Overview of Si Tandem Solar Cells and Approaches to PV-Powered Vehicle Applications

MRS Advances ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (8-9) ◽  
pp. 441-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masafumi Yamaguchi ◽  
Kan-Hua Lee ◽  
Daisuke Sato ◽  
Kenji Araki ◽  
Nobuaki Kojima ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
High Potential ◽  
Tandem Solar Cells ◽  
Cell Modules ◽  
Application Fields ◽  
Further Development

ABSTRACTDevelopment of high-efficiency solar cell modules and new application fields are significant for the further development of photovoltaics (PV) and creation of new clean energy infrastructure based on PV. Especially, development of PV-powered EV applications is desirable and very important for this end. This paper shows analytical results for efficiency potential of various solar cells for choosing candidates of high-efficiency solar cell modules for automobile applications. As a result of analysis, Si tandem solar cells are thought to be some of their candidates. This paper also overviews efficiency potential and recent activities of various Si tandem solar cells such as III-V/Si, II-VI/Si, chalcopyrite/Si, perovskite/Si and nanowire/Si tandem solar cells. The III-V/Si tandem solar cells are expected to have a high potential for various applications because of high efficiency with efficiencies of more than 36% for 2-junction and 42 % for 3-junction tandem solar cells under 1-sun AM1.5 G, lightweight and low-cost potential. Recent results for our 28.2 % efficiency and Sharp’s 33% mechanically stacked InGaP/GaAs/Si 3-junction solar cell are also presented. Approaches to automobile application by using III-V/Si tandem solar cells and static low concentration are presented.

scholarly journals Hybrid Materials for Solar Cells

2021 ◽  
pp. 149-174
Author(s):  
U. Fegade
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Organic Solar Cells ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Space Applications ◽  
Tandem Solar Cells ◽  
Low Efficiency ◽  
Sensitized Solar Cells

Solar energy is an attractive renewable energy source across the globe that can help overcome the energy crises and has the ability to replace conventional resources. Hybrid solar cells have higher conversion efficiency. In the current chapter the research related to the carbon nanotubes, organic and inorganic solar cell, dye-sensitized solar cells and tandem solar cells are reviewed. The organic solar cells are most suitable and economic, but it has low efficiency of up to 15%. The inorganic solar cells are very expensive and have high efficiency of up to 46% and are used in space applications. The hybrid solar cell is the third type and the perovskite tandem has already proven to be quite efficient (17%) and low cost, mostly because of the cheap materials that are being used.

scholarly journals Comprehensive device simulation of 23.36% efficient two-terminal perovskite-PbS CQD tandem solar cell for low-cost applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaya Madan ◽  
Karanveer Singh ◽  
Rahul Pandey
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Transmission Loss ◽  
Defect Density ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Tandem Solar Cell ◽  
Tandem Solar Cells ◽  
Bottom Cell

AbstractThe major losses that limit the efficiency of a single-junction solar cell are thermalization loss and transmission loss. Thus, to efficiently utilize the full solar spectrum and to mitigate these losses, tandem solar cells (TSC) have significantly impacted the photovoltaic (PV) landscape. In this context, the research on perovskite/silicon tandems is currently dominating the research community. The stability improvements of perovskite materials and mature fabrication techniques of silicon have underpinned the rapid progress of perovskite/silicon TSC. However, the low absorption coefficient and high module cost of the silicon are the tailbacks for the mass production of perovskite/silicon TSCs. Therefore, PV technology demands to explore some new materials other than Si to be used as absorber layer in the bottom cell. Thus, here in this work, to mitigate the aforementioned losses and to reduce cost, a 23.36% efficient two-terminal perovskite-PbS CQD monolithic tandem solar cell has been designed through comprehensive device simulations. Before analyzing the performance of the proposed TSC, the performance of perovskite top cells has been optimized in terms of variation in optical properties, thickness, and interface defect density under standalone conditions. Thereafter, filtered spectrum and associated integrated filtered power by the top cell at different perovskite thickness from 50 to 500 nm is obtained to conceive the presence of the top cell above the bottom cell with different perovskite thickness. The current matching by concurrently varying the thickness of both the top and bottom subcell has also been done to obtain the maximum deliverable tandem JSC for the device under consideration. The top/bottom subcell with current matched JSC of 16.68 mA cm−2/16.62 mA cm−2 showed the conversion efficiency of 14.60%/9.07% under tandem configuration with an optimized thickness of 143 nm/470 nm, where the top cell is simulated under AM1.5G spectrum, and bottom cell is exposed to the spectrum filtered by 143 nm thick top cell. Further, the voltages at equal current points are added together to generate tandem J–V characteristics. This work concludes a 23.36% efficient perovskite-PbS CQD tandem design with 1.79 V (VOC), 16.67 mA cm−2 (JSC) and 78.3% (FF). The perovskite-PbS CQD tandem device proposed in this work may pave the way for the development of high-efficiency tandem solar cells for low-cost applications.

scholarly journals III–V Multijunction Solar Cell Integration with Silicon: Present Status, Challenges and Future Outlook

