Photo-sensitizing thin-film ferroelectric oxides using materials databases and high-throughput calculations

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (48) ◽  
pp. 27323-27333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose J. Plata ◽  
Javier Amaya Suárez ◽  
Santiago Cuesta-López ◽  
Antonio M. Márquez ◽  
Javier Fdez. Sanz
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Electronic Properties ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Ferroelectric Materials ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency ◽  
Ferroelectric Oxides

Conventional solar cell efficiency is limited by the Shockley–Queisser limit. This is not the case for ferroelectric materials. In this work, a high-throughput approach to tune the electronic properties of thin-film ferroelectric oxides is presented.

scholarly journals Photo-Sensitizing Thin-Film Ferroelectric Oxides Using Materials Databases and High-Throughput Calculations

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose J Plata ◽  
Javier Amaya Suárez ◽  
Santiago Cuesta-López ◽  
Antonio Marquez ◽  
Javier Fdez. Sanz
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Photovoltaic Effect ◽  
Electric Polarization ◽  
Ferroelectric Materials ◽  
Band Alignment ◽  
Band Gaps ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency ◽  
Ferroelectric Oxides

<div> <div> <div> <p>Conventional solar cell efficiency is usually limited by the Shockley-Queisser limit. This is not the case, however, for ferroelectric materials, which present a spontaneous electric polarization that is responsible for their bulk photovoltaic effect. Even so, most ferroelectric oxides exhibit large band gaps, reducing the amount of solar energy that can be harvested. In this work, a high-throughput approach to tune the electronic properties of thin-film ferroelectric oxides is presented. Materials databases were systematically used to find substrates for the epitaxial growth of KNbO3 thin-films, using topological and stability filters. Interface models were built and their electronic and optical properties were predicted. Strain and substrate-thin-film band interaction effects were examined in detail, in order to understand the interaction between both materials. We found substrates that significantly reduce the KNbO3 band gap, maintain KNbO3 polarization, and potentially present the right band alignment, favoring the electron injection in the substrate/electrode. This methodology can be easily applied to other ferroelectric oxides, optimizing their band gaps and accelerating the development of new ferroelectric-based solar cells. </p> </div> </div> </div>

scholarly journals Photo-Sensitizing Thin-Film Ferroelectric Oxides Using Materials Databases and High-Throughput Calculations

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jose J Plata ◽  
Javier Amaya Suárez ◽  
Santiago Cuesta-López ◽  
Antonio Marquez ◽  
Javier Fdez. Sanz
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Photovoltaic Effect ◽  
Electric Polarization ◽  
Ferroelectric Materials ◽  
Band Alignment ◽  
Band Gaps ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency ◽  
Ferroelectric Oxides

<div> <div> <div> <p>Conventional solar cell efficiency is usually limited by the Shockley-Queisser limit. This is not the case, however, for ferroelectric materials, which present a spontaneous electric polarization that is responsible for their bulk photovoltaic effect. Even so, most ferroelectric oxides exhibit large band gaps, reducing the amount of solar energy that can be harvested. In this work, a high-throughput approach to tune the electronic properties of thin-film ferroelectric oxides is presented. Materials databases were systematically used to find substrates for the epitaxial growth of KNbO3 thin-films, using topological and stability filters. Interface models were built and their electronic and optical properties were predicted. Strain and substrate-thin-film band interaction effects were examined in detail, in order to understand the interaction between both materials. We found substrates that significantly reduce the KNbO3 band gap, maintain KNbO3 polarization, and potentially present the right band alignment, favoring the electron injection in the substrate/electrode. This methodology can be easily applied to other ferroelectric oxides, optimizing their band gaps and accelerating the development of new ferroelectric-based solar cells. </p> </div> </div> </div>

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

Energies ◽  
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.

Thin‐film solar cells exceeding 22% solar cell efficiency: An overview on CdTe-, Cu(In,Ga)Se2-, and perovskite-based materials

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (4) ◽  
pp. 041602 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Powalla ◽  
Stefan Paetel ◽  
Erik Ahlswede ◽  
Roland Wuerz ◽  
Cordula D. Wessendorf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency

The Business of Fast ALD Equipment for Depositing Alumina Passivation Layers on Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells.

2011 ◽  
Vol 1353 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ad Vermeer ◽  
Roger Gortzen ◽  
P. Poodt ◽  
F. Roozeboom
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Crystalline Silicon ◽  
Atomic Layer ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Alumina Layer ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Crystalline Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Cell Efficiency

ABSTRACTAtomic Layer Deposition (ALD) is a gas phase deposition technique for depositing very high quality thin films with an unsurpassed conformality. The main drawback of ALD however is the very low deposition rate (~ 1 nm/min). Recently, record deposition rates for alumina of up to 1 nm/s were reached using spatial ALD, while maintaining the typical assets regarding film quality as obtained by conventional, slow ALD [1]. This allows for ALD at high throughput numbers.One interesting application is passivation of crystalline silicon solar cells. Applying a thin alumina layer is reported to increase solar cell efficiency and enables the use of thinner wafers, thus reducing the main cost factor [2]. In this paper we report on the latest progress made by SoLayTec that delivered a working prototype of a system realizing full area single sided deposition of alumina on 156 x 156 mm2, mono- and multi crystalline silicon wafers for solar cell applications. The alumina layers showed excellent passivation. Based on this concept, a high-throughput ALD deposition tool is being developed targeting throughput numbers of up to 3000 wafers/hr. Finally, we report on the process of commercializing this technology.

scholarly journals Formation of ultra Si/Ti nano thin film for enhancing silicon solar cell efficiency

2017 ◽  
Vol 908 ◽  
pp. 012040
Author(s):  
T Adam ◽  
T S Dhahi ◽  
M Mohammed ◽  
A M Al-Hajj ◽  
U Hashim
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Silicon Solar Cell ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency

scholarly journals The Effect of Different Surface Plasmon Polaritons Shapes on Thin Film Solar Cell Efficiency

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalil ElKhamisy ◽  
Salah Elagooz ◽  
El-Sayed El-Rabaie ◽  
Hamdy Abdelhamid
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
Surface Plasmon ◽  
Surface Plasmon Polaritons ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cell ◽  
Series Resistance ◽  
Solar Cell Efficiency ◽  
Cell Efficiency ◽  
Plasmon Polaritons

Abstract Thin film Si solar cell and surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) effects on solar cell efficiency, series resistance and shunt resistance are studied and analyzed in this work. The different surface plasmon polaritons (SPPs) shapes and their effects on the optical, electrical properties and therefore on the efficiency of thin film solar cell are studied in this work. This study is introduced using 3D numerical simulation results. The semiconductor and electromagnetic models are incorporated for studying the electrical and optical behaviors of the thin film solar cells, respectively. A 14.76% efficiency is obtained for triangle’ SPPs of about 1.07% of efficiency improvement compared to solar cell of SPPs free. The solar cell electrical parameters also are extracted in this work based on a single diode equivalent model. The series resistance is enhanced for solar cells of equilateral triangle SPP by 3% compared to the non-applied SPPs.

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