Voltage Curves Research Articles

Quick Spectrometric Characterization of Monolithic Perovskite Silicon Tandem Solar Cells Using Monochromatic Light Sources

In monolithic perovskite silicon dual‐junction solar cells, it is crucial that the subcells are current‐matched to maximize performance. The most precise method to determine the current (mis)match of a monolithic dual‐junction solar cell is a spectrometric measurement with, e.g., a light‐emitting diode (LED)‐based solar simulator. However, recoding multiple current voltage curves (IV curves) under different red‐ and blueshifted spectra relative to the AM1.5g reference spectrum is time‐consuming. Herein, a new method is suggested to quickly test solar cells for current mismatch. A solar simulator with two lasers instead of multiple LEDs is used, so that two monitor diodes can track intensity changes of each light source during the measurement. Postmeasurement corrections can be applied using this data, circumventing long stabilization times of the solar simulator. To minimize the scan time, it is focused only on determining the correct short‐circuit current and not the full IV curve. The measurement method is validated comparing it to conventional spectrometric measurements using a stable III–V monolithic dual‐junction solar cell. The measurement on the proof‐of‐concept setup shows a deviation of only 2.3% in the current at the current matching point compared to the reference measurement.

Effective Steady‐State Recombination Decay Times in Comparison to Time‐Resolved Photoluminescence Decay Times in Halide Perovskite Solar Cells

One of the key topics in perovskite solar cells is the reduction of charge carrier recombination, with the aim of increasing power conversion efficiency. The recombination lifetime is a commonly used tool, as it directly affects the current–voltage curve via the diffusion length. The lifetime is often estimated using time‐domain measurement methods such as time‐resolved photoluminescence. However, two obstacles emerge when applying the transiently measured decay times to the steady‐state theory. In general, the decay time depends on the charge carrier concentration, and it is often not clear under which conditions the transient measurement must be conducted to be comparable with the steady‐state performance of the device. Furthermore, diffusion and capacitive effects due to charge injection and extraction can influence transient techniques and cause the measured decay time to deviate from the sought‐after recombination lifetime. Voltage‐dependent steady‐state photoluminescence measurements can be used to estimate the internal voltage during device operation and allow the extraction of collection efficiencies and effective steady‐state decay times that are independent of transport and capacitive effects. Here, the differences between the steady‐state and transient decay times are identified and discussed, and the losses in the current–voltage curve caused by extraction issues are quantified.

Modeling and Simulation of Thermal Effects on Electrical Behavior in Lithium-Ion Cells

Thermal effects exert a crucial influence on the electrical behavior of lithium-ion batteries, significantly impacting key parameters such as the open circuit voltage curve, internal impedance, and cell degradation rate. Furthermore, these effects may give rise to electrolyte loss, resulting in a reduction in capacity. The cycling of batteries inherently generates internal heat, establishing a direct relationship between cell temperature and power demand. This article aims to provide a methodology to model electrothermal relations and temperature influence on electrical behavior in lithium-ion cells, as well as a simulation of extended cell operation under arbitrary power loads, presenting a novel approach not previously explored. It does this by considering three models: the Bernardi model for heat generation within the cell, a thermal lumped model for the cell’s temperature, and the Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann model for the capacity change as a function of temperature. These models are then connected to a state-of-the-art open circuit voltage model of a cell, providing a connection from the thermal world back into the electrical world. Experiments with different power demands occur on the simulation, including estimation of thermal parameters with relative errors under 1%, visualizing the effects of the integrated models and potential for real-cell applications.