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (3-4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikhil Jain ◽  
Mantu K. Hudait
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Si Substrate ◽  
Future Outlook ◽  
Si Solar Cells ◽  
Multijunction Solar Cells ◽  
The Future ◽  
Multijunction Solar Cell

AbstractAchieving high-efficiency solar cells and at the same time driving down the cell cost has been among the key objectives for photovoltaic researchers to attain a lower levelized cost of energy (LCOE). While the performance of silicon (Si) based solar cells have almost saturated at an efficiency of ~25%, III–V compound semiconductor based solar cells have steadily shown performance improvement at ~1% (absolute) increase per year, with a recent record efficiency of 44.7%. Integration of such high-efficiency III–V multijunction solar cells on significantly cheaper and large area Si substrate has recently attracted immense interest to address the future LCOE roadmaps by unifying the high-efficiency merits of III–V materials with low-cost and abundance of Si. This review article will discuss the current progress in the development of III–V multijunction solar cell integration onto Si substrate. The current state-of-the-art for III–V-on-Si solar cells along with their theoretical performance projections is presented. Next, the key design criteria and the technical challenges associated with the integration of III–V multijunction solar cells on Si are reviewed. Different technological routes for integrating III–V solar cells on Si substrate through heteroepitaxial integration and via mechanical stacking approach are presented. The key merits and technical challenges for all of the till-date available technologies are summarized. Finally, the prospects, opportunities and future outlook toward further advancing the performance of III–V-on-Si multijunction solar cells are discussed. With the plummeting price of Si solar cells accompanied with the tremendous headroom available for improving the III–V solar cell efficiencies, the future prospects for successful integration of III–V solar cell technology onto Si substrate look very promising to unlock an era of next generation of high-efficiency and low-cost photovoltaics.

A high efficiency solution processed polymer inverted triple-junction solar cell exhibiting a power conversion efficiency of 11.83%

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
pp. 303-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abd. Rashid bin Mohd Yusoff ◽  
Dongcheon Kim ◽  
Hyeong Pil Kim ◽  
Fabio Kurt Shneider ◽  
Wilson Jose da Silva ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Power Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Conversion Efficiency ◽  
Triple Junction ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Open Circuit Voltage ◽  
Power Conversion ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Tandem Solar Cells

We propose that 1 + 1 + 1 triple-junction solar cells can provide an increased efficiency, as well as a higher open circuit voltage, compared to tandem solar cells.

scholarly journals Monolithic Perovskite/Silicon-Heterojunction Tandem Solar Cells with Nanocrystalline Si/SiOx Tunnel Junction

Energies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (22) ◽  
pp. 7684
Author(s):  
Lucia V. Mercaldo ◽  
Eugenia Bobeico ◽  
Antonella De Maria ◽  
Marco Della Noce ◽  
Manuela Ferrara ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Tunnel Junction ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Silicon Oxide ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Nanocrystalline Silicon ◽  
Transport Layer ◽  
Infrared Light ◽  
Tandem Solar Cells ◽  
Light Management

Perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells have strong potential for high efficiency and low cost photovoltaics. In monolithic (two-terminal) configurations, one key element is the interconnection region of the two subcells, which should be designed for optimal light management and prevention of parasitic p/n junctions. We investigated monolithic perovskite/silicon-heterojunction (SHJ) tandem solar cells with a p/n nanocrystalline silicon/silicon-oxide recombination junction for improved infrared light management. This design can additionally provide for resilience to shunts and simplified cell processing. We probed modified SHJ solar cells, made from double-side polished n-type Si wafers, which included the proposed front-side p/n tunnel junction with the p-type film simultaneously functioning as selective charge transport layer for the SHJ bottom cell, trying different thicknesses for the n-type layer. Full tandem devices were then tested, by applying a planar n-i-p mixed-cation mixed-halide perovskite top cell, fabricated via low temperature solution methods to be compatible with the processed Si wafer. We demonstrate the feasibility of this tandem cell configuration over a 1 cm2 area with negligible J-V hysteresis and a VOC ~1.8 V, matching the sum of the VOC-s contributed by the two components.

scholarly journals Improved design of InGaP/GaAs//Si tandem solar cells

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Santiago Torres-Jaramillo ◽  
Roberto Bernal-Correa ◽  
Arturo Morales-Acevedo
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Silicon Solar Cell ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Optimization Procedure ◽  
Optimized Design ◽  
Optimum Thickness ◽  
Tandem Solar Cells ◽  
Development Costs ◽  
Improved Design ◽  
Further Development

Optimizing any tandem solar cells design before making them experimentally is an important way of reducing development costs. Hence, in this work, we have used a complete analytical model that includes the important effects in the depletion regions of the III-V compound cells in order to simulate the behavior of two and four-terminal InGaP/GaAs//Si tandem solar cells for optimizing them. The design optimization procedure is described first, and then it is shown that the expected practical efficiencies at 1 sun (AM1.5 spectrum) for both two and four-terminal tandem cells can be around 40% when the appropriate thickness for each layer is used. The optimized design for both structures includes a double MgF2/ZnS anti-reflection layer (ARC). The results show that the optimum thicknesses are 130 (MgF2) and 60 nm (ZnS), respectively, while the optimum InGaP thickness is 220 nm and GaAs optimum thickness is 1800 nm for the four-terminal tandem on a HIT silicon solar cell (with total tandem efficiency around 39.8%). These results can be compared with the recent record experimental efficiency around 35.9% for this kind of solar cells. Therefore, triple junction InGaP/GaAs//Silicon tandem solar cells continue being very attractive for further development, using high efficiency HIT silicon cell as the bottom sub-cell.

