Monocrystalline Silicon Solar Cells Research Articles

Optimization of monocrystalline silicon solar cell using Box–Behnken design and machine learning models

Optimization of monocrystalline silicon solar cell using Box–Behnken design and machine learning models

Luminescent solar concentrator containing Parylene-C microfibrous thin film infiltrated with Lumogen F Red 305

Abstract Luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) were made by the infiltration of microfibrous thin films (µFTFs) of Parylene C by Lumogen F Red 305 (LFR305), in order to maximize the concentration of light made available to a photovoltaic solar cell (PVSC). The Parylene-C µFTFs with either tilted columnar or chevronic morphology were fabricated using physicochemical vapor deposition and infiltrated with LFR305 using thermal evaporation. Application of a voltage across a photoresistor illuminated by a solar simulator (AM1.5) through an LFR305-infiltrated Parylene-C LSC resulted in an enhancement of the ON-OFF minimum current ratio by a factor of 1.5 ± 0.29 compared to the ratio before LFR305 infiltration/deposition, regardless of morphology; furthermore, LFR305 infiltration enhanced the ON-OFF minimum current ratio by 56.5 ± 21.5 %, depending on the morphology. The LSC concentration factor was determined to be 8.7 ± 3.4 after integration with a monocrystalline-silicon solar cell, depending on the morphology.

Study on the mechanism of advanced pre-degradation on hydrogenation of multi-crystalline silicon solar cells

The electrical performance of monocrystalline silicon solar cells was significantly improved under hydrogenation alone with appropriate conditions, while the similar improvements of multi-crystalline silicon (mc-Si) solar cells were relatively slight. In this paper, an advanced pre-degradation (Adv.Pre-Deg) was introduced to improve the hydrogenation effect and enhance the performance of mc-Si solar cells. Meanwhile, further studies were conducted on the influence mechanism of Adv.Pre-Deg on subsequent hydrogenation, and some microscopic detection was applied to characterize the effect of Adv.Pre-Deg on the following hydrogenation. The results indicated that Adv.Pre-Deg only slightly influenced the crystallinity, dangling bonds, and defects within the surface dielectric layer, which illustrated that Adv.Pre-Deg hardly harmed the dielectric layer. Then, Raman imaging demonstrated that Adv.Pre-Deg displayed primary assistance in stimulating impurities or defects in silicon bulk in advance. According to the detection of the Si-H bond, we also concluded that the effective performance improvement on mc-Si silicon solar cells through Adv.Pre-Deg & hydrogenation was due to the pre-activation of impurities or defects by Adv.Pre-Deg. Moreover, Adv.Pre-Deg enhanced the passivation effect of hydrogenation on interstitial Fei+ from 30.3%rel. to 89.1%rel. and dislocation defects from 21.92%rel. to 46.18%rel., doubling the improvement of bulk passivation on mc-Si. Therefore, the method of combining Adv.Pre-Deg with hydrogenation aims to be applied to other types of solar cells and focus on improving performance and suppressing various degradations, such as TOPCon and HJT.

Opto-electro-thermal simulation of heat transfer in monocrystalline silicon solar cells

AbstractIn the area of photovoltaics, monocrystalline silicon solar cells are ubiquitously utilized in buildings, commercial, defense, residential, space, and transportation applications throughout the world. Their performance is impeded by the heating of the cells during their interaction with the incident solar radiation. The development of reliable computer simulations that effectively model the thermal response of monocrystalline silicon solar cells is critical for their design, fabrication, and utilization. This work employs a novel computer simulation to incorporate the optical, electrical, and thermal properties of silicon in the thermal analysis of silicon solar cells. After establishing the theoretical principles and the values of these properties, the results of the simulation are compared with other established studies. The analysis shows that the percentage difference in solar cell temperatures between simulation and literature is within a range of 0.354–0.487%. The proposed simulation shows that the visible range of wavelengths is the dominant source of heating in commercial monocrystalline silicon solar cells.

