Size-dependent Photovoltaic Properties of Solar Cells Containing Si Quantum Dots/SiC Multilayers

Abstract Recently, many kinds of Si nanostructures have been extensively investigated, in which, Si quantum dot (Si QD) is one of the potential candidates for all-Si tandem solar cells. Because the optical bandgap of Si QDs can be tunable via size controlling, it can match the solar spectrum in a wide range and consequently improve the spectral response. In this work, Si QDs/SiC multilayers with controllable dot sizes were fabricated and characterized. The Raman spectra and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observation revealed the formation of size-controllable Si QDs. The absorption measurement showed that the bandgap of Si QDs was red shifted to the long wavelength range with the dot size increasing, which agrees well with the quantum confinement effect. Moreover, heterojunction solar cells containing different sized-Si QDs/SiC multilayers were proposed and investigated. The solar cells exhibited strong size-dependent photovoltaic properties and the best cell had the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.27%. Furthermore, the external quantum efficiency (EQE) measurement demonstrated the Si QDs contribution of light absorption and response in ultraviolet-visible range, which provides a promising way to realize better spectral match by applying different sized-Si QDs in the future photovoltaic devices.

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Size-Dependent and Enhanced Photovoltaic Performance of Solar Cells Based on Si Quantum Dots

Energies ◽

10.3390/en13184845 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (18) ◽

pp. 4845

Author(s):

Yunqing Cao ◽

Ping Zhu ◽

Dongke Li ◽

Xianghua Zeng ◽

Dan Shan

Keyword(s):

Quantum Dots ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Light Trapping ◽

Spectral Response ◽

Quantum Confinement Effect ◽

Strong Dependence ◽

Photovoltaic Performance ◽

Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽

Optical Absorption Measurement ◽

Si Quantum Dots

Recently, extensive studies have focused on exploring a variety of silicon (Si) nanostructures among which Si quantum dots (Si QDs) may be applied in all Si tandem solar cells (TSCs) for the time to come. By virtue of its size tunability, the optical bandgap of Si QDs is capable of matching solar spectra in a broad range and thus improving spectral response. In the present work, size-controllable Si QDs are successfully obtained through the formation of Si QDs/SiC multilayers (MLs). According to the optical absorption measurement, the bandgap of Si QDs/SiC MLs shows a red shift to the region of long wavelength when the size of dots increases, well conforming to quantum confinement effect (QCE). Additionally, heterojunction solar cells (HSCs) based on Si QDs/SiC MLs of various sizes are presented and studied, which demonstrates the strong dependence of photovoltaic performance on the size of Si QDs. The measurement of external quantum efficiency (EQE) reveals the contribution of Si QDs to the response and absorption in the ultraviolet–visible (UV-Vis) light range. Furthermore, Si QDs/SiC MLs-based solar cell shows the best power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 10.15% by using nano-patterned Si light trapping substrates.

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Doping- and size-dependent photovoltaic properties of p-type Si-quantum-dot heterojunction solar cells: correlation with photoluminescence

Applied Physics Letters ◽

10.1063/1.3480609 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 97 (7) ◽

pp. 072108 ◽

Cited By ~ 31

Author(s):

Seung Hui Hong ◽

Jae Hee Park ◽

Dong Hee Shin ◽

Chang Oh Kim ◽

Suk-Ho Choi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Quantum Dot ◽

Photovoltaic Properties ◽

Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽

Size Dependent ◽

Si Quantum Dot ◽

P Type

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Comparing optical performance of a wide range of perovskite/silicon tandem architectures under real-world conditions

Nanophotonics ◽

10.1515/nanoph-2020-0643 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 0 (0) ◽

Author(s):