Chiral Electrokinetic Phenomena in Single Nanopores

AbstractThe arrangement of solvent molecules and ions at solid–liquid interfaces determines electrochemical properties that are important in separations platforms, sensing technologies, and energy‐storage systems. Here we show that single glass and polymer pores in contact with propylene carbonate (PC) solutions of LiClO4 exhibit an effective surface potential that is modulated by the enantiomeric excess of the solvent. In particular, electrochemical and electrokinetic measurements of ionic transport through glass pipettes and polymer pores reveal that the effective surface potential is significantly lower in solutions prepared using enantiomerically pure PC than in solutions prepared using racemic PC. Both pore systems became positively charged in all racemic solutions examined in the range of LiClO4 concentrations between 1 mM and 100 mM, whereas solutions in (R)‐(+)‐PC induced a positive surface potential only at concentrations above ~5 mM. The effective surface potential is quantified through asymmetry in current–voltage curves and zeta‐potential measurements. Vibrational sum‐frequency‐generation experiments on LiClO4 solutions in racemic and enantiomerically pure PC indicate that the surface lipid‐bilayer‐like region in the former is more strongly organized than in the latter, dictating the favorable positions for lithium and perchlorate ions in each case. The more ordered molecular packing in the racemic liquid leads to accumulation of lithium ions on the outside of the bilayer, creating a higher effective positive charge. Our results highlight the extreme sensitivity of the interfacial potential on molecular organization of the solvent, and the relatively unexplored role that chirality can play in electrokinetic phenomena.

Gramian angular field-based state-of-health estimation of lithium-ion batteries using two-dimensional convolutional neural network and bidirectional long short-term memory

Accurate assessment of the state of health (SOH) of Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is crucial for ensuring the stability and reliability of associated equipment. However, in practical applications, current feature extraction techniques face challenges due to process complexity and the difficulty of models in capturing the dynamic evolution of time series data. This study introduces an advanced method for predicting LIBs SOH by integrating two-dimensional (2D) convolutional neural networks (CNN) and bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) with the Gramian angular field (GAF) technique. Health indicators (HIs) are derived from the incremental capacity and charging voltage curves, which are transformed into two-dimensional images using GAF. Bayesian optimization determines the optimal hyperparameters for the model, which uses image data of two health factors as inputs. The results demonstrate that the proposed dual-channel(CH2) image data input model, combined with voltage data during the charging phase, achieves superior performance, with lower errors and higher accuracy, evidenced by an average root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.0112 and an average mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.0087. The model's generalization capability and comparative analysis with existing methodologies affirm its practical significance.

A comprehensive Investigation of Donor-Acceptor anthraquinone derivatives as Versatile and efficient photosensitizers for Dye-Sensitized solar cells

A new metal-free anthraquinone donor–acceptor-π-anchor (D-A-π-A) design was developed using unsymmetrically substituted anthraquinone (ATQ) derivatives functionalized with bromine (Br), diphenylamine (DPA), indoline (Ind), BrATQBzOH, DPAATQBzOH, and IndATQBzOH. The synthesised compounds, functionalized with an anchor group (ethynylbenzoic acid), were evaluated in practical dye-sensitised solar cell, DSSC, devices with the aiming to improve electron injection efficiency. Their properties and applicability were analysed and rationalised based on their energy levels and parameters derived from the current–voltage (I-V) curve analysis in real devices. Femtosecond transient absorption measurements of the sensitiser IndATQBzOH with TiO2 revealed distinct excited state dynamics and charge transfer properties, highlighting the influence of the semiconductor interface. In addition, Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Time-Dependent DFT (TDDFT) electronic quantum calculations were performed, which revealed that the new anthraquinone-based dyes exhibit optimal coplanarity for efficient electron transfer, with their LUMO and HOMO energy levels facilitating electron injection into TiO2. In contrast to the low efficiencies found for previous anthraquinone derivatives, with maximum photocurrent efficiencies (PCE) below 0.2%, 9,10-anthraquinone derivatives were used as acceptors attached to suitable donors (DPA or Ind), and PCE above 1% were obtained.

