Numerical study of a highly efficient light trapping nanostructure of perovskite solar cell on a textured silicon substrate

Abstract In this paper, a nanostructured perovskite solar cell (PSC) on a textured silicon substrate is examined, and its performance is analyzed. First, its configuration and the simulated unit cell are discussed, and its fabrication method is explained. In this proposed structure, poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is used instead of glass. It is shown that the use of PDMS dramatically reduces the reflection from the cell surface. Furthermore, the light absorption is found to be greatly increased due to the light trapping and plasmonic enhancement of the electric field in the active layer. Then, three different structures, are compared with the main proposed structure in terms of absorption, considering the imperfect fabrication conditions and the characteristics of the built PSC. The findings show that in the worst fabrication conditions considered structure (FCCS), short-circuit current density (Jsc) is 22.28 mA/cm2, which is 27% higher than that of the planar structure with a value of 17.51 mA/cm2. As a result, the efficiencies of these FCCSs are significant as well. In the main proposed structure, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) is observed to be improved by 32%, from 13.86% for the planar structure to 18.29%.

Download Full-text

Silicon Substrate Treated with Diluted NaOH Aqueous for Si/PEDOT: PSS Heterojunction Solar Cell with Performance Enhancement

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13184659 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (18) ◽

pp. 4659

Author(s):

Tao Chen ◽

Hao Guo ◽

Leiming Yu ◽

Tao Sun ◽

Yu Yang

Keyword(s):

Aqueous Solution ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Silicon Substrate ◽

High Performance ◽

Immersion Time ◽

Performance Enhancement ◽

Light Trapping ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Short Circuit Current ◽

Short Circuit Current Density

Si/PEDOT: PSS solar cell is an important alternative for photovoltaic device due to its anticipated high theoretical efficiency and simple manufacturing process. In this study, processing silicon substrate with diluted NaOH aqueous solution was found to be an effective method for improving device performance, one that notably improves junction quality and light trapping ability. When immersed in diluted NaOH aqueous solution, the junction quality was improved according to the enlarged fill factor, reduced series resistance, and enhanced minor carrier lifetime. The diluted NaOH aqueous solution immersion etched the silicon surface and helped with the enhancement of light trapping ability, further improving the short-circuit current density. Although diluted NaOH aqueous solution immersion for bare silicon could improve the performance of devices, proper immersion time was needed. The influence of immersion time on device performances was investigated. The photovoltaic conversion efficiency easily increased from 10.01% to 12.05% when silicon substrate was immersed in diluted NaOH aqueous for 15 min. This study contributes to providing efficient and convenient methods for preparing high performance Si/PEDOT: PSS solar cells.

Download Full-text

Fabrication of perovskite solar cell with high short-circuit current density (JSC) using moth-eye structure of SiOX

Nano Research ◽

10.1007/s12274-020-2763-3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (4) ◽

pp. 1156-1161 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Sucheol Ju ◽

Minseop Byun ◽

Minjin Kim ◽

Junho Jun ◽

Daihong Huh ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cell ◽

Current Density ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Short Circuit Current ◽

Perovskite Solar Cell ◽

Short Circuit Current Density

Download Full-text

Enhanced Conversion Efficiency of a-Si:H Thin-Film Solar Cell Using ZnO Nanorods

Crystals ◽

10.3390/cryst10121082 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (12) ◽

pp. 1082

Author(s):

Fang-I Lai ◽

Jui-Fu Yang ◽

Yu-Chao Hsu ◽

Shou-Yi Kuo

Keyword(s):

Solar Cell ◽

Conversion Efficiency ◽

Light Trapping ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Zno Nanorods ◽

Optical Loss ◽

Short Circuit Current ◽

Short Circuit Current Density ◽

Zinc Oxide Nanorods ◽

Surface Reflectivity

The surface reflectivity of a material will vary as light passes through interfaces with different refractive indices. Therefore, the optical loss and reflection of an optical-electronic component can be reduced by fabricating nanostructures on its surface. In the case of a solar cell, the presence of nanostructures can deliver many different advantages, such as decreasing the surface reflectivity, enhancing the light trapping, and increasing the efficiency of the carrier collection by providing a shorter diffusion distance for the photogenerated minority carriers. In this study, an approximately 50-nm thick seed layer was first prepared using spin coating. Zinc oxide nanorods (ZnO-NRs) were then grown using a chemical solution method (CSM). The ZnO-NRs were approximately 2 μm in height and 100 nm in diameter. After applying them to amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) solar cells, the short-circuit current density increased from 8.03 to 9.24 mA/cm2, and the photovoltaic conversion efficiency increased by 11.24%.

