Synergistic Improvement of Bandgap and Crystal Quality for Highly Efficient and Stable Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cells

Relative cost effectiveness of multi-junction, gallium arsenide, and silicon solar cells

Morphology control and device optimization for efficient organic solar cells

A multijunction solar cell can extract higher solar energy compared to a single junction cell by splitting the solar spectrum. Although extensive research on solar cell efficiency enhancement is in place, limited research materials are available to identify the optimum interconnection of multijunction solar subcells using power electronic circuits. Multijunction solar cells could be grouped into two main categories: vertical multijunction (VMJ) solar cells and lateral multijunction (LMJ) solar cells. In this paper, a detailed study to identify the optimum interconnection method for various multijunction solar cells has been conducted. The authors believe that the conducted research in this area is very limited, and an effective power electronic circuit could substantially improve the efficiency and utilization of a photovoltaic (PV) power system constructed from multijunction solar cells. A multiple input dc-to-dc boost converter has been used to demonstrate the advantage of the proposed interconnection technique. In order to ensure maximum power point (MPP) operation, a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm has been applied needing only one MPP control for multiple solar modules resulting in cost and complexity reduction. The PSO algorithm has the potential to track the global maxima of the system even under complex illumination situations. A complete functional system with the implementation of the proposed algorithm has been presented in this paper with relevant experimental results.

Behind the Breakthrough of the ∼30% Perovskite Solar Cell

Strategies for high performance perovskite/c-Si tandem solar cells: Effects of bandgap engineering, solar concentration and device temperature

Several research groups are developing solar cells of varying designs and materials that are high efficiency as well as cost competitive with the single junction silicon (Si) solar cells commercially produced today. One of these solar cell designs is a tandem junction solar cell comprised of perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3) and silicon (Si). Loper et al.1 was able to create a 13.4% efficient tandem cell using a perovskite top cell and a Si bottom cell, and researchers are confident that the perovskite/Si tandem cell can be optimized in order to reach higher efficiencies without introducing expensive manufacturing processes. However, there are currently no commercially available software capable of modeling a tandem cell that is based on a thin-film based bottom cell and a wafer-based top cell. While PC1D2 and SCAPS3 are able to model tandem cells comprised solely of thin-film absorbers or solely of wafer-based absorbers, they result in convergence errors if a thin-film/wafer-based tandem cell, such as the perovskite/ Si cell, is modeled. The Matlab-based analytical model presented in this work is capable of modeling a thin-film/wafer-based tandem solar cell. The model allows a user to adjust the top and bottom cell parameters, such as reflectivity, material bandgaps, donor and acceptor densities, and material thicknesses, in order to optimize the short circuit current, open circuit voltage, and quantum efficiency of the tandem solar cell. Using the Matlab-based analytical model, we were able optimize a perovskite/Si tandem cell with an efficiency greater than 30%.

Physical processes in organic solar cells

The development of high-performance solar cells offers a promising pathway toward achieving high power per unit cost for many applications. Because state-of-the-art efficiencies of single-junction solar cells are approaching the Shockley-Queisser limit, the multi-junction (MJ) solar cells are very attractive for high-efficiency solar cells. This paper reviews progress in III–V compound single-junction and MJ solar cells. In addition, analytical results for efficiency potential and non-radiative recombination and resistance losses in III–V compound single-junction and MJ solar cells are presented for further understanding and decreasing major losses in III–V compound materials and MJ solar cells. GaAs single-junction, III–V 2-junction and III–V 3-junction solar cells are shown to have potential efficiencies of 30%, 37% and 47%, respectively. Although in initial stage of developments, GaAs single-junction and III–V MJ solar cells have shown low ERE values, ERE values have been improved as a result of several technology development such as device structure and material quality developments. In the case of III–V MJ solar cells, improvements in ERE of sub-cells are shown to be necessary for further improvements in efficiencies of MJ solar cells.

Spectrolab has demonstrated the first lattice matched InAlAs/InGaAsP/InGaAs triple junction solar cell grown on InP substrate. X-ray diffraction characterization shows high quality solar cell materials. Preliminary 1-sun AM1.5D testing of the triple junction solar cell shows promising results with an open circuit voltage (V <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">oc</sub> ) of 1.8V, a short-circuit current density (J <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">sc</sub> ) of 11.0 mA/cm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> , a fill factor of 64.4%, and a 1-sun AM1.5D efficiency of 13.8%. The same cell also passes 27-suns under concentration. Improvements in layer design and crystal quality of advanced features can further raise the 1-sun and concentrated AM1.5D conversion efficiency of the InP-based triple junction cell beyond 20%.

ABX3 Perovskites for Tandem Solar Cells

Since their inception, organic solar cells have been a cynosure of photovoltaic (PV) community, owing to their simplicity, affordability and mass-production capabilities. Research on organic solar cells has been propelled by advances in nanotechnology, polymer synthesis, and semiconductor processing; efforts to achieve high power conversion efficiencies (PCE) through refined device geometry, tailored synthesis and/or combination of new low-bandgap materials, and heuristic process optimization have fructified as ~10 % efficiency in single-junction organic solar cells. Recent PCE enhancement in organic solar cells has mostly attributed to the development of small bandgap materials that extend absorption of the sun into the red and infrared wavelengths.Utilizing tandem cells comprised of both large and small bandgap sub-cells enables light harvesting of different parts of the solar spectrum to be separately optimized, yielding higher PCE than single junction solar cells. But the challenges in achieving highly efficient organic tandem solar cells include optimal combination of materials for each sub-cell and interconnecting layers between sub-cells that are process compatible. Optimal combination of materials can be achieved by selection of two materials having complementary absorption windows. The interconnecting layer provides electrical and optical coupling between the two sub-cells and plays a key role in the performance of tandem cells. For the design of the interconnecting layer, electrical, optical, chemical and structural characteristics should be considered. Ideally, it should effectively facilitate charge transport between two sub-cells. Moreover, high transmittance and negligible absorption in the spectral region where two sub-cells absorb is desirable. Last but not least, the interconnecting layer should be designed to survive the subsequent solution coating and provide conformal surface coating for tandem cells with solution processed top cells. Here we evaluate some of candidate metal oxides for tunnel junction layers for organic tandem solar cells. Metal oxides are grown by Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) for thin defect-free conformal layer to circumvent miscibility issues and negligible absorption. Normal and inverted interfaces are examined. The influence of annealing under different conditions and methods will be presented. Tunneling properties are qualified by J-V characteristics and optical properties evaluated by UV-Vis are contrasted to suggest optimal design tradeoffs of tunnel junctions for solution processed organic tandem solar cells.

