antolín ◽  
Antonio Luque
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Auger Recombination ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Maximum Efficiency ◽  
Efficiency Gain ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells ◽  
High Concentrations

Intermediate band solar cells (IBSCs) have an efficiency limit of 63.2%, which is significantly higher than the 40.7% limit for conventional single gap solar cells. In order to achieve the maximum efficiency, the total bandgap of the cell should be in the range of ~2 eV. However, that fact does not prevent other cells based on different semiconductor bandgaps from benefiting from the presence of an intermediate band (IB) within their bandgap. Since silicon (1.12 eV bandgap) is the dominant material in solar cell technology, it is of interest to determine the limit efficiency of a silicon IBSC, because even a modest gain in efficiency could trigger a large commercial interest if the IB is implemented at low cost. In this work we study the limit efficiency of silicon-based IBSCs considering operating conditions that include the use of non-ideal photon casting between the optical transitions, different light intensities and Auger recombination. The results lead to the conclusion that a silicon IBSC, operating under the conventional model in which the sub-bandgaps add to the total silicon gap, provides an efficiency gain if operated in the medium-high concentration range. The performance of these devices is affected by Auger recombination only under extremely high concentrations.

Intermediate Band Solar Cells

2010 ◽  
Vol 74 ◽  
pp. 143-150 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Martí ◽  
Antonio Luque
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Bandgap Energy ◽  
Bulk Materials ◽  
Electronic Band ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells ◽  
Valence Bands ◽  
Limiting Efficiency ◽  
Single Material

Intermediate band (IB) solar cells aim to exploit in solar cells the energy of below bandgap energy photons. They are based in a material that, in addition to the conventional conduction and valence bands, has an electronic band (named intermediate band) located inside the bandgap and separated from the conduction and valence band by a null density of states. The theoretical limiting efficiency of these cells (63.2 % at maximum concentration) is equivalent to a triple junction solar cell but requiring a single material instead. Several approaches are being followed worldwide to take to practice this concept that can be divided into two categories: quantum dots and bulk materials. This paper reviews the main experimental results obtained under both approaches.

AN EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT MODEL PROPOSED FOR THE INTERMEDIATE BAND NANOSTRUCTURED QUANTUM DOT SOLAR CELLS

2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (21) ◽  
pp. 1250133 ◽  
Author(s):  
MOHAMMAD HOUSHMAND ◽  
MOHAMMAD H. ZANDI ◽  
SOMAYEH S. DEHKORDI ◽  
MAURICIO D. PEREZ ◽  
NIMA E. GORJI
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Active Region ◽  
Quantum Dot ◽  
Equivalent Circuit ◽  
Equivalent Circuit Model ◽  
Circuit Model ◽  
Frequency Dependent ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells ◽  
Quantum Dot Solar Cells

The equivalent circuit of the p-i-n structure has been considered and developed for the quantum dot intermediate band solar cells where the nanoparticles are inserted in the active region of the diode. The admittance of the circuits are calculated consisting of frequency dependent capacitance and conductance. The presence of quantum dot layers in the active region of the diode increases the capacitance and conductance of the cell in lower frequencies. However, the number of QD cannot be increased and has an optimum.

CONSTRUCTION COMPONENTS ENGINEERING IN INTERMEDIATE BAND SOLAR CELLS

2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (14) ◽  
pp. 1250090 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. E. GORJI ◽  
M. HOUSHMAND ◽  
S. S. DEHKORDI
Keyword(s):  
Quantum Dots ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Quantum Dot ◽  
Filling Factor ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Maximum Efficiency ◽  
Maximum Point ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cells

The parameter electron filling factor can be taken as a scale for the electronic states in the intermediate band which should be de-localized and thus the unconfined electrons at the quantum dots. For three different value of electron filling factor, the sunlight concentration effect on the efficiency of a quantum dot solar cell is calculated. The maximum point of efficiency and optimum thickness of the cell obtained under three different sunlight concentrations. We show the importance of electron filling factor as a parameter to be more considered. This parameter can be controlled by the quantum dots size and distance between quantum dot layers in the active region. Analysis of above mentioned parameters suggest that to attain a maximum efficiency, the size of the quantum dots and the distance between the periodically arrayed dot layers have to be optimized. In addition, sunlight concentration is recommended as an effective approach to have high efficiency and low cost level solar cells.

Intermediate Band Solar Cells

2012 ◽  
pp. 188-213
Author(s):  
Pablo García-Linares ◽  
Elisa Antolín ◽  
Antonio Martí ◽  
Antonio Luque
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Energy Levels ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Photovoltaic Device ◽  
Intermediate Band ◽  
New Class ◽  
Intermediate Band Solar Cell ◽  
Voltage Degradation

The Intermediate Band Solar Cell (IBSC) is a novel photovoltaic device with the potential of surpassing the efficiency limit of conventional solar cells. It is based on a new class of materials characterized by the insertion of a collection of energy levels within the material bandgap. These levels act as the so-called Intermediate Band (IB) and cause a larger portion of the solar spectrum to be useful for photovoltaic conversion. Sub-bandgap photons can ideally be collected via two-step absorption mechanisms through the IB and thus enhance the photogenerated current without a significant voltage degradation. In this chapter, the authors show the state of the art of the modeling and simulation within the IBSC research field.

scholarly journals GaInP/GaAs/poly-Si Multi-Junction Solar Cells by in Metal Balls Bonding

Crystals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 726
Author(s):  
Ray-Hua Horng ◽  
Yu-Cheng Kao ◽  
Apoorva Sood ◽  
Po-Liang Liu ◽  
Wei-Cheng Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Low Temperature ◽  
Triple Junction ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Metal Line ◽  
Solar Simulator ◽  
Junction Solar Cell

In this study, a mechanical stacking technique has been used to bond together the GaInP/GaAs and poly-silicon (Si) solar wafers. A GaInP/GaAs/poly-Si triple-junction solar cell has mechanically stacked using a low-temperature bonding process which involves micro metal In balls on a metal line using a high-optical-transmission spin-coated glue material. Current–voltage measurements of the GaInP/GaAs/poly-Si triple-junction solar cells have carried out at room temperature both in the dark and under 1 sun with 100 mW/cm2 power density using a solar simulator. The GaInP/GaAs/poly-Si triple-junction solar cell has reached an efficiency of 24.5% with an open-circuit voltage of 2.68 V, a short-circuit current density of 12.39 mA/cm2, and a fill-factor of 73.8%. This study demonstrates a great potential for the low-temperature micro-metal-ball mechanical stacking technique to achieve high conversion efficiency for solar cells with three or more junctions.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document