Effects of 10 keV Electron Irradiation on the Performance Degradation of SiC Schottky Diode Radiation Detectors

The silicon carbide (SiC) Schottky diode (SBD) detector in a SiC hybrid photomultiplier tube (HPMT) generates signals by receiving photocathode electrons with an energy of 10 keV. So, the performance of the SiC SBD under electron irradiation with an energy of 10 keV has an important significance for the application of the SiC-HPMT. However, studies on 10 keV radiation effects on the SiC SBDs were rarely reported. In this paper, the performance degradation of the SiC SBDs irradiated by 10 keV electrons at different fluences was investigated. After the irradiation, the forward current of the SiC SBDs increased, and the turn-on voltage decreased with the irradiation fluences until 1.6 × 1016 cm−2. According to the capacitance–voltage (C-V) curves, the effective doping concentration increased slightly after the irradiation, and an obvious discrepancy of C-V curves occurred below 5 V. Moreover, as a radiation detector, the peak position of the α-particles’ amplitude spectrum changed slightly, and the energy resolution was also slightly reduced after the irradiation due to the high collection charge efficiency (CCE) still being larger than 99.5%. In addition, the time response of the SiC SBD to the 50 ns pulsed X-ray was almost not affected by the irradiation. The results indicated that the performance degradation of the SiC SBD irradiated at the fluence of 1.5 × 1017 cm−2 would not result in a deterioration of the properties of the SiC-HPMT and showed an important significance for the supplement of the radiation resistance of the SiC SBD radiation detector.

The Impact of Post-Furnace Steel Processing Equipment on Reducing Voltage Fluctuations Caused by Arc Furnaces

Arc devices are among the receivers with the highest power connected to power systems. Due to dynamic load changes, these receivers generate a number of disturbances that affect the quality of electric power. The most important disturbances include voltage fluctuations. It is also worth mentioning the asymmetry and deformation of the supply voltage curve. This article discusses the mutual interaction of receivers operating in parallel, operating stably, and devices with dynamic current consumption. Calculations based on model tests and the results of parameters characterizing the quality of energy, which were recorded in the line supplying the steelworks, are presented. The power supply conditions (power of the short-circuit network) were assessed to influence the degree of suppression of voltage fluctuations by loads with stable current consumption.

Mass‐Producible Self‐Powered Solar‐Blind Ultraviolet Photodetector Based on Graphene/β‐Ga2O3 Heterojunction Processed by Wet Transfer

AbstractGraphene electrodes draw considerable attention in solar‐blind ultraviolet (SBUV) detection owing to their unique features including high ultraviolet (UV) transparency and superior intrinsic carrier mobilities. However, their adoption comes with challenges, as the most commonly used preparation technique, i.e., the dry transfer process, is challenging to achieve mass production. In this work, graphene/β‐Ga2O3 heterojunction photodetectors processed by wet transfer are reported. Benefiting from the UV‐transparent electrode and heterojunction, both the responsivity and response speed are improved. The characteristic of the graphene/β‐Ga2O3 interface is analyzed by the current–voltage (I–V) and capacitance–voltage (C–V) curves, featuring a high‐quality junction. Operated at zero bias, the photodetector exhibits a low dark current of less than 1 pA and a high response speed of less than 1 ms. An excellent UV‐C/visible rejection ratio is also achieved. Importantly, the photodetector performs excellent reproducibility and performance stability. This results provide a new perspective for the mass production of graphene/Ga2O3 integrated devices, enabling high‐performance Ga2O3 photodetector arrays.

Exploring current conduction dynamics in multiferroic BiFeO3 thin films prepared via modified chemical solution method

The current study describes current conduction mechanisms in BiFeO3 thin films prepared by using a modified chemical solution-based technique. In particular, in these films, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the defect causing Fe2+ ions reduced by about 18% compared to the solution-based synthesis methods reported before, indicating better film quality. The leakage current density was measured to be 1.7 × 10–6 A/cm2 at an applied voltage of 1.5 V, which is one order of magnitude less than the previously reported work in a similar system. Oxygen annealing was found to be effective in further reducing the current conduction, making these films a suitable choice for device applications. The current–voltage curves exhibited three different behaviours of current conduction mechanisms in these films. In particular, when the applied electric field was increased, a transition from Ohmic conduction to trap-filled space charge limited conduction was observed. The presented investigations demonstrate the importance of deposition methods in determining the suitability of thin films for device applications.

