scholarly journals Dispersive Optical Systems for Highly-Concentrated Solar Spectrum Splitting: Concept, Design, and Performance Analyses

Energies ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 4719
Author(s):  
Si Kuan Thio ◽  
Sung-Yong Park
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Optical System ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Concept Design ◽  
Wavelength Band ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Optical Components ◽  
Grating Structure ◽  
Spectrum Splitting ◽  
Concentration Factors

We present a concept design of a solar spectrum splitting system that enables highly-concentrated solar energy harvesting over the entire AM1.5 spectral range. After passing through an array of the dispersive optical system (DOS) module composed of a grating structure and dispersive prisms below a concentrating lens, incident sunlight can be separated into two wavelength bands of visible (VIS) and infrared (IR) ranges, which can then be focused onto corresponding solar receivers. Based on the spectral response of typical crystalline silicon solar cells, the VIS wavelength band is selected from 0.4 μm to 1.2 μm to contribute to photovoltaic (PV) conversion to generate electricity. Meanwhile, the IR band in longer wavelength ranges (1.2 μm ≤ λ ≤ 2.5 μm), which does not contribute to PV conversion, can be simultaneously used for solar thermal applications such as water heating and thermoelectricity. In this paper, various design parameters (e.g., focal length of a concentrating lens, groove density of a grating, geometry of dispersive prisms, material combination of optical components, etc.) have been investigated to determine an optimum set of system configurations, using optical design software (Zemax OpticStudio 14.2). Our simulation studies validate that the DOS is able to split incident AM1.5 solar irradiance into the two wavelength bands of the VIS and IR ranges and focus each wavelength band with concentration factors as high as 798× and 755× on the same focal plane, respectively. Such high concentration factors for both wavelength bands can be actualized due to the additional optical components used—a grating structure and dispersive prisms, which allow to minimize optical aberrations through both diffraction and refraction. The proposed DOS, designed with commercially available optical components, has the potential to widen the use of the sun’s spectrum by allowing effective PV conversion of solar cells under high concentration with tolerable optical system losses and concurrently converting the remaining solar irradiation into useful energy for a broad range of thermal applications.

Solar Spectrum Splitting Parallel Junction High Efficiency Concentrating Photovoltaics

2012 ◽  
Vol 1391 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lirong Z. Broderick ◽  
Marco Stefancich ◽  
Dario Roncati ◽  
Brian R. Albert ◽  
Xing Sheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Linear Array ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Spectral Band ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Optical Loss ◽  
Single Element ◽  
Si Substrate ◽  
Spectrum Splitting

ABSTRACTA compact, single element concentrator comprising a near linear array of prisms has been designed to simultaneously split and concentrate the solar spectrum. Laterally aligned solar cells with different bandgaps are devised to be fabricated on a common Si substrate, with each cell absorbing a different spectral band optimized for highest overall power conversion efficiency. Epitaxial Ge on Si is used as a low cost virtual substrate for III-V materials growth. Assuming no optical loss for the prism concentrator, no shadowing and perfect carrier collection for the solar cells, simulations show that 39% efficiency can be achieved for a parallel four-junction (4PJ) InGaP-GaAs-Si-Ge cell under 200X concentration, and higher efficiency is possible with more junctions.

Development of thin-film solar cells using solar spectrum splitting technique

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinae Kim ◽  
Fuminori Takahashi ◽  
Shunsuke Kasashima ◽  
Porponth Sichanugrist ◽  
T. Kobayashi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Splitting Technique ◽  
Spectrum Splitting

Development of thin-film solar cells using solar spectrum splitting technique

2013 ◽  
Vol 119 ◽  
pp. 214-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinae Kim ◽  
Shunsuke Kasashima ◽  
Porponth Sichanugrist ◽  
Taizo Kobayashi ◽  
Tokio Nakada ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Thin Film ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Thin Film Solar Cells ◽  
Splitting Technique ◽  
Spectrum Splitting

scholarly journals Advances in High-Efficiency III-V Multijunction Solar Cells

2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 1-8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard R. King ◽  
Daniel C. Law ◽  
Kenneth M. Edmondson ◽  
Christopher M. Fetzer ◽  
Geoffrey S. Kinsey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Cell ◽  
High Efficiency ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Wide Band ◽  
Photovoltaic Cell ◽  
Maximum Energy ◽  
Band Gaps ◽  
High Concentration ◽  
Solar Cell Performance