Download Full-text

Modeling of a high performance bandgap graded Pb-free HTM-free perovskite solar cell

The European Physical Journal Applied Physics ◽

10.1051/epjap/2019190095 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 87 (1) ◽

pp. 10101 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Davoud Jalalian ◽

Abbas Ghadimi ◽

Azadeh Kiani

Keyword(s):

Solar Cell ◽

High Performance ◽

Fill Factor ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Short Circuit Current ◽

Perovskite Solar Cell ◽

Short Circuit Current Density ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Hole Transport ◽

Cell Capacitance

In this study, a lead-free nontoxic and hole transport material (HTM)-free perovskite solar cell (PSC) with a novel configuration of glass/FTO/ZnO/CH3NH3SnI3−xBrx/back contact has been modeled and optimized by a solar cell capacitance simulator (SCAPS). The bandgap of CH3NH3SnI3−xBrx absorber is tuned in the range of 1.3 eV to 2.15 eV by variation of the Br doping content. To make a comparison, an optimized Pb-based PSC is also modeled. By optimizing the parameters, power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 16.30%, open circuit voltage (Voc) of 1.02 V, short circuit current density (Jsc) of 22.23 mA/cm2, and fill factor (FF) of 0.72 were obtained. As compare to the reports available in the literature, these results show much improvement and can provide guidelines for production of economic and environmentally friendly PSCs with further efficiency enhancement.

Download Full-text

Ge Solar Cells with Micro-Rod Arrays: Structural and Optical Properties

Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology ◽

10.1166/jnn.2021.19406 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (8) ◽

pp. 4347-4352

Author(s):

Yeojun Yun ◽

Kangho Kim ◽

Jaejin Lee

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Collection Efficiency ◽

Light Trapping ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Surface Recombination ◽

Chemical Vapor ◽

Short Circuit Current ◽

Short Circuit Current Density ◽

Atomic Diffusion

Ge single-junction solar cell structures are grown on micro-patterned Ge substrates using lowpressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. 300 nm high micro-rod arrays are formed on the p-Ge substrates using photolithography and dry etching techniques. The micro-rod arrays are designed with rod diameter varying from 5 to 15 μm and arranged in a hexagonal geometry with rod spacing varying from 2 to 12 μm. Ge p–n junction structures are fabricated by phosphorus atomic diffusion process on the micro-patterned Ge substrates. 100 nm thick InGaP window and 300 nm thick GaAs cap layers are grown to reduce the surface recombination and the ohmic contact resistivity, respectively. Our results indicate that the micro-rod structures improve the performance of the Ge solar cells. An improvement of 16.1% in the photocurrent of the Ge micro-rod solar cell is observed compared to that of a reference Ge solar cell with planar surface. The improvement in the short circuit current density can be attributed to the light trapping effect, enlarged p–n junction area, and enhanced carrier collection efficiency. As a result, the conversion efficiency of the Ge solar cell with micro-rod arrays (5 μm diameter, 2 μm spacing, and 300 nm height) is improved from 3.84 to 4.78% under 1 sun AM 1.5G conditions.

Download Full-text

High short-circuit current density in a non-toxic Bi2S3 Quantum dot sensitized solar cell

Materials Today Energy ◽

10.1016/j.mtener.2021.100783 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 100783

Author(s):

Christopher Rosiles-Perez ◽

Sirak Sidhik ◽

Luis Ixtilico-Cortés ◽

Fernando Robles-Montes ◽

Tzarara López-Luke ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cell ◽

Quantum Dot ◽

Current Density ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Short Circuit Current ◽

Short Circuit Current Density

Download Full-text

CdTe-Based Thin Film Solar Cells: Past, Present and Future

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14061684 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (6) ◽

pp. 1684

Author(s):

Alessandro Romeo ◽

Elisa Artegiani

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Short Circuit Current ◽

Short Circuit Current Density ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Early Years ◽

Solar Cell Efficiency ◽

Cell Efficiency

CdTe is a very robust and chemically stable material and for this reason its related solar cell thin film photovoltaic technology is now the only thin film technology in the first 10 top producers in the world. CdTe has an optimum band gap for the Schockley-Queisser limit and could deliver very high efficiencies as single junction device of more than 32%, with an open circuit voltage of 1 V and a short circuit current density exceeding 30 mA/cm2. CdTe solar cells were introduced at the beginning of the 70s and they have been studied and implemented particularly in the last 30 years. The strong improvement in efficiency in the last 5 years was obtained by a new redesign of the CdTe solar cell device reaching a single solar cell efficiency of 22.1% and a module efficiency of 19%. In this paper we describe the fabrication process following the history of the solar cell as it was developed in the early years up to the latest development and changes. Moreover the paper also presents future possible alternative absorbers and discusses the only apparently controversial environmental impacts of this fantastic technology.