Modeling and prediction of degradation induced by light on monocrystalline silicon solar cell

Abstract In this work, the qualitative and quantitative study of degradation extent caused by LeTID on monocrystalline silicon solar cells under different treatment temperatures and irradiance intensities is carried out. A mathematical model of the relationship between the degradation temperature and irradiance intensity is established. The concept of equivalent temperature and equivalent irradiance intensity is introduced to establish the relationship between the constant temperature and irradiance in the laboratory and the changing temperature and irradiance outdoors, and the outdoor degradation prediction of LeTID of monocrystalline silicon cells is realized. Using this model can help the PV industry to predict the outdoor long-term performance of PERC solar cells.

From Rigid to Flexible: Progress, Challenges and Prospects of Thin c‐Si Solar Energy Devices

AbstractThe increasing adoption of solar energy as a renewable power source marks a significant shift toward clean, sustainable alternatives to conventional energy forms. A notable development in this field is the advancement of thin monocrystalline silicon (c‐Si) solar cells. Characterized by their lightweight, flexible nature, these solar cells promise to transform the renewable energy landscape with enhanced durability, adaptability, and portability. Amidst the growing demand for sustainable energy solutions, refining and evolving thin c‐Si solar cell technologies is crucial. This review comprehensively examines the latest progress in thin c‐Si solar energy conversion device technologies, offering an extensive overview of current methodologies for producing thin c‐Si films, advanced light trapping techniques, surface passivation strategies, and methods for managing thin wafers. It also explores the wide‐ranging applications of thin c‐Si solar cells. Furthermore, this article sheds light on the techno‐economic aspects, highlighting the intertwined challenges of commercializing these innovative cells. Through an in‐depth analysis of the latest advancements, this review serves as a valuable resource for researchers and industry experts, keeping them abreast of current trends and catalyzing further advancements in thin c‐Si solar cell technology.

Synthesis, characterization, and application of silica aerogel thin films prepared via surface derivatization: A comprehensive study on micro-silica nanofilms for enhanced photoelectric conversion efficiency in photovoltaic solar cells

Silica aerogels are nanoporous materials with exceptional optical and physical properties, making them promising candidates to enhance solar cell efficiency as antireflective coatings. This study synthesized hydrophobic silica aerogel thin films under ambient conditions and characterized their porous structure, surface morphology, and optical performance. The films were deposited on monocrystalline silicon solar cells to assess their impact on photovoltaic properties. A two-step acid/base catalyzed sol-gel process was utilized, followed by solvent exchange and surface modification with trimethylchlorosilane. Structural analysis via SEM revealed successful deposition of crack-free films when aging occurred in an ethanol environment. The aerogel displayed considerable specific surface area (115 m2/g), porosity (77.92%) and surface roughness (55-78%) along with a low refractive index (1.05), benefiting light harvesting. Preliminary solar testing showed increased output voltage with a 0.2 mm aerogel coating versus a bare cell. Further IV measurements demonstrated enhanced charge transport and conversion efficiency for the treated cell. The aerogels antireflective and light-trapping effects appear to improve photon absorption. This initial research validates the potential of ambient pressure-synthesized hydrophobic silica aerogels to increase the performance of silicon photovoltaics cost-effectively. Further optimization of film thickness and morphology could realize higher efficiency gains.

A generalized mathematical modeling and performance analysis of GaAs, m-Si and Ge single - junction solar PV cells

Earlier theoretical approaches have analyzed the performance of semiconductor materials for the influence of temperature and band gap which is implemented in solar photovoltaic systems. This paper investigates the detailed mathematical analysis of single junction semiconductor materials such as Gallium Arsenide (GaAs), mono-crystalline Silicon (m-Si) and Germanium (Ge) solar cells parameters namely, Band gap (Eg), reverse saturation current (Io), shunt resistance (Rsh), Short circuit current (Isc), open circuit voltage (Voc), Fill factor (FF), Maximum Power (Pmax) and Efficiency (Ƞ) for temperature ranging from 273K (≈0°C) to 373K (≈100°C). The optimized cell parameters values are obtained under Air Mass 1.5 Global spectrum (Area = 100cm2 and Irradiance = 100 mW/cm2 for the semiconductor materials (GaAs, m-Si and Ge)) at 300K (≈25°C) are compared to identify the higher efficiency and open circuit voltage. Among the semiconductor materials, the single junction GaAs compound semiconductor material is identified with better efficiency and optimized open circuit voltage. A generalized mathematical model of semiconductor materials is developed using single diode equivalent circuit model under SIMULINK platform and it is used to observe the effect of different temperature, irradiance levels, series resistance and shunt resistance values on the performance of solar cells. The discussion is extended for a 2KW PV array for the semiconductor materials (GaAs, m-Si and Ge) under different temperature and irradiance levels. Evaluating the performance of a PV array, rather than individual cells, provides a more comprehensive understanding of how the chosen semiconductor materials function as part of a larger solar energy system.