The high efficiency of multijunction concentrator cells has the potential to revolutionize the cost structure of photovoltaic electricity generation. Advances in the design of metamorphic subcells to reduce carrier recombination and increase voltage, wide-band-gap tunnel junctions capable of operating at high concentration, metamorphic buffers to transition from the substrate lattice constant to that of the epitaxial subcells, concentrator cell AR coating and grid design, and integration into 3-junction cells with current-matched subcells under the terrestrial spectrum have resulted in new heights in solar cell performance. A metamorphic Ga0.44In0.56P/Ga0.92In0.08As/ Ge 3-junction solar cell from this research has reached a record 40.7% efficiency at 240 suns, under the standard reporting spectrum for terrestrial concentrator cells (AM1.5 direct, low-AOD, 24.0 W/cm2, 25∘C), and experimental lattice-matched 3-junction cells have now also achieved over 40% efficiency, with 40.1% measured at 135 suns. This metamorphic 3-junction device is the first solar cell to reach over 40% in efficiency, and has the highest solar conversion efficiency for any type of photovoltaic cell developed to date. Solar cells with more junctions offer the potential for still higher efficiencies to be reached. Four-junction cells limited by radiative recombination can reach over 58% in principle, and practical 4-junction cell efficiencies over 46% are possible with the right combination of band gaps, taking into account series resistance and gridline shadowing. Many of the optimum band gaps for maximum energy conversion can be accessed with metamorphic semiconductor materials. The lower current in cells with 4 or more junctions, resulting in lower I2R resistive power loss, is a particularly significant advantage in concentrator PV systems. Prototype 4-junction terrestrial concentrator cells have been grown by metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy, with preliminary measured efficiency of 35.7% under the AM1.5 direct terrestrial solar spectrum at 256 suns.

Ultrathin microcrystalline hydrogenated Si/Ge alloyed tandem solar cells towards full solar spectrum conversion

2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (6) ◽  
pp. 997-1005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Cao ◽  
Xinyun Zhu ◽  
Xingyu Tong ◽  
Jing Zhou ◽  
Jian Ni ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Tandem Solar Cells ◽  
Spectrum Conversion

scholarly journals Structural, Electronic, and Optical Properties of Group 6 Doped Anatase TiO2: A Theoretical Approach

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1657
Author(s):  
Petros-Panagis Filippatos ◽  
Nikolaos Kelaidis ◽  
Maria Vasilopoulou ◽  
Dimitris Davazoglou ◽  
Alexander Chroneos
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Solar Cells ◽  
Electron Transport ◽  
Density Functional ◽  
Perovskite Solar Cells ◽  
Solar Spectrum ◽  
Type Conductivity ◽  
Electronic And Optical Properties ◽  
Group 6 ◽  
Visible Wavelengths

Titania (TiO2) is a key material used as an electron transport in dye-sensitized and halide perovskite solar cells due to its intrinsic n-type conductivity, visible transparency, low-toxicity, and abundance. Moreover, it exhibits pronounced photocatalytic properties in the ultra-violet part of the solar spectrum. However, its wide bandgap (around 3.2 eV) reduces its photocatalytic activity in the visible wavelengths’ region and electron transport ability. One of the most efficient strategies to simultaneously decrease its bandgap value and increase its n-type conductivity is doping with appropriate elements. Here, we have investigated using the density functional theory (DFT), as well as the influence of chromium (Cr), molybdenum (Mo), and tungsten (W) doping on the structural, electronic, and optical properties of TiO2. We find that doping with group 6 elements positively impacts the above-mentioned properties and should be considered an appropriate method for photocatalystic applications. In addition to the pronounced reduction in the bandgap values, we also predict the formation of energy states inside the forbidden gap, in all the cases. These states are highly desirable for photocatalytic applications as they induce low energy transitions, thus increasing the oxide’s absorption within the visible. Still, they can be detrimental to solar cells’ performance, as they constitute trap sites for photogenerated charge carriers.

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

Nanophotonics ◽  
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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