Manvika Singh ◽

Rudi Santbergen ◽

Indra Syifai ◽

Arthur Weeber ◽

Miro Zeman ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Real World ◽

Solar Spectrum ◽

Photocurrent Density ◽

Angle Of Incidence ◽

Optical Study ◽

Optical Performance ◽

Tandem Solar Cells ◽

Bottom Cell ◽

Wide Range

Abstract Since single junction c-Si solar cells are reaching their practical efficiency limit. Perovskite/c-Si tandem solar cells hold the promise of achieving greater than 30% efficiencies. In this regard, optical simulations can deliver guidelines for reducing the parasitic absorption losses and increasing the photocurrent density of the tandem solar cells. In this work, an optical study of 2, 3 and 4 terminal perovskite/c-Si tandem solar cells with c-Si solar bottom cells passivated by high thermal-budget poly-Si, poly-SiOx and poly-SiCx is performed to evaluate their optical performance with respect to the conventional tandem solar cells employing silicon heterojunction bottom cells. The parasitic absorption in these carrier selective passivating contacts has been quantified. It is shown that they enable greater than 20 mA/cm2 matched implied photocurrent density in un-encapsulated 2T tandem architecture along with being compatible with high temperature production processes. For studying the performance of such tandem devices in real-world irradiance conditions and for different locations of the world, the effect of solar spectrum and angle of incidence on their optical performance is studied. Passing from mono-facial to bi-facial tandem solar cells, the photocurrent density in the bottom cell can be increased, requiring again optical optimization. Here, we analyse the effect of albedo, perovskite thickness and band gap as well as geographical location on the optical performance of these bi-facial perovskite/c-Si tandem solar cells. Our optical study shows that bi-facial 2T tandems, that also convert light incident from the rear, require radically thicker perovskite layers to match the additional current from the c-Si bottom cell. For typical perovskite bandgap and albedo values, even doubling the perovskite thickness is not sufficient. In this respect, lower bandgap perovskites are very interesting for application not only in bi-facial 2T tandems but also in related 3T and 4T tandems.

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Enhanced photovoltaic properties of polymer–fullerene bulk heterojunction solar cells by thermal annealing

Solid State Communications ◽

10.1016/j.ssc.2007.01.034 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 142 (3) ◽

pp. 181-184 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Hui Jin ◽

Yanbing Hou ◽

Xianguo Meng ◽

Yan Li ◽

Quanmin Shi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Thermal Annealing ◽

Bulk Heterojunction ◽

Photovoltaic Properties ◽

Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽

Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

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Characterization of CuO/n-Si heterojunction solar cells produced by thermal evaporation

Materials Science-Poland ◽

10.2478/msp-2018-0092 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 668-674 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Reşit Özmenteş ◽

Cabir Temirci ◽

Abdullah Özkartal ◽

Kadir Ejderha ◽

Nezir Yildirim

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Band Gap ◽

Thermal Evaporation ◽

Front Surface ◽

Band Gap Energy ◽

Monoclinic Crystal ◽

Photovoltaic Properties ◽

X Ray ◽

Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽

Monoclinic Crystal Structure

AbstractCopper(II) oxide (CuO) in powder form was evaporated thermally on the front surface of an n-Si (1 0 0) single crystal using a vacuum coating unit. Structural investigation of the deposited CuO film was made using X-ray difraction (XRD) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) techniques. It was determined from the obtained results that the copper oxide films exhibited single-phase CuO properties in a monoclinic crystal structure. Transmittance measurement of the CuO film was performed by a UV-Vis spectrophotometer. Band gap energy of the film was determined as 1.74 eV under indirect band gap assumption. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements of the CuO/n-Si heterojunctions were performed under illumination and in the dark to reveal the photovoltaic and electrical properties of the produced samples. From the I-V measurements, it was revealed that the CuO/n-Si heterojunctions produced by thermal evaporation exibit excellent rectifying properties in dark and photovoltaic properties under illumination. Conversion efficiencies of the CuO/n-Si solar cells are comparable to those of CuO/n-Si produced by other methods described in the literature.

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40 Years Trajectory of Amorphous Semiconductor Research

MRS Proceedings ◽

10.1557/proc-609-a17.2 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 609 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Yoshihiro Hamakawa

