Efficiency Limit Of Solar Cells Research Articles

The anisotropic nature of singlet fission in single crystalline organic semiconductors

The escalating global energy predicament implores for a revolutionary resolution—one that converts sunlight into electricity—holding the key to supreme conversion efficiency. This comprehensive review embarks on the exploration of the principle of generating multiple excitons per absorbed photon, a captivating concept that possesses the potential to redefine the fundamental confines of conversion efficiency, albeit its application remains limited in photovoltaic devices. At the nucleus of this phenomenon are two principal processes: multiple exciton generation (MEG) within quantum-confined environments, and singlet fission (SF) inside molecular crystals. The process of SF, characterized by the cleavage of a single photogenerated singlet exciton into two triplet excitons, holds promise to potentially amplify photon-to-electron conversion efficiency twofold, thereby laying the groundwork to challenge the detailed balance limit of solar cell efficiency. Our discourse primarily dissects the complex nature of SF in crystalline organic semiconductors, laying special emphasis on the anisotropic behavior of SF and the diffusion of the subsequent triplet excitons in single-crystalline polyacene organic semiconductors. We initiate this journey of discovery by elucidating the principles of MEG and SF, tracing their historical genesis, and scrutinizing the anisotropy of SF and the impact of quantum decoherence within the purview of functional mode electron transfer theory. We present an overview of prominent techniques deployed in investigating anisotropic SF in organic semiconductors, including femtosecond transient absorption microscopy and imaging as well as stimulated Raman scattering microscopies, and highlight recent breakthroughs linked with the anisotropic dimensions of Davydov splitting, Herzberg–Teller effects, SF, and triplet transport operations in single-crystalline polyacenes. Through this comprehensive analysis, our objective is to interweave the fundamental principles of anisotropic SF and triplet transport with the current frontiers of scientific discovery, providing inspiration and facilitating future ventures to harness the anisotropic attributes of organic semiconductor crystals in the design of pioneering photovoltaic and photonic devices.

Resonant perovskite solar cells with extended band edge

Tuning the composition of perovskites to approach the ideal bandgap raises the single-junction Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit of solar cells. The rapid development of narrow-bandgap formamidinium lead triiodide-based perovskites has brought perovskite single-junction solar cell efficiencies up to 26.1%. However, such compositional engineering route has reached the limit of the Goldschmidt tolerance factor. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a resonant perovskite solar cell that produces giant light absorption at the perovskite band edge with tiny absorption coefficients. We design multiple guide-mode resonances by momentum matching of waveguided modes and free-space light via Brillouin-zone folding, thus achieving an 18-nm band edge extension and 1.5 mA/cm2 improvement of the current. The external quantum efficiency spectrum reaches a plateau of above 93% across the spectral range of ~500 to 800 nm. This resonant nanophotonics strategy translates to a maximum EQE-integrated current of 26.0 mA/cm2 which is comparable to that of the champion single-crystal perovskite solar cell with a thickness of ~20 μm. Our findings break the ray-optics limit and open a new door to improve the efficiency of single-junction perovskite solar cells further when compositional engineering or other carrier managements are close to their limits.

Radio-wave Effect on Singlet Fission in Polycrystalline Tetracene near Zero Magnetic Field.

A triplet-triplet pair is a key intermediate in singlet fission (SF), which has the potential to overcome the theoretical limit of solar cell efficiency. Here, we report a new spectroscopy to directly detect a short-lived triplet-triplet pair via the effects of radio-wave (RF) irradiation near zero magnetic field at room temperature. The fluorescence of polycrystalline powder of tetracene is reduced by RF irradiation at zero field, which is caused by a quasi-static RF field effect on spin mixing and electron-spin resonance among zero-field-splitting sublevels of the triplet-triplet pair. The curve for the quasi-static RF field effect can be reproduced numerically from that for the observed magnetophotoluminescence (MPL) effect. The simultaneous simulation of the RF and MPL effects using the density matrix formalism estimates rate constants of 1.2 × 108 and 6.0 × 108 s-1 for the fusion and dissociation, respectively, of the triplet-triplet pair.