Tandem structure provides a practical way to realize high efficiency organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells due to the limited optical absorption in organic semiconductors and tandem cells can be used to extend the wavelength coverage of the solar spectrum for light harvesting. The interconnecting layer (ICL) between subcells in a tandem solar cell plays a critical role in the reproducibility and the performance of tandem devices, and the processability of the ICL in a tandem cell has been a challenge. In this work we report on the fabrication of highly reproducible high efficiency tandem cells by employing a commercially available material, PEDOT:PSS HTL Solar (HSolar), as the hole transporting material used for the ICL. Comparing with the conventional PEDOT:PSS Al 4083, HSolar offers a better wettability on the underlying non-fullerene photoactive layers, resulting in better charge extraction properties of the ICL. When FTAZ:IT-M and PTB7-Th:IEICO-4F are used as the front cell and the back cells to fabricate the tandem solar cells, a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.7% is achieved. To validate the processability of these tandem cells, three other research groups have successfully fabricated tandem cells using the same recipe and the highest PCE obtained is 16.1%. With further development of donor polymers and device optimization, our device simulation results show that a PCE < 22% can be realized in tandem cells in the near future.

All-perovskite tandem solar cell is a novel device structure that employs multilayers to enhance photovoltaic conversion efficiency, this technology has the potential to exceed the Shockley–Queisser (S-Q) theoretical efficiency limit for single-junction solar cells. Although the research and development of all-perovskite tandem solar cells are still in the early stages, they have attracted widespread attention and interest. This study focuses on the numerical analysis of MAxFA1-xPbBrI2/MASnI3 all-perovskite tandem solar cells, combining electrical and optical simulations to investigate two-terminal (2-T) and four-terminal (4-T) tandem solar cells. These cells are composed of an MAxFA1-xPbBrI2-based top cell and an MASnI3-based bottom cell. This study aims to analyze the influences of charge transport layers and the material composition, thickness, and defect density of the perovskite absorber layers on the performance of the tandem cells. High-efficiency 4-T all-perovskite tandem solar cells have been realized through optimizing the thickness of the absorber layers of the sub-cells, and high-efficiency 2-T all-perovskite tandem solar cells have been achieved through current matching, inserting a SiO2 layer between the Ag back electrode and the HTL of the bottom cell of the 2-T tandem cell can further improve the J sc of the top and bottom cells. The optimized 2-T all-perovskite tandem solar cells demonstrate a maximum efficiency of 35.16% when MA0.75FA0.25PbBrI2 is used to make the top cell absorber layer, while the optimized 4-T all-perovskite tandem solar cells achieve a maximum efficiency of 35.60% when MA0.25FA0.75PbBrI2 is used. These results provide valuable insights and direction for the design of high-efficiency all-perovskite tandem solar cells.

The power conversion efficiency of all-inorganic Sb2S3-on-Si two-terminal (2-T)monolithically integrated and four-terminal (4-T)mechanically stacked tandem solar cells are investigated. A one-dimensional solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS-1D) has been used to simulate the stand-alone antimony trisulfide (Sb2S3) top sub-cell, silicon (Si) bottom sub-cell, 2-T monolithic, and 4-T mechanically stacked tandem solar cells. The stand-alone sub-cells are optimized by extensive studies, including interface defects density, bulk defects density, absorber layer thickness, and series resistance. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of simulated stand-alone sub-cells is compared and verified with the existing literature. A current matching condition is established to characterize the 2-T monolithic Sb2S3-on-Si tandem cell. A filtered spectrum has been utilized for bottom sub-cell measurement in the tandem solar cells. The best-simulated PCE of Sb2S3-on-Si 2-T monolithic and 4-T tandem cells is 30.22% and 29.30%, respectively. The simulation results presented in this paper open an opportunity for the scientific community to consider Sb2S3 as a potential top sub-cell material in Sb2S3-on-Si tandem solar cells with high PCE.

In this paper, a thin film tandem solar cell based on CGS/CIGS structure incorporating ZnS buffer layers has been designed and its performance characteristics were obtained using Silvaco-Atlas 2D numerical simulator. A tandem cell with CdS buffer layers was also modeled and simulated with the same method for reference. Our results show that the tandem solar cell with ZnS buffer layers has a maximum conversion efficiency of 28.34% compared to a maximum conversion efficiency of 26.85% obtained for CdS-based tandem solar cell used as a reference. The maximum conversion efficiency for theoretically studied CdS-based tandem solar cell found in literature is 26.21%. Thus, ZnS can be used as a potential replacement for CdS that is notoriously known as a highly toxic compound. Optimum values of doping concentration and thickness are obtained for all layers of the solar cell. In addition, the effect of temperature on ZnS-based CGS/CIGS tandem cell was studied.