An efficient state-of-health estimation method for lithium-ion batteries based on feature-importance ranking strategy and hybrid kernel extreme learning machine algorithm

The safe and reliable operation of battery systems depends critically on accurately and dependably estimating the state of health (SOH) of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, accurate prediction of SOH still needs improvement due to the complex battery aging mechanism. This paper introduces a hybrid kernel extremum learning machine (HKELM) for estimating battery SOH. To improve estimation accuracy, we enhance the standard dung beetle optimization algorithm (DBO) with a new initialized population, adaptive weights method, and improved population diversification. We then use the enhanced IDBO algorithm to optimize the parameters of HKELM. This study examines two distinct anode types of LIBs from NASA and Oxford datasets. Fifty significant features are extracted from charging voltage, current, temperature, and incremental capacity (IC) curves. The importance indices of these features are then computed using statistical analyses, including Pearson's correlation coefficient and Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, followed by optimal ranking. The optimal number of final features is determined by comparing various combinations of high-level features, thus reducing model complexity and improving estimation accuracy. This paper proposes the IDBO-HKELM algorithm for SOH estimation. Compared to other methods, the algorithm shows superior estimation performance and anti-interference capability. Both B0007 and Cell8 estimate SOH with MAE < 0.15, RMSE <0.2, and R2 > 99.9 %. Experimental results demonstrate the robustness of the proposed method, achieving accurate and noise-immune SOH estimation.

Effect of Sulfurization Temperature on Properties of Cu2ZnSnS4 Thin Films and Diffusion of Ti Substrate Elements

The addition of flexible Cu2ZnSnS4 (CZTS) thin film solar cells to titanium (Ti) substrates is an attractive way to achieve the low-cost manufacturing of photovoltaics. Prior research has indicated that the appropriate diffusion of Ti elements can enhance the crystalline growth of CZTS films. However, the excessive diffusion of Ti has been shown to adversely affect the photovoltaic performance of CZTS photovoltaic devices. Therefore, it is essential to regulate the diffusion of Ti elements within CZTS thin films to optimize their photovoltaic properties. The tendency for Ti substrate elements to diffuse into CZTS films is also influenced by the activation energy associated with these Ti elements. The sulfurization temperature is posited to be a critical factor in modulating the diffusion and activation energy of Ti elements within CZTS thin films. Consequently, this research investigates the alteration of the sulfurization temperature of CZTS thin films in order to enhance the properties of these thin films and to examine the diffusion behavior of titanium elements. The results reveal that as the sulfurization temperature increases, the diffusion of Ti elements within the CZTS thin films initially increases, then decreases, and subsequently increases again. This pattern suggests that the diffusion of Ti elements is affected not only by the activation energy of the Ti elements but also by the defect hopping distance within the CZTS thin films. Notably, at a sulfurization temperature of 550 °C, the grains at the base of the CZTS thin film demonstrate an increased density, which is associated with a reduced defect hopping distance, thereby hindering the diffusion of Ti elements within the CZTS thin films. Furthermore, at this specific sulfurization temperature, the slope of the current–voltage (I–V) curve for the CZTS/Ti structure reaches its maximum, indicating optimal ohmic contact characteristics.

Inverse Open Circuit Voltage Curve Model for LiCoO2 Battery at Different Temperatures

Lithium-ion batteries are widely used in a variety of applications. For effective battery management, accurate estimation of the state of charge (SOC) is essential. One of the most commonly employed methods for SOC estimation relies on the open circuit voltage (OCV) curve with respect to SOC. However, inverting the OCV-SOC function is not always straightforward. This paper proposes a novel analytical function that directly models the inverse OCV-SOC function, providing a more efficient and reliable method for SOC estimation. Moreover, the dependency of the proposed function on battery temperature is also being investigated, allowing for a wider application of the method under different OCV measuring conditions.