Heat Management Strategy for All‐Inorganic, Full‐Spectral Concentrator CsPbBr3/Bi2Te3‐Integrated Solar Cells

A solution to breaking through the Shockley–Queisser efficiency limit of solar cells is to increase the irradiation intensity beyond one standard sun by means of fabricating concentrator photovoltaics (CPVs). Herein, it is demonstrated that the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of carbon‐electrode, all‐inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite solar cell (PSC) can be enhanced to 10.08% under 5 suns from 8.94% under one sun. The efficiency improvement mainly contributes to the especially boosted open‐circuit voltage (Voc) up to 1.643 V, which is delivered by the high‐irradiation enlarged quasi‐Fermi‐level splitting in CsPbBr3 perovskite film. The substantially detrimental heat induced by carbon electrode owing to its full‐spectral absorbance to light is further used by integrating a Bi2Te3 thermoelectric generator (TEG) into this all‐inorganic CsPbBr3 PSC to play the role of refrigerant under concentrated light condition. The CsPbBr3/Bi2Te3‐integrated device achieves a PCE of 12.46% with an ultrahigh Voc of 2.114 V by the photovoltaic–thermoelectric principle. More importantly, the integrated solar cell maintains over 90% of the initial efficiency after 150 h irradiation under 5 suns, suggesting a great potential to enhance efficiency by fabricating integrated perovskite/thermoelectric devices.

Routes for Metallization of Perovskite Solar Cells.

The application of metallic nanoparticles leads to an increase in the efficiency of solar cells due to the plasmonic effect. We explore various scenarios of the related mechanism in the case of metallized perovskite solar cells, which operate as hybrid chemical cells without p-n junctions, in contrast to conventional cells such as Si, CIGS or thin-layer semiconductor cells. The role of metallic nano-components in perovskite cells is different than in the case of p-n junction solar cells and, in addition, the large forbidden gap and a large effective masses of carriers in the perovskite require different parameters for the metallic nanoparticles than those used in p-n junction cells in order to obtain the increase in efficiency. We discuss the possibility of activating the very poor optical plasmonic photovoltaic effect in perovskite cells via a change in the chemical composition of the perovskite and through special tailoring of metallic admixtures. Here we show that it is possible to increase the absorption of photons (optical plasmonic effect) and simultaneously to decrease the binding energy of excitons (related to the inner electrical plasmonic effect, which is dominant in perovskite cells) in appropriately designed perovskite structures with multishell elongated metallic nanoparticles to achieve an increase in efficiency by means of metallization, which is not accessible in conventional p-n junction cells. We discuss different methods for the metallization of perovskite cells against the background of a review of various attempts to surpass the Shockley–Queisser limit for solar cell efficiency, especially in the case of the perovskite cell family.

Organic-2D Material Heterostructures: A Promising Platform for Exciton Condensation and Multiplication.

We predict that high temperature Bose-Einstein condensation of charge transfer excitons can be achieved in organic-two-dimensional (2D) material heterostructures, at ∼50-100 K. Unlike 2D bilayers that can be angle-misaligned, organic-2D systems generally have momentum-direct low-energy excitons, thus favoring condensation. Our predictions are obtained for ZnPc-MoS2 using state-of-the-art first-principles calculations with the GW-BSE approach. The exciton energies we predict are in excellent agreement with recent experiments. The lowest energy charge transfer excitons in ZnPc-MoS2 are strongly bound with a spatial extent of ∼1-2 nm and long lifetimes (τ0 ∼ 1 ns), making them ideal for exciton condensation. We also predict the emergence of inter-ZnPc excitons that are stabilized by the interaction of the molecules with the 2D substrate. This novel way of stabilizing intermolecular excitons by indirect substrate mediation suggests design strategies for singlet fission and exciton multiplication, which are important to overcome the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit in solar cells.

Direct observation and manipulation of hot electrons at room temperature.

In modern electronics and optoelectronics, hot electron behaviors are highly concerned, as they determine the performance limit of a device or system, like the associated thermal or power constraint of chips and the Shockley-Queisser limit for solar cell efficiency. To date, however, the manipulation of hot electrons has been mostly based on conceptual interpretations rather than a direct observation. The problem arises from a fundamental fact that energy-differential electrons are mixed up in real-space, making it hard to distinguish them from each other by standard measurements. Here we demonstrate a distinct approach to artificially (spatially) separate hot electrons from cold ones in semiconductor nanowire transistors, which thus offers a unique opportunity to observe and modulate electron occupied state, energy, mobility and even path. Such a process is accomplished through the scanning-photocurrent-microscopy measurements by activating the intervalley-scattering events and 1D charge-neutrality rule. Findings here may provide a new degree of freedom in manipulating non-equilibrium electrons for both electronic and optoelectronic applications.

Triplet Excitons in Pentacene Are Intrinsically Difficult to Dissociate via Charge Transfer

Singlet fission (SF) has the potential to bypass the Shockley–Queisser limit for solar cell efficiency through the production of two electron–hole pairs per photon. However, in polycrystalline pent...

