Abstract
The multi-junction concept is the most relevant approach to overcome the Shockley–Queisser limit for single-junction photovoltaic cells. The record efficiencies of several types of solar technologies are held by series-connected tandem configurations. However, the stringent current-matching criterion presents primarily a material challenge and permanently requires developing and processing novel semiconductors with desired bandgaps and thicknesses. Here we report a generic concept to alleviate this limitation. By integrating series- and parallel-interconnections into a triple-junction configuration, we find significantly relaxed material selection and current-matching constraints. To illustrate the versatile applicability of the proposed triple-junction concept, organic and organic-inorganic hybrid triple-junction solar cells are constructed by printing methods. High fill factors up to 68% without resistive losses are achieved for both organic and hybrid triple-junction devices. Series/parallel triple-junction cells with organic, as well as perovskite-based subcells may become a key technology to further advance the efficiency roadmap of the existing photovoltaic technologies.
Highlights
The multi-junction concept is the most relevant approach to overcome the Shockley–Queisser limit for single-junction photovoltaic cells
The outcome of the calculations showed that maximum efficiencies of 17.29%, 17.89%, 15.41% and 13.95% are achievable for SS, PS, SP and PP configurations, respectively
We have experimentally demonstrated in this work, for the first time, solution-processed organic and hybrid triple-junction solar cells with integrated series- and parallel-interconnection
Summary
The multi-junction concept is the most relevant approach to overcome the Shockley–Queisser limit for single-junction photovoltaic cells. We propose to deposit a transparent counter electrode and parallel-connect these ‘semitransparent’ high-efficiency cells with one or more deep NIR sensitizers as back subcells This is a feasible approach as there are several types of far NIR semiconductors like organic donors[10,11] and quantum dots[12,13] with an extended absorption beyond 1,000 nm. The benefit of this series/parallel (SP) multi-junction design is based on the fact that—first, the absorber layer of the front ‘semitransparent’ hero cell can be made arbitrarily thick (as there is no requirement for current matching), so that this subcell can achieve almost the same efficiency as the opaque single-junction reference. The net photocurrent gain contributed by the deep NIR subcells adds up to the overall photocurrent of the multijunction photovoltaic cell
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