Enhanced photovoltaic performance of silicon solar cells using a down-shift KCa2Mg2(VO4)3 phosphor.

The efficiency of silicon solar cells is still lower than theoretical values, partly due to their inability to utilize the ultraviolet and infrared portions of the solar spectrum. Herein, a novel method using a KCa2Mg2(VO4)3 phosphor with a down-shift effect to improve the photovoltaic performance of silicon solar cells and enhance the utilization of UV light in standard p-type silicon solar cells is proposed. The synthesized phosphors were mixed with an ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer and pressed into a film, which was subsequently encapsulated in monocrystalline silicon solar cells. The results show that the addition of this film notably enhanced the photovoltaic performance of the silicon solar cells; the current density was increased by 2.89% (from 33.20 to 34.16 mA cm-2), and the photovoltaic conversion efficiency was improved by 5.69% (from 15.11% to 15.97%) at the optimal concentration compared to bare cells.

Enhancement of efficiency in monocrystalline silicon solar cells

As the representative of the first generation of solar cells, crystalline silicon solar cells still dominate the photovoltaic market, including monocrystalline and polycrystalline silicon cells. With the development of silicon materials and cut-silicon wafer technologies, monocrystalline products have become more cost-effective, accelerating the replacement of polycrystalline products. In addition, the conversion efficiency of monocrystalline products increases gradually through high-efficiency cell technologies such as Passivated Emitter and Rear Cell (PERC). This paper will start with the solar cell efficiency and combine cost factor, the P-type PERC cell and additional four types of high-efficiency N-type cell technologies to improve the conversion efficiency for exploration, and will analyze and predict the future solar cell industrialization technologies. The study finally concludes that the N-type Tunnel Oxide Passivated Contact solar cell technology has a large industrial potential and could become a mainstream technology after the perc cell technology. At the same time, Interdigitated back contact cell structure and selective all-passive contact technologies are reliable paths to obtain solar cells with high conversion efficiency, integrated cost, and efficiency, depending on the advantages and compatibility of various cells. It can create conditions for the industrialization of low- cost and high-efficiency monocrystalline silicon solar cells.

Comprehensive Comparison Between the Experimental and Simulated characteristics of the Mono-Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Using SCAPS-1D

Comprehensive Comparison Between the Experimental and Simulated characteristics of the Mono-Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell Using SCAPS-1D

Suppressing Optical Losses in Solar Cells via Multifunctional and Large-Scale Geometric Arrays.

The occurrence of optical loss on the surface of solar cells is inevitable due to the difference in the refractive index between air and glass, as well as the insufficient absorption of the active layer. To address this challenge, micron-sized geometry arrays, such as hemispheres and hemisphere pits, are prepared on quartz glass through the advanced indirect patterning technology of UV-LIGA. These geometric arrays exhibit multiple mechanisms for controlling light waves, including multiple rebounds, diffraction scattering, and total internal reflection. These synergistic effects suppress optical losses at the device's surface and prolong the photon propagation path in the active layer. After being patterned with this structure, the average transmittance and haze of the quartz glass reach 93.91% and 75%, respectively. Compared to their flat counterpart, the decorated monocrystalline silicon solar cells demonstrated an apparent improvement in photocurrent and produced a 7.2% enhancement in power conversion efficiency.

