Conversion efficiency limits and optimized designs for tandem solar cells with realistic sub-cell material quality

Lin Zhu; Toshimitsu Mochizuki; Masahiro Yoshita; Shaoqiang Chen; Shintaroh Sato; Changsu Kim; Hidefumi Akiyama; Yoshihiko Kanemitsu

doi:10.1109/PVSC.2014.6925662

Conversion efficiency limits and optimized designs for tandem solar cells with realistic sub-cell material quality

Lin Zhu^*
, Toshimitsu Mochizuki
, Masahiro Yoshita
, Shaoqiang Chen
, Shintaroh Sato
, Changsu Kim
, Hidefumi Akiyama
, Yoshihiko Kanemitsu

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

4 Scopus citations

Abstract

To examine practical efficiency limits of tandem solar cells, we calculated conversion efficiency (η_sc) and optimized sub-cell band-gap energies (E_g) in 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-junction cells via a detailed-balance theory, taking account of the realistic internal luminescence quantum yields (y_int) of the sub-cell materials. We found that η_sc drastically decreases as the geometric mean y_int∗ of all sub-cells' y_int drops from 1 to 0.1, and decreases proportionally to logy_int ∗ in the low-y_int ∗ region. Even with moderate material quality with y_int ∗ = 0.001, η_sc above 30% (35%) should be still available in 2-junction (3-junction) tandem cells, though we need optimized designs with much higher E_g than those known for the ideal cases with y_int ∗ = 1.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014
Publisher	Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
Pages	3404-3408
Number of pages	5
ISBN (Electronic)	9781479943982
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2014.6925662
State	Published - 15 Oct 2014
Externally published	Yes
Event	40th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014 - Denver, United States Duration: 8 Jun 2014 → 13 Jun 2014

Publication series

Name	2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014

Conference

Conference	40th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014
Country/Territory	United States
City	Denver
Period	8/06/14 → 13/06/14

Keywords

Design optimization
Energy efficiency
Luminescence
Photovoltaic cells
Semiconductor materials
Solar power generation

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1109/PVSC.2014.6925662

Cite this

Zhu, L., Mochizuki, T., Yoshita, M., Chen, S., Sato, S., Kim, C., Akiyama, H., & Kanemitsu, Y. (2014). Conversion efficiency limits and optimized designs for tandem solar cells with realistic sub-cell material quality. In 2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014 (pp. 3404-3408). Article 6925662 (2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014). Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2014.6925662

Zhu, Lin ; Mochizuki, Toshimitsu ; Yoshita, Masahiro et al. / Conversion efficiency limits and optimized designs for tandem solar cells with realistic sub-cell material quality. 2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2014. pp. 3404-3408 (2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014).

@inproceedings{d817fab07961424abaf904eca2b1228d,

title = "Conversion efficiency limits and optimized designs for tandem solar cells with realistic sub-cell material quality",

abstract = "To examine practical efficiency limits of tandem solar cells, we calculated conversion efficiency (ηsc) and optimized sub-cell band-gap energies (Eg) in 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-junction cells via a detailed-balance theory, taking account of the realistic internal luminescence quantum yields (yint) of the sub-cell materials. We found that ηsc drastically decreases as the geometric mean yint∗ of all sub-cells' yint drops from 1 to 0.1, and decreases proportionally to logyint ∗ in the low-yint ∗ region. Even with moderate material quality with yint ∗ = 0.001, ηsc above 30\% (35\%) should be still available in 2-junction (3-junction) tandem cells, though we need optimized designs with much higher Eg than those known for the ideal cases with yint ∗ = 1.",

keywords = "Design optimization, Energy efficiency, Luminescence, Photovoltaic cells, Semiconductor materials, Solar power generation",