Download Full-text

Over 30% efficiency bifacial 4-terminal perovskite-heterojunction silicon tandem solar cells with spectral albedo

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-94848-4 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Sangho Kim ◽

Thanh Thuy Trinh ◽

Jinjoo Park ◽

Duy Phong Pham ◽

Sunhwa Lee ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cell ◽

Conversion Efficiency ◽

Crystalline Silicon ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Solar Spectrum ◽

Short Circuit Current ◽

Short Circuit Current Density ◽

Production Costs ◽

White Sand ◽

Reflected Light

AbstractWe developed and designed a bifacial four-terminal perovskite (PVK)/crystalline silicon (c-Si) heterojunction (HJ) tandem solar cell configuration albedo reflection in which the c-Si HJ bottom sub-cell absorbs the solar spectrum from both the front and rear sides (reflected light from the background such as green grass, white sand, red brick, roofing shingle, snow, etc.). Using the albedo reflection and the subsequent short-circuit current density, the conversion efficiency of the PVK-filtered c-Si HJ bottom sub-cell was improved regardless of the PVK top sub-cell properties. This approach achieved a conversion efficiency exceeding 30%, which is higher than those of both the top and bottom sub-cells. Notably, this efficiency is also greater than the Schockley–Quiesser limit of the c-Si solar cell (approximately 29.43%). The proposed approach has the potential to lower industrial solar cell production costs in the near future.

Download Full-text

Enhancement of the performance of CdS/CdTe heterojunction solar cell using TiO2/ZnO bi-layer ARC and V2O5 BSF layers: A simulation approach

The European Physical Journal Applied Physics ◽

10.1051/epjap/2020200213 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 92 (2) ◽

pp. 20901

Author(s):

Abdul Kuddus ◽

Md. Ferdous Rahman ◽

Jaker Hossain ◽

Abu Bakar Md. Ismail

Keyword(s):

Solar Cell ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Photovoltaic Performance ◽

Short Circuit Current ◽

Short Circuit Current Density ◽

Open Circuit ◽

Heterojunction Solar Cell ◽

Back Surface ◽

Heterojunction Solar Cells

This article presents the role of Bi-layer anti-reflection coating (ARC) of TiO2/ZnO and back surface field (BSF) of V2O5 for improving the photovoltaic performance of Cadmium Sulfide (CdS) and Cadmium Telluride (CdTe) based heterojunction solar cells (HJSCs). The simulation was performed at different concentrations, thickness, defect densities of each active materials and working temperatures to optimize the most excellent structure and working conditions for achieving the highest cell performance using obtained optical and electrical parameters value from the experimental investigation on spin-coated CdS, CdTe, ZnO, TiO2 and V2O5 thin films deposited on the glass substrate. The simulation results reveal that the designed CdS/CdTe based heterojunction cell offers the highest efficiency, η of ∼25% with an enhanced open-circuit voltage, Voc of 0.811 V, short circuit current density, Jsc of 38.51 mA cm−2, fill factor, FF of 80% with bi-layer ARC and BSF. Moreover, it appears that the TiO2/ZnO bi-layer ARC, as well as ETL and V2O5 as BSF, could be highly promising materials of choice for CdS/CdTe based heterojunction solar cell.

Download Full-text

Room-Temperature Wafer Bonded Multi-Junction Solar Cell Grown by Solid State Molecular Beam Epitaxy

MRS Advances ◽

10.1557/adv.2016.429 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 1 (43) ◽

pp. 2907-2916 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Shulong Lu ◽

Shiro Uchida

Keyword(s):

Solar Cell ◽

Molecular Beam Epitaxy ◽

Wafer Bonding ◽

Room Temperature ◽

Molecular Beam ◽

Short Circuit ◽

Short Circuit Current ◽

Short Circuit Current Density ◽

Device Structure ◽

Junction Solar Cell

ABSTRACTWe studied the InGaP/GaAs//InGaAsP/InGaAs four-junction solar cells grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE), which were fabricated by the novel wafer bonding. In order to reach a higher conversion efficiency at highly concentrated illumination, heat generation should be minimized. We have improved the device structure to reduce the thermal and electrical resistances. Especially, the bond resistance was reduced to be the lowest value of 2.5 × 10-5 Ohm cm2 ever reported for a GaAs/InP wafer bond, which was obtained by the specific combination of p+-GaAs/n-InP bonding and by using room-temperature wafer bonding. Furthermore, in order to increase the short circuit current density (Jsc) of 4-junction solar cell, we have developed the quality of InGaAsP material by increasing the growth temperature from 490 °C to 510 °C, which leads to a current matching. In a result, an efficiency of 42 % at 230 suns of the four-junction solar cell fabricated by room-temperature wafer bonding was achieved.

Download Full-text