A Study on the Impact of PN-Junction Doping Concentration on the Efficiency of Monocrystalline Silicon Solar Cells

A Study on the Impact of PN-Junction Doping Concentration on the Efficiency of Monocrystalline Silicon Solar Cells

Construction of efficient silicon solar cells through polymetallic oxidation-reduction triggered by thermite reaction

Optimal metal-semiconductor contact interface is crucial for semiconductor devices, particularly for silicon solar cells aluminum-silicon contact is a key to improve the efficiency of the cell. In this work, a new type of Sb2O3-MoO3-B2O3 glass frits that can trigger a thermite reaction was utilized to improve the Al-Si interface. The low melting temperatures of these glass frits enhance the effect of thermite reaction by providing solid-liquid contact, which enables gradient distribution of the elements and leads to differences in the valence states of the Al-Si layer at the inner and surface regions. The valence states of Al and Sb at the inner layer are higher than those at the surface, while Mo is the opposite. Metallic Mo with a matched work function can lower the potential barrier, thereby improving hole selectivity and enhancing the potential skip-step. As a result, the fabricated solar cell achieved a high open-circuit voltage, a high short-circuit current, and a low series resistance. Consequently, a power conversion efficiency of 19.94% was obtained for a monocrystalline silicon solar cell with full Al-BSF. This work not only presents a new hole-selective contact for silicon solar cells, but also introduces a new approach for regulating the distribution and valence states of interface elements for enhanced efficiency.

Towards 30% Efficiency by 2030 of Eco-Designed Building Integrated Photovoltaics

The necessity of affordable and durable building-integrated photovoltaics has gained widespread importance for the renewable energy transition involving electrification and decarbonization in climate-neutral cities that possess many public health co-benefits. Although the PV market is dominated by polycrystalline and monocrystalline silicon solar cells of the first generation, there is an impetus in the research lately for more sophisticated solar cell architectures with higher efficiency, longer lifetime, and less use of raw materials in an eco-design approach. To accelerate building integration of the next generation of photovoltaics and the associated climate change mitigation benefits, we propose in this work a holistic novel approach to the requirements and associated parameters for the emerging and innovative PV structures, spanning from intrinsic cell properties to panels effect in the urban environment. Within this framework, and supported by building simulation, the improvement of cells’ efficiency is revealed as an important parameter for their wider PV building and urban deployment as well as a major improvement in covering the building energy needs with minimized thermal impact in the urban environment. By analyzing the lab-reported values and the timeline of emerging and novel tandem solar cells, we propose the 30% BIPV efficiency of the eco-designed BIPV products as a central milestone to be attained before 2030 for a sustainable urban transformation.

3D surface microstructure of silicon modified by QDs to improve solar cell performance through down-conversion and anti-reflection mechanism

Improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of solar cells is an important subject for a wide range of photovoltaic research. One of the main reasons for low PCE is the mismatch between solar spectrum and solar cells. The use of down-conversion and anti-reflection mechanisms is a reasonable method to increase PCE. Down-conversion can convert low-absorbance photons in silicon solar cells into high-absorbance photons while the special 3D surface structure formed by the down-conversion material produces an anti-reflection effect to increase the PCE of the solar cell. In this study, cadmium selenide (CdSe) quantum dots (QDs) coating hybrid structure of monocrystalline silicon solar cells was proposed to increase the utilization. Here, the CdSe QDs were synthesized with a high absorption strength in the 300–500 nm and a photoluminescence (PL) peak at 628 nm. Benefiting from the larger absorption cross-section and weaker electron-phonon coupling characteristics of CdSe QDs, the down-conversion was achieved successfully, and the reflectance test of the CdSe QDs covered silicon solar cells also shows an anti-reflection effect. Therefore, by using the dual mechanism of down-conversion and anti-reflection, the PCE of solar cells was improved by the proposed system. The results show that the PCE of the CdSe QDs coating hybrid structure based monocrystalline silicon solar cells is increased by 1.42% from 14.45% to 15.87%. Besides, by using finite element method, the reflection reduction mechanism for lower transition layer was also simulated to further explain the experiment results. Due to the low synthesis cost of QDs, this work can be well integrated into the photovoltaic industry, which provides a new technical route and guidance for improving the PCE of silicon cells.