Visible-Light-Absorbing Potassium Niobate-Titanate-Molybdate Ferroelectrics

Through the bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE), devices based on ferroelectric (FE) perovskite oxides can overcome the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit for solar cells. For efficient visible-light absorption, these oxides require the usually contradictory properties of small band gap and a ${d}^{0}$ transition metal at the $B$ site in their $A\phantom{\rule{0}{0ex}}B$O${}_{3}$ structure. Here both first-principles calculations and experiment are used to study the cosubstitution of Mo and Ti for Nb in KNbO${}_{3}$. This substitution yields a band gap of 2.2 eV while preserving the FE polarization. The obtained solid solution is a promising absorber material for photovoltaic applications exploiting the BPVE.

A method to detect triplet exciton transfer from singlet fission materials into silicon solar cells: Comparing different surface treatments.

Singlet fission is one of the most promising routes to overcome the single-junction efficiency limit for solar cells. Singlet fission-enhanced silicon solar cells are the most desirable implementation, but transfer of triplet excitons, the product of singlet fission, into silicon solar cells has proved to be very challenging. Here, we report on an all optical measurement technique for the detection of triplet exciton quenching at semiconductor interfaces, a necessary requirement for triplet exciton or charge transfer. The method relies on the growth of individual, single-crystal islands of the singlet fission material on the silicon surface. The islands have different heights, and we correlate these heights to the quenching efficiency of triplet excitons. The quenching efficiency is measured by spatially resolved delayed fluorescence and compared to a diffusion-quenching model. Using silicon capped with a blocking thermal oxide and aromatic monolayers, we demonstrate that this technique can quickly screen different silicon surface treatments for triplet exciton quenching.

Exploring the practical efficiency limit of silicon solar cells using thin solar-grade substrates

For commercially-viable solar-grade silicon, thinner wafers and surface saturation current densities below 1 fA cm−2, are required to significantly increase the practical efficiency limit of solar cells.

Graphene : An Out Standing Material

In photovoltaics, research is aiming to investigate new materials able to push the efficiency limit for solar cells towards the highest values without increasing the fabrication cost. This paper presents a review about graphene material and its potential use in all technological fields. Due to its high conductivity, transparency and amazing properties. It seems that it has an important place in the next generation of solar cells instead of silicon or thin film based solar cells, researchers found diverse applications for graphene in nanoelectronics, aviation, industry, transport, biomedecine and others. This paper present a review about the state of art about the graphene material in photovoltaic solar cells where very interesting efficiencies were recorded.

Nonequilibrium Theory of the Conversion Efficiency Limit of Solar Cells Including Thermalization and Extraction of Carriers

The ideal solar cell conversion efficiency limit known as the Shockley-Queisser (SQ) limit, which is based on a detailed balance between absorption and radiation, has long been a target for solar cell researchers. While the theory for this limit uses several assumptions, the requirements in real devices have not been discussed fully. Given the current situation in which research-level cell efficiencies are approaching the SQ limit, a quantitative argument with regard to these requirements is worthwhile in terms of understanding of the remaining loss mechanisms in current devices and the device characteristics of solar cells that are operating outside the detailed balance conditions. Here we examine two basic assumptions: (1) that the photo-generated carriers lose their kinetic energy via phonon emission in a moment (fast thermalization), and (2) that the photo-generated carriers are extracted into carrier reservoirs in a moment (fast extraction). Using a model that accounts for the carrier relaxation and extraction dynamics, we reformulate the nonequilibrium theory for solar cells in a manner that covers both the equilibrium and nonequilibrium regimes. Using a simple planar solar cell as an example, we address the parameter regime in terms of the carrier extraction time and then consider where the conventional SQ theory applies and what could happen outside the applicable range.

Toward Highly Efficient Nanostructured Solar Cells Using Concurrent Electrical and Optical Design

AbstractRecent technological advances in conventional planar and microstructured solar cell architectures have significantly boosted the efficiencies of these devices near the corresponding theoretical values. Nanomaterials and nanostructures have promising potential to push the theoretical limits of solar cell efficiency even higher using the intrinsic advantages associated with these materials, including efficient photon management, rapid charge transfer, and short charge collection distances. However, at present the efficiency of nanostructured solar cells remains lower than that of conventional solar devices due to the accompanying losses associated with the employment of nanomaterials. The concurrent design of both optical and electrical components will presumably be an imperative route toward breaking the present‐day limit of nanostructured solar cells. This review summarizes the losses in traditional solar cells, and then discusses recent advances in applications of nanotechnology to solar devices from both optical and electrical perspectives. Finally, a rule for nanostructured solar cells by concurrently engineering the optical and electrical design is devised. Following these guidelines should allow for exceeding the theoretical limit of solar cell efficiency soon.