author = "Lin Zhu and Toshimitsu Mochizuki and Masahiro Yoshita and Shaoqiang Chen and Shintaroh Sato and Changsu Kim and Hidefumi Akiyama and Yoshihiko Kanemitsu",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2014 IEEE.; 40th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014 ; Conference date: 08-06-2014 Through 13-06-2014",

year = "2014",

month = oct,

day = "15",

doi = "10.1109/PVSC.2014.6925662",

language = "英语",

series = "2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014",

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}

Zhu, L, Mochizuki, T, Yoshita, M, Chen, S, Sato, S, Kim, C, Akiyama, H & Kanemitsu, Y 2014, Conversion efficiency limits and optimized designs for tandem solar cells with realistic sub-cell material quality. in 2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014., 6925662, 2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., pp. 3404-3408, 40th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014, Denver, United States, 8/06/14. https://doi.org/10.1109/PVSC.2014.6925662

Conversion efficiency limits and optimized designs for tandem solar cells with realistic sub-cell material quality. / Zhu, Lin; Mochizuki, Toshimitsu; Yoshita, Masahiro et al.
2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc., 2014. p. 3404-3408 6925662 (2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014).

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference contribution › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Conversion efficiency limits and optimized designs for tandem solar cells with realistic sub-cell material quality

AU - Zhu, Lin

AU - Mochizuki, Toshimitsu

AU - Yoshita, Masahiro

AU - Chen, Shaoqiang

AU - Sato, Shintaroh

AU - Kim, Changsu

AU - Akiyama, Hidefumi

AU - Kanemitsu, Yoshihiko

PY - 2014/10/15

Y1 - 2014/10/15

N2 - To examine practical efficiency limits of tandem solar cells, we calculated conversion efficiency (ηsc) and optimized sub-cell band-gap energies (Eg) in 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-junction cells via a detailed-balance theory, taking account of the realistic internal luminescence quantum yields (yint) of the sub-cell materials. We found that ηsc drastically decreases as the geometric mean yint∗ of all sub-cells' yint drops from 1 to 0.1, and decreases proportionally to logyint ∗ in the low-yint ∗ region. Even with moderate material quality with yint ∗ = 0.001, ηsc above 30% (35%) should be still available in 2-junction (3-junction) tandem cells, though we need optimized designs with much higher Eg than those known for the ideal cases with yint ∗ = 1.

AB - To examine practical efficiency limits of tandem solar cells, we calculated conversion efficiency (ηsc) and optimized sub-cell band-gap energies (Eg) in 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-junction cells via a detailed-balance theory, taking account of the realistic internal luminescence quantum yields (yint) of the sub-cell materials. We found that ηsc drastically decreases as the geometric mean yint∗ of all sub-cells' yint drops from 1 to 0.1, and decreases proportionally to logyint ∗ in the low-yint ∗ region. Even with moderate material quality with yint ∗ = 0.001, ηsc above 30% (35%) should be still available in 2-junction (3-junction) tandem cells, though we need optimized designs with much higher Eg than those known for the ideal cases with yint ∗ = 1.

KW - Design optimization

KW - Energy efficiency

KW - Luminescence

KW - Photovoltaic cells

KW - Semiconductor materials

KW - Solar power generation

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M3 - 会议稿件

AN - SCOPUS:84912121674

T3 - 2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014

SP - 3404

EP - 3408

BT - 2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014

PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.

T2 - 40th IEEE Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014

Y2 - 8 June 2014 through 13 June 2014

ER -

Zhu L, Mochizuki T, Yoshita M, Chen S, Sato S, Kim C et al. Conversion efficiency limits and optimized designs for tandem solar cells with realistic sub-cell material quality. In 2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014. Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc. 2014. p. 3404-3408. 6925662. (2014 IEEE 40th Photovoltaic Specialist Conference, PVSC 2014). doi: 10.1109/PVSC.2014.6925662

Conversion efficiency limits and optimized designs for tandem solar cells with realistic sub-cell material quality

Abstract

Publication series

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Keywords

UN SDGs

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