scholarly journals Optical Losses of Frontal Layers in Superstrate CdS/CdTe Solar Cells Using OPAL2

Coatings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 943
Author(s):  
Nowshad Amin ◽  
Mohammad Rezaul Karim ◽  
Zeid Abdullah ALOthman
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Contact Potential Difference ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Optical Losses ◽  
Contact Potential ◽  
Conducting Oxides ◽  
Cdte Solar Cells ◽  
First Time ◽  
Defect Densities

In this paper, optical losses in CdS/CdTe solar cells are calculated on the basis of the designated reflective index of various frontal layers using an OPAL2 calculator for the first time. Two types of glass (0.1 mm ultra-thin Schott and 1.1 mm standard borosilicate glass) were assumed to be coated by different Transparent-Conducting-Oxides (TCOs) such as SnO2:F, ZnO:Al, and ITO forming frontal layers for CdS/CdTe solar cells in superstrate configuration. Absorption, reflectance, transmittance, and consequently optical bandgap energies are calculated as a function of common thicknesses, used in the literature. The results show that an increase in TCO thickness led to a decrease in optical band gap as well as an enhancement in contact potential difference, which can deteriorate device performance. The optimum thickness of 100 nm for SnO2:F was calculated, while 200 nm for ZnO:Al and ITO show reasonable optical losses caused by reflections at the interfaces’ and the layer’s absorption. It is seen that 80 to 150 nm CdS on ITO might be an effective range to satisfy a high short circuit current and low defect densities at the CdS/CdTe interface. Finally, a minimum 2 μm thickness for the CdTe on the ultra-thin Schott glass coated by optimum layers can result in the highest short circuit current of 28.69 mA/cm2. This work offers a practical equivalent strategy to be applied for any superstrate solar cells containing TCO and CdS frontal layers.

Effects of Activated Carbon Counter Electrode on Bifacial Dye Sensitized Solar Cells (DSSCs)

2021 ◽  
Vol 1016 ◽  
pp. 863-868
Author(s):  
Tika Erna Putri ◽  
Yuan Hao ◽  
Fadzai Lesley Chawarambwa ◽  
Hyunwoong Seo ◽  
Min Kyu Son ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Activated Carbon ◽  
Counter Electrode ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Dye Sensitized Solar Cells ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Optical Losses ◽  
Dye Sensitized ◽  
Sensitized Solar Cells

The losses of solar cells are consisted of electrical losses and optical losses. Optical losses chiefly reduce the short-circuit current. Here we apply bifacial cell approach to increase light absorption and the short-circuit current of dye sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). We have employed activated carbon (AC) as a very low cost counter electrode, an alternative to Pt counter electrode. Addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and titanium carbonitride (TiCN) to AC increase the efficiency of bifacial DSSC at a mirror angle of from 5.10% to and , respectively. These results indicate that AC has the potential to replace Pt as a very low cost counter electrode of bifacial DSSCs. The bifacial DSSC system using double plane mirrors improve PCE to for Pt counter electrode at a mirror angle of , and for AC counter electrode at a mirror angle of , respectively.

scholarly journals Benzothiadiazole Based Cascade Material to Boost the Performance of Inverted Ternary Organic Solar Cells

Energies ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Miron Krassas ◽  
Christos Polyzoidis ◽  
Pavlos Tzourmpakis ◽  
Dimitriοs M. Kosmidis ◽  
George Viskadouros ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Organic Solar Cells ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Photovoltaic Performance ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Short Circuit Current Density ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Fused Ring ◽  
Electron Cascade ◽  
First Time

A conjugated, ladder-type multi-fused ring 4,7-dithienbenzothiadiazole:thiophene derivative, named as compound ‘T’, was for the first time incorporated, within the PTB7:PC71BM photoactive layer for inverted ternary organic solar cells (TOSCs) realization. The effective energy level offset caused by compound T between the polymeric donor and fullerene acceptor materials, as well as its resulting potential as electron cascade material contribute to an enhanced exciton dissociation, electron transfer facilitator and thus improved overall photovoltaic performance. The engineering optimization of the inverted TOSC, ITO/PFN/PTB7:Compound T(5% v/v):PC71BM/MoO3/Al, resulted in an overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.34%, with a short-circuit current density (Jsc) of 16.75 mA cm−2, open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.74 V and a fill factor (FF) of 68.1%, under AM1.5G illumination. This photovoltaic performance was improved by approximately 12% with respect to the control binary device.

Effect of CdTe thickness reduction in high efficiency CdS/CdTe solar cells

2001 ◽  
Vol 668 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akhlesh Gupta ◽  
I. Matulionis ◽  
J. Drayton ◽  
A.D. Compaan
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Cdte Film ◽  
Open Circuit ◽  
Thickness Reduction ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Cell Parameters ◽  
Cdte Solar Cells

ABSTRACTHigh efficiency CdTe solar cells are typically grown with CdTe thicknesses from 3 to 15 μm, although the thickness required for 90% absorption of the incident irradiation at 800 nm is only ∼1 μm. In this paper, we present the effect of CdTe thickness reduction on the performance of CdS/CdTe solar cells in which both the CdS and CdTe films were grown by sputtering. We produced a series of cells with different CdTe thickness (from 0.5 to 3.0 μm), and held the CdS thickness and back-contact-processing constant. The effect of CdTe thickness reduction on the diffusion of CdS into CdTe was studied using optical absorption and x-ray diffraction techniques. Only slight decreases occur in open-circuit voltage, short-circuit current, and fill factor with decrease in CdTe film thickness to 1.0 μm. Almost 10% efficient cells were obtained with 1 μm CdTe. Below 1 μm, all cell parameters decrease more rapidly, including the red quantum efficiency.