Efficiency limit of solar cells with index-near-zero photon management layers

As single-junction solar cells saturate in efficiency, the topic of photon management has generated interest in the long running quest to exceed the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit. While a mirror applied to the backside of a solar cell has proven its benefit as a photon management layer in record setting devices that fall within the Shockley-Queisser limit, it has been proposed that a new type of photon management layer – a transparent index-near-zero (INZ) material – applied to the top surface of a solar cell will allow it to finally exceed the Shockley-Queisser limit. INZ layers – and their influence on solar cell current density, open circuit voltage, and power conversion efficiency – are analyzed. By considering the principle of detailed balance, Snell's law, and the role that entropy plays, it is shown that INZ layers do not allow a solar cell to exceed the Shockley-Queisser efficiency limit. At best, a solar cell with an INZ layer would have the same Shockley-Queisser limiting efficiency as a conventional solar cell tracked under a direct solar spectrum (direct beam radiation only), yet would suffer diminished efficiency under a global solar spectrum (direct beam plus diffuse light) due to the presence of an external critical acceptance angle.

New Research in Solar Cells: Urbach Tails and Open Circuit Voltage

<div class="page" title="Page 45"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"><p>The development of various emerging photovoltaic technologies, as classified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, has experienced very different rates of progress over the last five to ten years. In particular, two thin-film technologies, quantum dot solar cells and perovskite-based solar cells, have achieved drastically different values for power conversion efficiency as quantum dots have failed to keep up with perovskites. Clearly, the materials are very different, but in order to quantify the discrepancy in efficiency, we focus on measuring the tail of the absorption past the nominal band edge and therefore the Urbach energy of the two materials. We discuss a theoretical relationship between Urbach energy and open circuit voltage based on the original considerations by Shockley and Queisser on the efficiency limits of solar cells.</p></div></div></div>

The Shockley‐Queisser paper – A notable example of a scientific sleeping beauty

The Shockley‐Queisser paper – A notable example of a scientific sleeping beauty

Detailed balance analysis of nanophotonic solar cells

We present a detailed balance based approach for performing current density-voltage characteristic modeling of nanophotonic solar cells. This approach takes into account the intrinsic material non-idealities, and is useful for determining the theoretical limit of solar cell efficiency for a given structure. Our approach only requires the cell's absorption spectra over all angles, which can be readily calculated using available simulation tools. Using this approach, we elucidate the physics of open-circuit voltage enhancement over bulk cells in nanoscale thin film structures, by showing that the enhancement is related to the absorption suppression in the immediate spectral region above the bandgap. We also show that with proper design, the use of a grating on a nanoscale thin film can increase its short-circuit current, while preserving its voltage-enhancing capabilities.

The Efficiency Limits of Solar Cells

As one of the most promising of the alternative energy sources, there are many advantages of solar energy: low carbon emissions; abundant and secure supplies; favoring developing countries; being cheap to run and maintain. Solar photovoltaic cells convert sunlight into electricity. This is achieved using semiconductors and some complicated physics. This paper explains how it works. The solar source of light energy is described and quantified, along with a review of the basic equations of photovoltaic device physics. Particular attention is given to efficiency limits for single-junction, tandem solar cells and triple junction solar cells. The efficiency of single-junction cells is presented as a function of the energy gap, and the efficiency of tandem cells is presented as a function of the energy gap of top and bottom cells.

The efficiency limit of solar cells with molecular absorbers: A master equation approach

A master equation approach to the limiting efficiencies of solar cells with molecular absorbers is presented. A number of model absorbers are analyzed that possess identical absorption spectra, but with differing numbers of electronic excited states. The Shockley–Queisser limit is reproduced for a molecule resembling a semiconductor, with an infinity of electronic levels in the excited state manifold. However, when only a few electronic states contribute to the absorption spectrum, the limiting efficiency is reduced. In the extreme case, where only a single electronic excited state participates in the absorption spectrum, the efficiency limit is 28.9%. At high energy thresholds, built-in thermal up-conversion results in solar cells with efficiencies exceeding the Shockley–Queisser curve. The analysis is applicable to any single threshold photovoltaic device, including those based on semiconductor, polymer, and small molecule absorbers.