Correlation between Broken Contact Fingers and I–V Characteristics of Partially Shaded Photovoltaic Modules

This paper reports on the correlation between broken contact fingers and the shape of the current–voltage (I–V) curve of a photovoltaic (PV) module. It was found that the broken contact fingers of a solar cell in the PV module cause a noticeable change in the I–V curve of the PV module when the solar cell was partially shaded. The broken contact fingers were inspected by microscopic imaging and electroluminescence (EL) imaging, and a further investigation was carried out using a single solar cell. The results show that the fill factor of the cell decreased from 0.75 of full contact to 0.47 after 16 contact fingers were broken, confirming the correlation between the I–V curve shape and broken contact fingers. This result reveals that the shape of the I–V curve of a PV module under individual-cell partial shading may be used as an indicator of broken contact fingers, which offers an alternative approach to EL imaging for detecting broken contact fingers in PV modules in daylight.

Study on the thermal runaway behavior and mechanism of 18650 lithium-ion battery induced by external short circuit

This study investigated the external short circuit (ESC) characteristics of 18650-type NCM lithium-ion batteries under different states of charge (SOC) and short-circuit currents. The research includes the macroscopic electro-thermal characteristics, microscopic morphology, structural damage, and internal damage evolution mechanism of short-circuited batteries. The tests provided an in-depth study of external short circuit (ESC) failure and thermal runaway (TR) behavioral characteristics. The results indicate that all the temperature changes of the short-circuit batteries were found to be in an upward and then downward trend. The surface temperature rise rate of batteries with low SOC were faster, and the maximum surface temperature rise of batteries with high SOC were higher. And with the increase of short-circuit current rate, the temperature rise gradually increased. In particular, thermal runaway occurred at 25C and the maximum temperature exceeds 500 °C. Different SOC batteries showed different degree of voltage fluctuation. The voltage curve of low SOC batteries showed “falling-rising-falling” trend with a brief platform. High SOC batteries formed a distinct voltage platform near 2.75 V. As the short-circuit current increased, the voltage platform shortened, followed by the rapid drop to zero. X-ray CT and SEM test results showed that the deformation of the battery jelly roll was mainly due to the separator shrinkage and tearing. Major changes occurred in the cathode and separator, including secondary particle rupture and irreversible pore blockage in the separator. The damage mechanism of ESC and its evolution are revealed. The results of this study can provide support for the research work on the thermal safety design of lithium batteries.

Nanocrystalization effects on the structural, electrical and thermoelectric properties of 10KNbO3-10Fe2O3-50B2O3-30V2O5 glass for non-volatile electronic-memory devices

AbstractThe composition: 10KNbO3-10Fe2O3-50B2O3-30V2O5 (in mol%) is produced using the conventional melt quenching method and their corresponding glass–ceramic nanocomposites were studied. The structural properties of the as-quenched sample and its heat-treated samples were investigated using X-ray diffraction and differential thermal analysis. Density (ρ) was found to decrease with increasing average nanocrystallite size as the molar volume increases. Studies on thermoelectric power have been carried out. The glass–ceramic nanocomposite after 2 h of heating exhibits significant improvement of electrical conductivity. The activation energy (W), polaron radius (rp) and other parameters have been estimated in the non-adiabatic region. The current–voltage (I–V) curve of each sample was measured. A temporal analysis of current &amp; voltage in nonlinear I–V curves show pinched hysteresis loop, which is the memristor’s fingerprint. The glass–ceramic nanocomposite after 2 h of heating exhibits a large switching window. The results of the study enable us to predict that they will be helpful for future applications of non-volatile electronic-memory devices.