Firing behavior of lead-containing and lead-free metallization silver paste for monocrystalline silicon solar cells

In this work, PbO-TeO2-Bi2O3-SiO2 lead-containing glass and TeO2-Bi2O3-ZnO-Li2O lead-free glass were synthesized in order to investigate the difference between them and find out the reason why lead-free paste can't be used on monocrystalline wafer commercially. Their flowability and reactivity with SiNx were characterized. Lead-free glass presents lower flow temperature, better wettability and stronger etching ability to SiNx than lead-containing glass. Button test was carried out and large white particles was identified on the interface for lead-free glass. These results indicates the excessive flowability and etching to SiNx for lead-free glass. The morphology of grid line and interface between silver electrode and silicon wafer were investigated on dependence of temperature. The lead-containing and lead-free glasses went through similar evolution of silver sintering and interface microstructure with lead-free glass better facilitating silver sintering through liquid phase sintering due to its lower flow temperature. The thicker glass layer and more Ag crystallites with large size can be observed from cross-sectional micrographs for lead-free glass. Therefore, lead-free paste exhibits lower Voc and FF than lead-containing glass owing to its ecxessive corrosion of SiNx, thicker glass layer and large Ag crystallites.

Charge trapping and photovoltaic characteristics in monocrystalline silicon solar cells employing molybdenum oxide and copper oxide stacked hole-selective contacts

A hole-selective contact (HSC) composed of stacked layers of molybdenum oxide (MoOx) and copper oxide (CuOx), called MOCOSL, has been proposed as passivation booster for screen-printed monocrystalline silicon solar cell (SMSC) applications. The passivation quality of MOCOSL is investigated by characterizing its charge trapping properties, including fixed oxide charge (Qf) and interface trap density (Dit). The conversion efficiency (CE) of SMSCs is improved by MOCOSL, resulting in an increase from 20.66% to 21.76%. This improvement is attributed to an increase in the negative Qf and a decrease in Dit, which result in an increase in the open circuit voltage (Voc) and short circuit current (Jsc). Specifically, the number of negative Qf is increased by MOCOSL, which helps to reduce the recombination of charge carriers.

Preparation of UV Curable Optical Adhesive NOA81 Bionic Lotus Leaf Structure Films by Nanoimprint Technique and the Applications on Silicon Solar Cells

Front surface texturing is a common method used to improve the optical performance of photovoltaic devices. However, traditional texturing techniques may be challenging in some cases, such as when dealing with ultra-thin substrates. Textured polymer films on such devices would be an alternative approach. This paper reports a study of NOA81 thin films with a bionic lotus leaf surface structure on monocrystalline silicon solar cells. Inspired by the surface structure of natural lotus leaves, we successfully prepared a bionic lotus leaf microstructure film on the surface of solar cells based on NOA81 using polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer and nanoimprinting methods. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images showed that the surface structure of the NOA81 thin film was the same as that of natural lotus leaves. A UV-Vis spectrophotometer with an integrating sphere was used to measure the reflectance of the textured NOA81 film on the silicon wafer. Results showed that the textured NOA81 film could effectively reduce the reflectance of the silicon wafer surface. We also used finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation to verify this conclusion further. Finally, the I-V characteristics of the prepared solar cells with the textured NOA81 film were investigated, and the highest photovoltaic efficiency was measured to be about 16.07%, effectively improving the photoelectric conversion efficiency. In addition, the film with textured NOA81 can be used as a protective film for monocrystalline silicon solar cells.

GAMMA RADIATION EFFECTS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF MONO-CRYSTALLINE SOLAR CELLS

In this study, we present examples of solar cells that were subjected to various levels of 60Co gamma radiation. The solar cells we use are mono-crystalline, which has a stable crystal structure and high efficiency compared to polycrystalline. Prior to and during gamma irradiation, the current-voltage characteristics of monocrystalline silicon solar cells under AM1.5 light conditions and their photon spectral currents were examined. The results of the experiment demonstrate that as the dose of gamma radiation increases, solar cell metrics including open circuit voltage (Voc), short circuit current (Isc), and efficiency (η) drop. The photon spectral current demonstrates that as dose gamma is increased, the current decreases at shorter wavelengths and the defects are primarily produced near the solar cell's surface. Our findings demonstrate the gamma irradiation-induced breakdown of silicon solar cells and the minority carrier lifetime which demonstrates that the minority carrier lifetimes sharply decline with increasing radiation dose.