scholarly journals Structural and compositional dependence of the CdTexSe1−x alloy layer photoactivity in CdTe-based solar cells

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan D. Poplawsky ◽  
Wei Guo ◽  
Naba Paudel ◽  
Amy Ng ◽  
Karren More ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Atom Probe ◽  
Alloy Layer ◽  
Bandgap Engineering ◽  
Cdte Solar Cells ◽  
Transmission Electron ◽  
Electron Beam Induced Current ◽  
Composition Structure

Abstract The published external quantum efficiency data of the world-record CdTe solar cell suggests that the device uses bandgap engineering, most likely with a CdTe x Se1−x alloy layer to increase the short-circuit current and overall device efficiency. Here atom probe tomography, transmission electron microscopy and electron beam-induced current are used to clarify the dependence of Se content on the photoactive properties of CdTe x Se1−x alloy layers in bandgap-graded CdTe solar cells. Four solar cells were prepared with 50, 100, 200 and 400 nm-thick CdSe layers to reveal the formation, growth, composition, structure and photoactivity of the CdTe x Se1−x alloy with respect to the degree of Se diffusion. The results show that the CdTe x Se1−x layer photoactivity is highly dependent on the crystalline structure of the alloy (zincblende versus wurtzite), which is also dependent on the Se and Te concentrations.

scholarly journals Improving Ultraviolet Responses in Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 Thin-Film Solar Cells Using Quantum Dot-Based Luminescent Down-Shifting Layer

Nanomaterials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 1166
Author(s):  
Woo-Lim Jeong ◽  
Junsung Jang ◽  
Jihun Kim ◽  
Soo-Kyung Joo ◽  
Mun-Do Park ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Quantum Dot ◽  
Wavelength Conversion ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Secondary Phases ◽  
X Ray Diffraction ◽  
Solar Cell Performance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
First Time

Quantum dot (QD)-based luminescent down-shifting (LDS) layers were deposited on Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) solar cells via the drop-casting method. The LDS layers can easily widen the narrow absorption wavelength regions of single-junction solar cells and enable improvement of the short-circuit current. The optical properties of LDS layers deposited on glass and containing different QD contents were analyzed based on their transmittance, reflectance, and absorbance. The absorber films to be used in the CZTSSe solar cells were determined by X-ray diffraction measurements and Raman spectroscopy to determine their crystal structures and secondary phases, respectively. The completed CZTSSe solar cells with LDS layers showed increased ultraviolet responses of up to 25% because of wavelength conversion by the QDs. In addition, the impact of the capping layer, which was formed to protect the QDs from oxygen and moisture, on the solar cell performance was analyzed. Thus, a maximal conversion efficiency of 7.3% was achieved with the 1.0 mL QD condition; furthermore, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that LDS layers have been experimentally demonstrated for CZTSSe solar cells.

Optical Losses in Amorphous Silicon Solar Cells due to Back Reflectors

1997 ◽  
Vol 467 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. L. Sopori ◽  
J. Madjdpour ◽  
B. Von Roedern ◽  
W. Chen ◽  
S. S. Hegedus
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Numerical Model ◽  
Amorphous Silicon ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Silicon Solar Cells ◽  
Optical Losses ◽  
Back Reflectors ◽  
Current Densities ◽  
Initial Results

ABSTRACTWe have used a new numerical model and here present initial results on how texturing and backreflectors affect the maximum achievable short-circuit current densities in amorphous silicon solar cells.

scholarly journals The Band Structures of Zn1−xMgxO(In) and the Simulation of CdTe Solar Cells with a Zn1−xMgxO(In) Window Layer by SCAPS

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 291
Author(s):  
Xu He ◽  
Lili Wu ◽  
Xia Hao ◽  
Jingquan Zhang ◽  
Chunxiu Li ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Band Gap ◽  
Conduction Band ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Wavelength Region ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Window Layer ◽  
Short Wavelength Region ◽  
Conduction Band Offset ◽  
Cdte Solar Cells

Wider band-gap window layers can enhance the transmission of sunlight in the short-wavelength region and improve the performance of CdTe solar cells. In this work, we investigated the band structure of In-doped Zn1−xMgxO (ZMO:In) by using first-principles calculations with the GGA + U method and simulated the performance of ZMO:In/CdTe devices using the SCAPS program. The calculation results show that with the increased Mg doping concentration, the band gap of ZMO increases. However, the band gap of ZMO was decreased after In incorporation due to the downwards shifted conduction band. Owing to the improved short circuit current and fill factor, the conversion efficiency of the ZMO:In-based solar cells show better performance as compared with the CdS-based ones. A highest efficiency of 19.63% could be achieved owing to the wider band gap of ZMO:In and the appropriate conduction band offset (CBO) of ~0.23 eV at ZMO:In/CdTe interface when the Mg concentration x approaches 0.0625. Further investigations on thickness suggest an appropriate thickness of ZMO:In (x = 0.0625) in order to obtain better device performance would be 70–100 nm. This work provides a theoretical guidance for designing and fabricating highly efficient CdTe solar cells.

Comparison Between Al- and B-Doped Zno Window Layers For CuInSe2Thin Film Solar Cells

1996 ◽  
Vol 426 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Nakada ◽  
N. Murakami ◽  
A. Kunioka
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Short Circuit ◽  
Short Circuit Current ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Device Performance ◽  
Doped Zno ◽  
Window Material ◽  
Sputter Deposited ◽  
First Time

AbstractA comparative study of several properties of ZnO:Al and ZnO:B films grown by magnetron sputtering has been performed. The influence of these window layers on device performance has also been investigated. Sputter-deposited ZnO:B films were used for the first time as a window material of CIS thin film solar cells. The short circuit current was improved by replacing ZnO:Al with ZnO:B window layers. A discussion of the issues relating to ZnO window layers for improving cell performance is presented.

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