Charge Transport in Interband Cascade Lasers: An Ab‐Initio Self‐Consistent Model

AbstractInterband cascade lasers (ICLs) stand out due to their low threshold current and minimal power consumption, rendering them viable sources for compact and mobile devices in the mid‐infrared. Since their first demonstration, they experienced major performance improvements. Mostly they originate from either improved material quality or the outcomes of numerical analysis of secluded parts. Encouraged by the impact of secluded models, an ICL‐specific simulation tool can lead to performance breakthroughs and a better comprehension of governing mechanisms. Drawing from an evaluation of existing tools designed for quantum cascade structures, a self‐consistent density matrix rate equation model is implemented to simulate the transport in both conduction and valence band heterostructures. Albeit the extensive inclusion of the quantum effects, special care was taken to maintain a high numerical efficiency. The charge transport model additionally considers optical field calculations, allowing for predictive calculations of light–current–voltage curves. The model is benchmarked against well‐established ICL designs and demonstrate reliable performance predictability. Additionally, detailed insights into device characteristics extracted from the model are provided. This ultimately allows to deepen the understanding of ICL and not only refine existing ones but also generate novel optimized designs.

Combining a Data Driven and Mechanistic Model to Predict Capacity and Potential Curve‐Degradation

AbstractThis work compares a state of the art data‐driven model to predict the state of health (SoH) in lithium ion batteries with a new prediction model based on the mechanistic framework. The mechanistic approach attributes the degradation to individual components such as loss of available capacity on each electrode as well as loss of cyclable lithium. By combining the mechanistic framework with data‐driven models for the component losses based on a design of experiment, we achieve a cycle aging model that can predict capacity degradation as well as degradation‐induced changes to the discharge potential curve. Using this cycle aging model alongside with a semi‐empirical calendar aging model, we present a holistic aging model that we validate on independent validation tests containing time‐variant load profiles. While the purely data‐driven model is better at predicting the SoH, the mechanistic model clearly has it advantages in a deeper understanding that can potentially enhance the current methods of tracking and updating the characteristic open‐circuit voltage curve over lifetime.

Effects of the Operating Point of Photovoltaic Strings on Sizing of DC‐ and AC‐Connected Energy Storage Systems for Power Smoothing

Photovoltaic (PV) power generators are constantly exposed to operating condition variations. While the electrical characteristic of a PV generator has exactly one maximum power point (MPP) during homogeneous operating conditions, several MPPs may exist during nonuniform operating conditions. Since highly varying global MPP voltage causes large fluctuations in the inverter reference voltage, it would be beneficial to keep the operating point of the inverter all the time close to the nominal MPP voltage to secure more predictable and straightforward operation of the PV system. This article presents a study of the effects of the operating point on the operation of PV strings equipped with energy storage systems (ESS). A scenario in which the MPP closest to the nominal MPP voltage is used as the operating point is compared to operation in the global MPP. The effects of inverter sizing on the selection of the operating point are also studied. Moreover, DC and AC connections of the ESSs are compared. The study is based on measured current–voltage curves of a 23 module PV string. The results show that, in practice, there are no major differences in sizing of DC‐connected ESSs between the two MPPs.

A more accurate Co-Content function calculation, using alternative integration methods, for Current–Voltage curves measured in the zero volt to open-circuit voltage range

AbstractIn this article, the application of the Newton–Cotes quadrature formula, the 3/8 rule, the Boole’s rule, and order 5 and 6 integration techniques, are explored to more accurately calculate the Co-Content function, of Current–Voltage (IV) measurements done between 0 V and the open circuit voltage, which include a percentage noise of the short circuit current. Their impact on the extraction of the five photovoltaic devices’ parameters (within the one-diode model) is investigated and reported. The shunt resistance, series resistance, ideality factor, and photocurrent can be obtained with less than 10% error, using these integration techniques and 101 measured points per volt, when the percentage noise is 0.05% or less, of the short circuit current. It is not possible to obtain the saturation current with less than 10% error. These integration techniques are implemented in photovoltaic devices, such as solar cells and single-crystalline silicon, CdTe, CIGS, and heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer solar panels IV curves, to extract the five solar cell parameters.