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Energy Gap ◽

Early Period ◽

Basic Research ◽

Amorphous Semiconductor ◽

Film Deposition ◽

Terrestrial Environment ◽

Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽

Wide Range

ABSTRACTA review is given on a research trajectory of amorphous and microcrystalline semiconductors and their device applications proceeded since 1970. A brief explanation on the motivation to start amorphous semiconductor research is given to produce a new kind of synthetic semiconductor having continuous energy gap controllability with valency electron controllability through our experience of modulation spectroscopy in semiconductors.The first material we have challenged is Si-As-Te chalcogenide semiconductor which has a very wide vitreous region in Gibb's Triangle. A series of systematic experiments has been carried out in the terrestrial environment since 1971, and also within the TT-500A rocket experiment in 1980, and the Spacelab. J experiments FMPT (First Material Processing Test) project in 1992. The second material is hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) and its alloys started in 1976 just after the Garmisch Partenkirchen ICALS-6. With some basic research on the a-Si:H film deposition technology and film quality improvement, our continuous effort to improve the efficiency bore the tandem type solar cells in 1979, and also new products of a-SiC:H and a-SiGe:H in the early period of 1980s are described. These innovative device structures and materials have bloomed in the middle of 1980s in R & D phase such as a-SiC/a-Si heterojunction solar cells, a-Si/a-SiGe and also a-Si/poly-Si tandem type solar cells, and industrialized in recent few years. New kind of trials on full-color thin film light emitting devices has also been recently initiated with wide range of band gap controllability of a-SiC:H.The third material is microcrystalline silicon (µc-Si) and their alloys which gathers a tremendous R & D effort as a promised candidate for the bottom cell of the a-Si/µc-Si tandem solar cells aimed for the all-round plasma CVD process for the next age thin film photovoltaic devices. In the final part of presentation, a brief discussion will be given on a technological evolution from “bulk crystalline age” to “multilayered thin film age” in the semiconductor optoelectronics toward 21 century.

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Fabrication and Photovoltaic Properties of Cu2O/ZnO p-n Heterojunction Solar Cells

Chinese Journal of Luminescence ◽

10.3788/fgxb20133402.0197 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 34 (2) ◽

pp. 197-201

Author(s):

尚明伟 SHANG Ming-wei ◽

刘春廷 LIU Chun-ting ◽

孙琼 SUN Qiong ◽

张乾 ZHANG Qian ◽

董红周 DONG Hong-zhou ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Photovoltaic Properties ◽

Heterojunction Solar Cells

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Enhancement of photovoltaic properties of CH3NH3PbBr3 heterojunction solar cells by modifying mesoporous TiO2 surfaces with carboxyl groups

Journal of Materials Chemistry A ◽

10.1039/c4ta06479h ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 3 (17) ◽

pp. 9264-9270 ◽

Cited By ~ 52

Author(s):

Hyun Bin Kim ◽

Iseul Im ◽

Yeomin Yoon ◽

Sang Do Sung ◽

Eunji Kim ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Solar Cells ◽

Solar Cell ◽

Mesoporous Tio2 ◽

Heterojunction Solar Cell ◽

Carboxyl Groups ◽

Photovoltaic Properties ◽

Heterojunction Solar Cells ◽

Light Absorber

In a novel heterojunction solar cell employing CH3NH3PbBr3 (MAPbBr3) as the light absorber, the introduction of a carboxylate monolayer on the mesoporous TiO2 surfaces significantly enhances JSC as well as VOC.

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Wide-Range Enhancement of Spectral Response by Highly Conductive and Transparentμc-SiOx:H Doped Layers inμc-Si:H and a-Si:H/μc-Si:H Thin-Film Solar Cells

International Journal of Photoenergy ◽

10.1155/2016/8172518 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 2016 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Pei-Ling Chen ◽

Po-Wei Chen ◽

Min-Wen Hsiao ◽

Cheng-Hang Hsu ◽

Chuang-Chuang Tsai

Keyword(s):

Thin Film ◽

Solar Cells ◽

Spectral Response ◽

Wavelength Region ◽

Thin Film Solar Cells ◽

Window Layer ◽

Efficiency Gain ◽

Silicon Thin Film ◽

Single Junction ◽

Wide Range

The enhancement of optical absorption of silicon thin-film solar cells by the p- and n-typeμc-SiOx:H as doped and functional layers was presented. The effects of deposition conditions and oxygen content on optical, electrical, and structural properties ofμc-SiOx:H films were also discussed. Regarding the dopedμc-SiOx:H films, the wide optical band gap (E04) of 2.33 eV while maintaining a high conductivity of 0.2 S/cm could be obtained with oxygen incorporation of 20 at.%. Compared to the conventionalμc-Si:H(p) as window layer inμc-Si:H single-junction solar cells, the application ofμc-SiOx:H(p) increased theVOCand led to a significant enhancement in the short-wavelength spectral response. Meanwhile, the employment ofμc-SiOx:H(n) instead of conventional ITO as back reflecting layer (BRL) enhanced the external quantum efficiency (EQE) ofμc-Si:H single-junction cell in the long-wavelength region, leading to a relative efficiency gain of 10%. Compared to the reference cell, the optimized a-Si:H/μc-Si:H tandem cell by applying p- and n-typeμc-SiOx:H films achieved aVOCof 1.37 V,JSCof 10.55 mA/cm2, FF of 73.67%, and efficiency of 10.51%, which was a relative enhancement of 16%.

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