Advanced, Thin, Polycrystalline Silicon-Film™ Solar Cells on Low-Cost Substrates

1996 ◽  
Vol 426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert B. Hall ◽  
Allen M. Barnett ◽  
Jeff E. Cotter ◽  
David H. Ford ◽  
Alan E. Ingram ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Polycrystalline Silicon ◽  
Silicon Solar Cell ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Silicon Film ◽  
Silicon Layer ◽  
Thin Polycrystalline

AbstractThin, polycrystalline silicon solar cells have the potential for the realization of a 15%, lowcost photovoltaic product. As a photovoltaic material, polycrystalline material is abundant, benign, and electrically stable. The thin-film polycrystalline silicon solar cell design achieves high efficiency by incorporating techniques to enhance optical absorption, ensure electrical confinement, and minimize bulk recombination currents. AstroPower's approach to a thin-film polycrystalline silicon solar cell technology is based on the Silicon-Film™ process, a continuous sheet manufacturing process for the growth of thin films of polycrystalline silicon on low-cost substrates. A new barrier layer and substrate have been developed for advanced solar cell designs. External gettering with phosphorus has been employed to effect significant improvements leading to effective minority carrier diffusion lengths greater than 250 micrometers in the active silicon layer. Light trapping has been observed in 60-micrometer thick films of silicon grown on the new barrier-coated substrate. An efficiency of 12.2% in a 0.659 cm2 solar cell has been achieved with the advanced structure.

scholarly journals Material and solar cell research in high efficiency micromorph tandem solar cell

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 ◽  
pp. 434 ◽  
Author(s):  
Razagh Hafezi ◽  
Soroush Karimi ◽  
Sharie Jamalzae ◽  
Masoud Jabbari
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Chemical Vapour ◽  
Microcrystalline Silicon ◽  
Tandem Solar Cells ◽  
Bottom Cell

“Micromorph” tandem solar cells consisting of a microcrystalline silicon bottom cell and an amorphous silicon top cell are considered as one of the most promising new thin-film silicon solar-cell concepts. Their promise lies in the hope of simultaneously achieving high conversion efficiencies at relatively low manufacturing costs. The concept was introduced by IMT Neuchâtel, based on the VHF-GD (very high frequency glow discharge) deposition method. The key element of the micromorph cell is the hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon bottom cell that opens new perspectives for low-temperature thin-film crystalline silicon technology. This paper describes the use, within p–i–n- and n–i–p-type solar cells, of hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (_c-Si:H) thin films (layers), both deposited at low temperatures (200_C) by plasma-assisted chemical vapour deposition (PECVD), from a mixture of silane and hydrogen. Optical and electrical properties of the i-layers are described. Finally, present performances and future perspectives for a high efficiency ‘micromorph’ (mc-Si:Hya-Si:H) tandem solar cells are discussed.

Super High Efficiency Multi-Junction Solar Cells and Concentrator Solar Cells

2012 ◽  
pp. 2003-2023
Author(s):  
Masafumi Yamaguchi
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Triple Junction ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Single Junction ◽  
Key Issues ◽  
Cell Modules

While single-junction solar cells may be capable of attaining AM1.5 efficiencies of up to 29%, Multi-Junction (MJ, Tandem) III-V compound solar cells appear capable of realistic efficiencies of up to 50% and are promising for space and terrestrial applications. In fact, the InGaP/GaAs/Ge triple-junction solar cells have been widely used in space since 1997. In addition, industrialization of concentrator solar cell modules using III-V compound MJ solar cells have been announced by some companies. This chapter presents principles and key issues for realizing high-efficiency MJ solar cells, issues relating to development and manufacturing, and applications for space and terrestrial uses.

scholarly journals Tandem Solar Cells Based on Cu2O and c-Si Subcells in Parallel Configuration: Numerical Simulation

2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mihai Răzvan Mitroi ◽  
Valerică Ninulescu ◽  
Laurenţiu Fara
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Simulation ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Output Power ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Maximum Output Power ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Maximum Output ◽  
Parallel Configuration

A tandem solar cell consisting of a bottom c-Si high-efficiency subcell and a top low-cost Cu2O subcell in parallel configuration is evaluated for the first time by a use of an electrical model. A numerical simulation based on the single-diode model of the solar cell is performed. The numerical method determines both the model parameters and the parameters of the subcells and tandem from the maximization of output power. The simulations indicate a theoretical limit value of the tandem power conversion efficiency of 31.23% at 298 K. The influence of temperature on the maximum output power is analyzed. This tandem configuration allows a great potential for the development of a new generation of low-cost high-efficiency solar cells.

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